During the mid 90s Anohni started solo; after originally producing songs with Blacklips Performance Cult and other late-night cabarets she had a number of songs to work with. In 1995 she assembled a backing group—the self-styled Antony and the Johnsons—and began to focus on the musical side of her performances. The group built up a cult following at hip New York clubs such as the Kitchen and Knitting Factory. Anohni then received a NYFA for “performance art/emergent forms” which she used to record the Johnsons' debut album “Blue Angel”, that remained unreleased until Current 93 leader David Tibet signed Antony and the Johnsons to his Durtro label. The cast list of musicians on the album, released under the title "Antony and the Johnsons" in 1998, included Baby Dee (harp), Francois Gehin (bass), Todd Cohen (drums), Charles Neilson (guitar), and a number of string and woodwind players. This album later were reissued in 2000 and in 2004 by Secretly Canadian.
This collection of modern torch songs highlighted Anohni's soulful, multi-octave vocals and the Johnsons' graceful chamber pop arrangements, reaching a peak on "Cripple And The Starfish" and "Divine", the latter a tribute to the late transvestite movie star. Further recordings by Antony and the Johnsons emerged in the early years of the new millennium, including "I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy" and a shared EP “Live at St. Olave's” with Current 93, recorded live at Saint Olave's Church in London, England.
In early 2001 released 3 song EP "I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy", included covers of Mysteries of Love (Appeared originally on the film Blue Velvet) and Soft Black Stars.
Split EP included two new songs from the Johnsons, the first being You Stand Above Me, only one minute and thirty-six seconds long but containing all the melancholy and drama one would expect from the Johnsons. The other new track was The Lake which was an 1827 poem written by Edgar Allan Poe beautifully adapted to song. The Johnsons appear with Current 93 again on a 7”, with side B including the song Virgin Mary. This was limited to 500 copies, both released May 12th, 2003. By now the line-up of the Johnsons featured Todd Cohen, Jeff Langston (bass), Jason Hart (piano), Julia Kent (cello), Joan Wasser (violin), and Maxim Moston (violin).
It was around this time that Lou Reed heard the “I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy” EP. Reed then recruited Anohni for her album The Raven for guest vocals and took her on tour in 2003 which meant that Anohni appeared on Lou’s live album Animal Serenade. With the band now attracting wider attention, Anohni and the Johnsons signed to US based label Secretly Canadian. Secretly Canadian then reissued the band's debut to a wider audience in the USA.
The Lake was released the following year through the new label. It’s another 3 song EP including "The Lake" - Lou Reed appeared on Fistful of Love with guest vocals and guitar. The Horror Has Gone seems to be Anohni expressing the end of a depressing phase in her life, a positive lyrical change from her debut style.
In February 2005 Antony and the Johnsons released their second full length, I Am A Bird Now. It has guest appearances from Rufus Wainwright, Devendra Banhart, Lou Reed and Boy George. It went on to receive great critical acclaim in the UK and won Anohni the Technics Mercury Music Prize for 2005.
In 2006 Anohni appeared in the Leonard Cohen tribute concert and subsequent film "I'm Your Man." Her performance of "If It Be Your Will" is perhaps the highlight of the film.
The 5-song Another World EP was released on October 7, 2008. As promised, it shows a mixture of continuation of earlier songs' atmosphere as well as more experimental work. Antony and the Johnsons' third album, "The Crying Light", was released on January 19, 2009. This was followed by "Swanlights" in October, 2010. Both of these latter albums are less melodic and more experimental in nature the Anohni's earlier work and have met with critical acclaim yet little commercial success.
http://www.antonyandthejohnsons.com/
Blue Angel
Antony and the Johnsons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's the memory of your warmth
That keeps me alive
When I'm burning
And my world's closing in
Oh I'm on fire
I hold on to a wheel of burning fear
Oh I'm on fire
Oh I'm on fire
And then the sky is falling in
And I see your eyes
Hiding in the shadows
Hiding in the flames
Oh I'm on fire
Oh I'm on fire
I'm on fire...
