Kingdom Come's albums were Galactic Zoo Dossier (1971), the self-titled Kingdom Come (1972), and Journey (1973). Brown stated in an interview with an English music magazine that the three albums were intended to present a thematic progression. The first focused on the state of humankind in the present, the second on the human animal itself and the dichotomy between the body and mind, and the third focusing on cosmic and spiritual matters. The band was marketed as Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come in the United States due to name conflicts.
A number of factors contributed to the end of Kingdom Come.
The band dissolved rather than officially breaking up, with Brown citing a desire to play simpler music and opt for a simpler lifestyle in general in later interviews. However, the music that Kingdom Come left behind is certainly worth exploration for progressive rock and psychedelic rock enthusiasts, and stands up well as a part of Arthur Brown's 30-plus year legacy.
Internal Messenger
Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'll be just what I am
Stolen and begged and borrowed and pleaded
Whatever must be done I can
For I've got to know
Seems there's no one to show me my power
That's why I've had to take me
Opened up to new vibrations
Everything both right and wrong
"Yes and no" to every question
Can be this the way to go?
Won't let the blind direct my mind
Listen I'll find a way to my secrets
For with or without you
I've got to make life my home
Deep in my heart
I can feel insanity
Letting go to set me free
And the feeling that I'm flying
Has me screaming 'til I'm crying out for more
But there's no escape 'cause someone's closed the door
Nobody's here to help you now
Nobody… nobody's here to show you how
You'll have to face yourself alone
And the meaning of our yearning
Is the feeling that we're learning where we are
And there's something calling to us from afar
Watch me here, watch me there
I'm everywhere!
Would you laugh, would you cry
Are you afraid to die?
Have you looked? Have you seen?
Do you know where I have been at all?
Around the world, in the sky
I'm gonna look for life
Search for the sun to let the rays
Dump on your smiling face again
Gonna ride
Let the sun beam down
And there's something falling to us from afar
The song "Internal Messenger" by Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come is a reflective introspection of self-liberation and the journey of self-discovery. The first stanza of the song illustrates the singer's past of being a people pleaser, always satisfying the needs of others, but now he has taken a conscious decision to be himself. He understands that he holds immense potential, but nobody has shown him how to recognize and use it. To unleash his untouched capability, he needs to break free from his past and embrace new experiences.
In the second stanza, the singer has opened up to new perceptions and experiences, allowing him to see everything from a fresh point of view. He challenges the conventional 'yes-and-no' approach to problems and seeks a unique solution to his problems. The singer resolves, to be honest to his inner-self and not let the opinions of others influence his beliefs.
As the song progresses, the singer portrays a sense of liberation and freedom as he faces his fears and believes in his inner strength to work towards his goals. He is determined to explore, question and analyze his surroundings which have an underlying tone of seeking meaning in life. Throughout the song, the singer's resolve to embrace his freedom becomes more apparent, culminating in the final line of the song "And there's something falling to us from afar." This line could be interpreted as the universe guiding us to find our path and purpose in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Tried to be what others needed
I tried to be what others want me to be
Now I'll be just what I am
But now, I will be true to myself
Stolen and begged and borrowed and pleaded
I have done everything I can, by any means necessary
Whatever must be done I can
To achieve my goal, I am willing to do anything
For I've got to know
I need to find answers
Seems there's no one to show me my power
But I can't find anyone to guide me
That's why I've had to take me
So, I have to look within myself
And break me away from my past
And free myself from my history
Opened up to new vibrations
I am ready to embrace new experiences
Everything both right and wrong
I realize that there are no clear answers
"Yes and no" to every question
I am confused and unsure of everything
Can be this the way to go?
I am questioning the direction of my life
Won't let the blind direct my mind
But I refuse to follow blindly
Listen I'll find a way to my secrets
I trust myself to discover my own truths
For with or without you
Whether you help or not
I've got to make life my home
I have to make my life my own
Deep in my heart
I feel deeply inside
I can feel insanity
I am struggling with my own sanity
Letting go to set me free
I am trying to free myself through detachment
And the feeling that I'm flying
Sometimes, I feel like I am soaring
Has me screaming 'til I'm crying out for more
But I don't know how to hold on to that feeling
But there's no escape 'cause someone's closed the door
However, something is trapping me
Nobody's here to help you now
I am all alone in this struggle
Nobody… nobody's here to show you how
There is nobody to guide me
You'll have to face yourself alone
I must face my own challenges and overcome them on my own
And the meaning of our yearning
The desire that we have
Is the feeling that we're learning where we are
Is our realization of our location and situation
And there's something calling to us from afar
Something is calling us from a distant place
Watch me here, watch me there
I am trying different things
I'm everywhere!
I am all around, exploring everything
Would you laugh, would you cry
I experience different emotions
Are you afraid to die?
The fear of death
Have you looked? Have you seen?
Have you explored and observed?
Do you know where I have been at all?
Do you have any idea where I have been?
Around the world, in the sky
I have been to different places and experienced different things
I'm gonna look for life
I will continue my search for meaning and fulfillment
Search for the sun to let the rays
I am searching for sunlight
Dump on your smiling face again
To brighten my day and make me smile
Gonna ride
I am going on a journey
Let the sun beam down
I am embracing the light
And there's something falling to us from afar
An opportunity is approaching us from a distant place
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.