The group dates back to September 1986. The very act of setting up the band took place an hour before Iron Maiden concert in Poznan, when Tomasz "Titus" Pukacki (vocal, bass guitar) met Robert "Litza" Friedrich (backing vocal, guitar) and they decided to sell the entrance tickets. The money they got was in no time spent on cheap Polish wine known locally as "kwas" (English "acid") The line up was then enlarged by Dariusz "Popcorn" Popowicz (guitar) and Maciej "Ślimak" Starosta (drums.) Soon they created a few song such as Barmy Army or Del Rocca which are performed live even these days. Unfortunately, after two months of blissful existence, the band suffered the loss of Titus - the leader, who had been called up to the army. Titus stayed there two years while the rest of the band performed with other bands. Popcorn joined Wolf Spider and Litza became a member of legendary Turbo and later Creation of Death. When Titus was finally released from the army, ACID DRINKERS was reactivated.
They first appeared on stage on 26th August 1989 in Wroclaw at a fairly big metal festival called "Metal Madness". They played three songs during which they remained completely still on stage, which was a pretty shocking idea as for a metal band at that time. The audience was absolutely taken aback. The same year they played only one more gig together with Turbo, Wolf Spider and Gomor.
In the meantime ACID DRINKERS recorded their first demo including Nagasaki Baby, Del Rocca and I Mean Acid. The demo noticed by Tomasz Dziubinski (Metal Mind Productions) was presented at Midem Fair in Cannes. A month later ACID DRINKERS signed a deal with Music for Nations. In 1990 ACID DRINKERS performed at Metalmania Festival in Katowice, which has been the largest metal festival in Eastern Europe for many years. The show was so excellent that not only fans but also critics and journalists regarded it as a triumph. In a blink of an eye the band gained popularity across the whole country. It was even called "Guns'n'Roses at Metallica's speed".
In October 1998 Litza left ACID DRINKERS, soon replaced by Przemyslaw "Perla" Wejmann. The same year the band was awarded "the Best Rock Band of the Year" by Polish Public Television. ACID DRINKERS also received "Fryderyk", the Polish equivalent of Grammy Award in category of "hard’n’heavy" in 1998, 2000, 2004. In 2003 Perla left the band. The place emptied by him was soon taken over by Tomasz ‘Lipa’ Lipnicki, the leader of another famous Polish band – Illusion. When Lipa left the band in march 2004, next guy joined the band. His name is Aleksander “Olass” Mendyk, guitar player from great hardcore band called None.
Acid Drinkers has always been one of the best and the most live-impressive Polish heavy metal bands. It has been estimated that so far they have played over 700 concerts in Poland and abroad. From 1996 to 2003 Acids headlined 7 tours and their audience reached a million of people. They headlined all the important Polish rock and metal festivals. The band supported many international stars, such as Deep Purple (in Katowice 03.06.1996 and 24.06.1998 and 27.06.2004 Legia Stadium-Warsaw), Ian Gillan ("Toolbox In" tour in Poland and Czech Republic December 1991), Megadeth, Bruce Dickinson, Sepultura, Paradise Lost and Slayer. The band has been recognized as the best Polish band of the 90s’ by Polish journalists, readers of Polish rock and metal magazines and, of course, BY FANS.
Line-Up
Tomasz "Titus" Pukacki - lead vocals, bass guitar
Wojciech "Jankiel" Moryto - guitar, bkg vocals
Darek "Popcorn" Popowicz - lead guitar
Maciej "Ślimak" Starosta - drums
Dance Semi-Macabre
Acid Drinkers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
it's not light yet, the sky is grey
how come the bell thrashes my skull
at such an hour early and dull?
is it nightmare or is it real?
something is wrong in town, I feel
a skeleton dance about to start
dry bones will clatter, might fall apart
grease all your joints, you'll need it the most
Look out the window, it's time to see
the congregation which, unlike me,
looks to the altar - it's help they search
patientlypacing into the church
looks to the altar - it's help they search
patientlypacing into the church
a skeleton dance about to start
dry bones will clatter, might fall apart
morning is comin' just like a ghost
grease all your joints, you'll need it the most
a skeleton dance
Movements feline, far fron grotesque
there's pas de deux and arabesque
relaxed and full of unconstrained grace
our pirouettes are simply ace
this phase carries me much like tide
my steps become more dignified
shivers run through me just like a train
tomorrow I will dance once again
a skeleton dance about to start
dry bones will clatter, might fall apart
morning is comin' just like a ghost
grease all your joints, you'll need it the most
a skeleton dance.
