For many years I've noticed a connection berween And You And I and Asimov's "Foundation Trilogy". The text in blue show the main points.

• First line could be about Hari Seldons Plan
• Second line is referring to The Foundations settling at the edge of the Galaxy, to re-establish order when civilisation declines
• The third blue line is the clincher for me, mentioning the Mutant Enemy (The Mule) that could have upset the whole Foundations plans.

I'm not saying the whole song is about the trilogy, just that Anderson must have read the books and used some ideas.

Any Comments?

I. cord of life
(anderson/bruford/howe/squire)

A man conceived a moment's answers to the dream,
Staying the flowers daily, sensing all the themes.
As a foundation left to create the spiral aim,
A movement regained and regarded both the same,
All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you.

Changed only for a sight of sound, the space agreed.
Between the picture of time behind the face of need,
Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid,
Emotion revealed as the ocean maid,
All complete in the sight of seeds of life with you.
Oh.

Turn round tailor, coins and
Assaulting all the mornings of the crosses
Interest shown, never know
Presenting one another to the cord, their fruitless worth;
All left dying, rediscovered cords are broken,
Of the door that turned round, locked inside
To close the cover, the mother earth.
All the interest shown, they won't
To turn one another, to the sign hide, hold, they won't
At the time tell you, watching the world,
To float your climb. watching all of the world,
Watching us go by.

And you and i climb over the sea to the valley,
And you and i reached out for reasons to call.

Ii. eclipse
(anderson/bruford/squire)

Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid,

Here you go....

  1  Pebble In The Sky      1950
  3  The Stars, Like Dust--     1951
  4  Foundation      1951
  5  David Starr, Space Ranger     1952
  6  Foundation and Empire      1952
  7  The Currents of Space       1952
  9  Second Foundation    1953

Although all three Foundation books are earlier short stories collected. Except for the first part, where Hari Seldon comes to Trantor.

Thank Seldon that you replied to my thread anyway, thanks!

Do you think there'll be any more takers?

BaldJean wrote: Snow Dog wrote: Here you go....   1  Pebble In The Sky      1950   3  The Stars, Like Dust--     1951   4  Foundation      1951   5  David Starr, Space Ranger     1952   6  Foundation and Empire      1952   7  The Currents of Space       1952   9  Second Foundation    1953   Although all three Foundation books are earlier short stories collected. Except for the first part, where Hari Seldon comes to Trantor. there are 2 more foundation books. "Foundation's Edge" (1982) and "Foundation and Earth" (1986)

Yes I know that. Irrelevent to this though! In fact theres more than that, don't forget "Prelude To Foundation" and "Forwrd The Foundation"

Snow Dog wrote: Thank Seldon

well, maybe - strikes me as a bit of a stretch. 

since the title is 'and you and i', is this just the perspective of a couple of folks somewhere midstream in the plan?

why then the focus on preacher/teacher? preacher could be seldon, but the line mentioning 'nailed' seems to refer elsewhere... so is teacher seldon? doesn't seem to fit. it's been a while since i've read them all, but except for the seldon, the mule, and daneel, there isn't a whole lot of personal continuity and the latter is unknown until the very end.

the volume of the lyrics seem to be in another direction, so it'd be a passive reference, but anderson probably read asimov at some point in his life.... who knows?

italprogfan wrote: Snow Dog wrote: Thank Seldon well, maybe - strikes me as a bit of a stretch.    since the title is 'and you and i', is this just the perspective of a couple of folks somewhere midstream in the plan?   why then the focus on preacher/teacher? preacher could be seldon, but the line mentioning 'nailed' seems to refer elsewhere... so is teacher seldon? doesn't seem to fit. it's been a while since i've read them all, but except for the seldon, the mule, and daneel, there isn't a whole lot of personal continuity and the latter is unknown until the very end.   the volume of the lyrics seem to be in another direction, so it'd be a passive reference, but anderson probably read asimov at some point in his life.... who knows?

This is the only point that I'm making. That the books influenced some of the lyrics slightly. Not that the song is at all based on the books!

cobb wrote: I think you have it there snow dog. That's why I suggested earlier that Anderson may have been reading or read the series when the song was penned. as foundation left to create the spiral aim... where else would this come from.

I don't think he read my first post properly, it happens all the time here.

Snow Dog wrote: I don't think he read my first post properly, it happens all the time here.

i did - i was trying to come up with a way to agree with you. as i first said, it's a bit of a stretch... ;)

The Last Question
by Isaac Asimov:

Dee Sub Wun said, "What is wrong?"

"The stars are dying. The original star is dead."

"They must all die. Why not?"

"But when all energy is gone, our bodies will finally die, and you and I with them."