It's the memory of your warmth
That keeps me alive
When I'm burning
And my world's closing in
Oh I'm on fire
Oh I'm on fire
I'm on fire
When I feel like I am dying
And soon I shall expire
I'm on fire
Oh I'm on fire
I'm on fire
Why is that
That I feel like I'm on fire
Blue angel
The song "Blue Angel" by Antony and the Johnsons is a hauntingly beautiful ode to the power of memory and love. The lyrics speak of the memory of someone's warmth keeping the singer alive in their darkest moments, when they feel like they are burning and the world is closing in on them. The repetition of the line "oh I'm on fire" emphasizes the intensity of the emotion that the singer is feeling, and the feeling of being consumed by their own thoughts and fears.
The next verse speaks of holding on to a "wheel of burning fear," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the constant struggle to stay afloat in life, despite the overwhelming fear and anxiety that can come with it. The mention of the sky falling in and seeing the person's eyes in the shadows and flames adds to the sense of chaos and confusion that the singer is experiencing.
The final verse brings the song full circle, with the repetition of the opening lines, emphasizing the importance of the memory of the warmth of the person they love. The repeated line "I'm on fire" takes on a different tone here, as the singer seems to be embracing the intensity of their emotions, rather than being consumed by them. In the final lines of the song, the singer questions why they feel like they are on fire, which could be interpreted as wondering about the source of their intense feelings, or perhaps questioning whether those feelings are ultimately destructive or transformative.
Overall, "Blue Angel" is a powerful meditation on love, memory, and the often overwhelming intensity of emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue angel
The song's title and repeated chorus, perhaps alluding to a guardian angel or a heavenly figure associated with the color blue.
It's the memory of your warmth
The singer finds comfort in remembering the warmth of a past relationship or connection.
That keeps me alive
Remembering this warmth sustains the singer in difficult times and keeps them feeling alive.
When I'm burning
The artist is in a state of emotional turmoil, burning with passion or struggling with pain.
And my world's closing in
The artist feels like their problems are closing in around them, that their world is becoming smaller and more suffocating.
Oh I'm on fire
A repeated phrase that emphasizes the intensity of the singer's emotional state, alternately expressing passion, suffering, and longing.
I hold on to a wheel of burning fear
The singer seems to be caught in a cycle of fear and anxiety, holding onto a metaphorical wheel that burns them but which they cannot release.
And then the sky is falling in
The artist's sense of doom and despair feels so heavy that it seems the sky is falling down around them.
And I see your eyes
In the midst of this crisis, the artist's focus turns to memories of their loved one, whose eyes they can still see clearly.
Hiding in the shadows
Perhaps the artist is ashamed of their emotional turmoil, or perhaps their love is hidden and unrequited.
Hiding in the flames
The passion and intensity of the singer's emotional state is like a fire, which also hides or obscures the object of their affection.
When I feel like I am dying
The artist's suffering is so intense that they may feel like they are dying, either metaphorically or literally.
And soon I shall expire
The singer seems to be anticipating the end of their life or the end of their relationship.
Why is that
The singer wonders why they are so consumed by these overwhelming feelings.
That I feel like I'm on fire
Another repetition of the song's central metaphor, expressing the intensity of the singer's suffering and passion.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anohni
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andreahayes4621
She's a pure genius. Such beautiful, beautiful music~
@TETCNY
Still love this song
@ivanaavalli2699
Bellissima dedica dedicata a Rita alla sua bellezza bellezza e malattia grande Anthony che dire eccezionale.
@olivierdelgrange813
Merci pour l'emotion
@nachtwaechter218
very beautiful piece.
@carmeloserafin5101
Armoniosa essenza di un desiderio assoluto di Volare.
@betausarek523
Absolutna
@coopsmusic93
When the curtains are drawn and I’m in my box it will be my last laugh with everyone.
@lisabunnie22960
😮 You just stung me.
@coopsmusic93
@@lisabunnie22960 sorry if it hurts I’ve just lost my beautiful wife and that’s how I feel.