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/
Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground
Antony and the Johnsons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have heard the crying sound
No one can stop you now
No one can stop you now
Her eyes are basking in the sun
No one knows why she did the things shes done
Ocean, swallow me now
Ocean, swallow me now
In the garden, with my mother
I stole a flower
With my mother, in her power
I stole a flower
I saw six eyes glistening in my womb
I felt you calling me in the gloom
Rest assured your love is pure
Rest assured your love is pure
In the garden, with my mother
I stole a flower
With my mother, in her power
I chose a flower
The song "Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground" by Antony and the Johnsons is a hauntingly beautiful and enigmatic piece that leaves the listener with many questions. The opening lines refer to someone or something that is buried or hidden beneath the ground with only the sounds of crying to give a hint of its presence. The following verse hints at a dark past and the lack of understanding of what triggered certain actions, further adding to the sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding the lyrics.
The chorus of the song uses the metaphor of the ocean to symbolize a desire to escape, to be swallowed whole by the vast expanse of the sea. It could be interpreted as a plea for absolution or a yearning to be washed clean of a previous wrong. The final verse of the song refers to a stolen flower - this could represent a metaphorical symbol of something that was taken, but which shouldn't have been. The fact that it was stolen with the singer's mother, adds a layer of complexity to the meaning as it points to an ambiguous relationship with her. The song ends with a sense of hope, the repetition of the line "rest assured your love is pure" seems to suggest that even in the midst of turmoil and confusion, one's love can still be a source of goodness and clarity.
Line by Line Meaning
Her eyes are underneath the ground
The person being referred to has likely passed away and is now buried in the ground
I have heard the crying sound
The singer has heard crying, likely from someone mourning the loss of the person in question
No one can stop you now
The person in question is beyond the realm of being stopped or influenced by anyone else
No one can stop you now
Reiterated for emphasis
Her eyes are basking in the sun
A contrast to the earlier line about her eyes being buried; perhaps a reference to the idea of the soul moving on to a better place
No one knows why she did the things shes done
There are unresolved questions or mysteries surrounding the actions of the person in question
Ocean, swallow me now
A cry for escape or release, to be swept away by the vastness of the ocean
Ocean, swallow me now
Reiterated for emphasis
In the garden, with my mother
A flashback or memory to a time spent with the artist's mother in a garden
I stole a flower
An act of rebellion or transgression; the artist went against social norms or rules
With my mother, in her power
The mother figure had some level of control or influence over the singer's actions
I stole a flower
Reiterated for emphasis
I saw six eyes glistening in my womb
A reference to the singer's own pregnancy or potential for motherhood; the image of six eyes could represent the singer, the baby, and a possible partner or other family member
I felt you calling me in the gloom
A sense of guidance or direction from a higher power or spirit
Rest assured your love is pure
Assurance or comfort that the singer's love is genuine and untainted
Rest assured your love is pure
Reiterated for emphasis
In the garden, with my mother
Reiterated for emphasis
I chose a flower
A slight rewording of an earlier line about stealing a flower; now it seems more intentional or carefully considered
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anohni, Nicolas Brendan Hegarty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adrian Jones
This beautiful song helped me so much when my Mother was dieing 9 years ago...she had 9 children....so the 6 eyes in the room felt her, my Father and my sister..all of them left to soon..many thanks..Anthony & the Johnsons...
Manu S.
Soooo beautiful. Great emotions and music. The voice open my heart. Thanks!!!
pedropenuela
love this song
Francisco Milan
buenísimo se lo dedico a las personas que quiero y que pocas veces se lo digo, o ninguna
jesusa mandalaya
amo a gaston dalmau es el amor de mi vida lo amo demasiado no puedo vivir sin el es lo mejor q me paso en la vida amo casi angeles es no lo puedo amar me cambio la vida son lo mejor los amo aguante teen angel!!! sn mucho mejores q cualquier otra cosa( menos DIOS)te amamos casi angeles R E S I S T E
Sérgio Rocha
beatilful video for a beautiful song!
kim
😢 i cried everytime
Márcia Campos
Great video!
Mumin Blues
Para quedarse a vivir con Anthony...
Joasia Jaruszewska
💖