Prior to starting Assemblage 23, Shear experimented with music under the name "Man on a Stage", beginning in the early 1980s. Most of Shear's music at this point was instrumental, as he lacked the confidence to sing; the quality of the music itself was highly questionable by his own admission. Shear eventually began to add vocals to his music; at the same time, Shear was also playing bass in a punk band called the "Advocates".
Assemblage 23 got its start in 1988, when at a "Depeche Mode" concert, founder Tom Shear heard the opening DJ spinning industrial dance music. Prior to hearing this type of music, Shear had been creating primarily synthpop and post-punk type music.
Hearing industrial music for the first time proved to be something of an epiphany for Shear, as he had finally found a form of music that combined the electronic sounds he loved from his synth-pop background with the heavier, darker aggression punk represented. Even so, the project was more of a hobby for Shear at this point; it took until 1998 for Assemblage 23 to gather enough positive acclaim to attract the attention of record labels.
Shear signed a deal in 1999 with the Canadian label Gashed! for a full-length album, "Contempt" (released in November 1999). A second album, "Failure", followed in March 2001 and was released by Gashed! in North America and Accession Records in Europe. A single from "Failure", "Disappoint", was released on Accession in October 2001. The song dealt with Shear's sense of loss after his father's suicide on October 28, 1999.
After falling out with Gashed Records following "Failure", Shear signed with US label Metropolis Records later in 2001; Metropolis re-released "Contempt" and "Failure" that November. A remix release, "Addendum", was also released in November only on Accession. By this point, Assemblage 23 had become fairly popular within the ebm genre.
The third studio album, "Defiance", was released in October 2002 on Metropolis and Accession, preceded by the single "Document" in September. October 2004 saw the release of a fourth album, "Storm"; two singles were taken from the album, "Let the Wind Erase Me" in August and "Ground" in November.
Almost three years later, in March 2007, Assemblage 23 returned with a new single, "Binary", which debuted at #21 on the Billboard US singles chart. This was followed by the album "Meta" in April.
In September of that year Shear released "Early, Rare, & Unreleased [1988-1998]", which is a limited edition collection of A23 tracks taken from the years 1988 - 1998, on his own label 23db records. This was followed in February of 2009 by a second collection "Early, Rare, & Unreleased: Volume Two", which was also limited to 1000 copies.
Late 2009 saw the release of "Compass". Both regular and deluxe limited 2CD editions were released in October 2009, preceeded in September by the single "Spark".
The latest album "Bruise" was released on June 12, 2012. It is also available in both regular and 2CD versions.
Shear also has a side-project, "nerve filter", which has been running alongside Assemblage 23 since 1995. However, no more albums will be released since the project is now open for remixes only.
Official website: www.assemblage23.com
Let Me Be Your Armor
Assemblage 23 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me take the blame
Let me carry you from hell
To home again.
Let me walk for you
When your legs are weak
Let me find the words for you
Let me be your armor
Let me be your shield
Let me take away the pain you feel (your armor)
Let me be the light
That guides your way through darkest night
Let me be your armor.
Let me take the blows
That were meant for you
Let me help you the trials
You're going through
Let me keep you safe
From the world outside
Let me wipe away the tears
That fill your eyes
Let me be your armor
Let me be your shield
Let me take away the pain you feel (your armor)
Let me be the light
That guides your way through darkest night
Let me be your armor.
Let me keep you from
Experience you need
Let me bind you with my selfishness
And greed
Let me stifle you
Let me have control
Let me smother
Every aspect of your soul
Let me be your armor
Let me be your shield
Let me take away the pain you feel (your armor)
Let me be the light
That guides your way through darkest night
Let me be your armor.
The lyrics of Assemblage 23's song "Let Me Be Your Armor" address an individual's willingness to protect and care for someone they care for deeply. The singer pleads with their beloved to allow them to be the source of comfort, safety, and support when needed the most. They express their commitment to taking the blame and pain, walking for them when their legs are weak, finding the words to articulate their feelings, and shielding them from the harshness of the world outside.
However, the singer also expresses their insecurities and fears of losing their loved one to experiences they may need but unable to provide. They ask to be the sole source of guidance and protection, seeking to bind them with their own selfishness and control. The lyrics ultimately embody the complexities of protecting someone you love, as it requires balancing their needs for independence, growth, and safety in a healthy manner.
Line by Line Meaning
Let me take the fall
I am willing to take the blame for any mistakes or failures that may occur.
Let me take the blame
I accept responsibility for any consequences resulting from a situation or action.
Let me carry you from hell to home again
I will be there to support and guide you through the toughest times and bring you back to a comfortable state of being.
Let me walk for you when your legs are weak
I will carry the weight of the situation and be the strength that you need when you are feeling low.
Let me find the words for you when you can't speak
I will provide the right words to express what you are feeling when you are unable to articulate them yourself.
Let me be your armor
I want to protect you from harm or danger and be your source of strength and safety.
Let me be your shield
I will defend you from any threats or harm that may come your way, creating a barrier between you and the world.
Let me take away the pain you feel (your armor)
I am here to cleanse the emotional wounds and help you in a way no one else can.
Let me be the light that guides your way through darkest night
I will be your source of hope, guiding you through the most difficult times and illuminating your path.
Let me take the blows that were meant for you
I am willing to take any physical, emotional or psychological harm that may come your way.
Let me help you through the trials you're going through
I will be there every step of the way to help you navigate through the hardships you are facing.
Let me keep you safe from the world outside
I will create a safe and secure space for you where you can be yourself without fear of judgment or harm.
Let me wipe away the tears that fill your eyes
I want to be the one who comforts you in times of sadness, wiping your tears away and replacing them with happiness.
Let me keep you from experience you need
In my love for you, I may become possessive and try to control every aspect of your life, sometimes to your own detriment.
Let me bind you with my selfishness and greed
I may act in my own selfish interests, holding you back from your true potential or limiting your freedom.
Let me stifle you
In my attempts to protect you, I may hinder your growth or inadvertently suffocate the person you were meant to become.
Let me have control
I may seek to exert my control over you, dictating how you live or what choices you make.
Let me smother every aspect of your soul
I may become so consumed with my desire to protect you that I limit your opportunities for growth or development.
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DH Cross
This song also perfectly describes the slippery slope of being overprotective of kids and the eventual consequences of such behavior of a parent.
hektorlinko
This is one of the best well written songs I have ever heard in years. Great Lyrics and very deep and just damn right. Just a Great Song! It makes sense in the real world and is very motivating and uplifting. A+++
UNKLEDODA
I feel like this song perfectly expresses the 6 years I wasted addicted to heroin. If heroin could speak this is the song it sung to me. It's a shame it took me so long to get to the 3rd verse. But I'm all the stronger for it now.
Mel Sheldon
I just want to say youβre spot on with this comment and Iβm proud of you from afar.
NAGAHYAD
Let me be your armor is the best spiritual song ever
Bendjamin Spocke
Out of all his songs, this describes the biggest solvable problem we have on this planet.
paul tidwell
Tom shear educates by lyric what abusive relationships look like, genius.
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Great song and videoπ
Sup3rD4ve
Looking through the comments, it's amazing how many people found completely different yet highly personal and meaningful interpretations of the lyrics.
crippledbazooka
such a romantic song...until the last verse.