The lyrics to Acid Drinkers' song "Dance Semi-Macabre" present a surreal picture of a dreary morning that feels somehow ominous. The singer feels as though something is wrong in town and describes a skeleton dance that is about to start, with dry bones clattering and falling apart. There is a sense of foreboding in the air, as if something terrible is about to happen. Despite this, the singer is still able to find beauty and grace in the act of dancing. The movements are described as feline and full of unconstrained grace, and the pirouettes are "simply ace." The song ends with a reminder to grease your joints, implying that the dancing will continue despite the potential danger.
The surreal imagery in these lyrics creates a feeling of unease and confusion. The singer seems unsure if what they are experiencing is real or a nightmare. The juxtaposition of the eerie skeleton dance with the graceful pirouettes adds to the sense of disorientation. It's interesting to note that the song is called "Dance Semi-Macabre," which suggests that the dance is not fully grotesque or terrifying, but only partially so. This contributes to the dreamlike atmosphere of the song.
Overall, "Dance Semi-Macabre" is a haunting and enigmatic piece of music. The lyrics evoke a sense of impending doom, yet also celebrate the beauty and power of dance. The song remains a cult classic among fans of Acid Drinkers, and its mysterious lyrics continue to intrigue listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
The clock strikes 5, night becomes day
The day starts before the sun is up when the clock strikes 5.
it's not light yet, the sky is grey
Although it's the daytime, the sky is still dark and grey.
how come the bell thrashes my skull
The bell tolling in the early morning is causing a headache.
at such an hour early and dull?
Why is something happening at such an early and boring hour?
is it nightmare or is it real?
The situation feels surreal and it's unclear if it's a dream or reality.
something is wrong in town, I feel
A sense of unease is present within the town.
a skeleton dance about to start
A dance with a macabre theme involving skeletons is about to begin.
dry bones will clatter, might fall apart
The bones of the dancers might fall apart or make noise.
morning is comin' just like a ghost
The morning is approaching quietly and subtly, much like a ghost.
grease all your joints, you'll need it the most
Dancers need to prepare their joints for the dance by greasing them.
Look out the window, it's time to see
Take a look out the window to see what's happening.
the congregation which, unlike me,
Unlike the artist, the congregation is going to church.
looks to the altar - it's help they search
The congregation is looking for help from the altar.
patiently pacing into the church
The members of the congregation are slowly walking into the church.
movements feline, far from grotesque
The movements of the dancers are graceful, almost like a cat's.
there's pas de deux and arabesque
There are different types of dance moves being performed.
relaxed and full of unconstrained grace
The dancers are relaxed and their movements are full of grace.
our pirouettes are simply ace
The pirouettes being performed are excellent.
this phase carries me much like tide
The dance phase is taking the singer along like a tide.
my steps become more dignified
The artist's dance steps are becoming more dignified and impressive.
shivers run through me just like a train
The excitement of performing is making the artist shiver like a train.
tomorrow I will dance once again
The artist is looking forward to performing once again tomorrow.
a skeleton dance about to start
The macabre dance with skeletons is about to begin again.
dry bones will clatter, might fall apart
The skeletal dancers might make noise or fall apart.
morning is comin' just like a ghost
The morning is approaching quietly and subtly, much like a ghost.
grease all your joints, you'll need it the most
Dancers need to prepare their joints for the dance by greasing them.
a skeleton dance
The macabre dance with skeletons is happening once again.
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bobass83
Yankiel na wokalu, LUX
Smoker
dobre, bo polskie :)
Sergio pika
Dope 👺
Łukasz Pękała
"Look out the window" :)
Katarzyna Czapiewska
Słychać tu podobieństwo do Morbid Angel. Nie pamiętam nazwy kawałka ale był jeden, na którym mogli się wzorować Acidzi robiąc ten kawałek.