Bachdenkel were an English rock group which came to life in and around the King's Heath area of Birmingham in the late 1960s, evolving out of a combo called "U No Who".
Their name was produced by computer - an innovative use of new technology in those days - and they were one of the seminal bands on the Birmingham scene during the late 1960s, which saw the development of psychedelic culture and electric rock music. They had close links with the Birmingham Arts Lab, a venue for experimental artists of all types, and often performed with a full psychedelic light show.
Following a publicity campaign which included subverting a large department store's marketing logo and a photoshoot with a piano in a local fountain, they left the country. They subsequently found themselves in Paris, long the refuge of revolutionary artists and artistic revolutionaries. After the events of May 1968, France was ready for new ideas and new music and English rock bands were much in vogue at the time.
Bachdenkel settled in France and over the next decade went on to produce 2 albums: the first of these, "Lemmings", is generally regarded as their best. At times in their career, they shared the billing with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath amongst others and provided the music for a modern ballet.
Rolling Stone magazine once called Bachdenkel "...Britain's greatest unknown group."
Band lineup
Colin Swinburne - Lead guitar, vocals
Peter Kimberley - Bass guitar, vocals
Brian Smith - Drums, vocals
Karel Beer - 12 String guitar
Discography
1.Lemmings
2.Stalingrad
[edit] External links
http://www.myspace.com/bachdenkel
http://www.bachdenkel.com
Donna
Bachdenkel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You won't leave me
I know why
Without me to bring you comfort
You'd live in darkness
And there you'd die
And Donna speaks of leaving
It's not that easy
And Donna comes to the graveyard
Still dressed in mourning
And calls my name
And sometimes she hears an answer
But now the voices
All sound the same
And Donna, she speaks of leaving
It's not that easy
And you stay, but you say
You're wasting time
And you go, but you know
You're tasting wine
And there's still so much
You'd like to learn
Donna, you won't leave me
You won't leave me
And I know why
You stay here, so close to leaving
I know there's less reason
Each time you try
And Donna, she speaks of leaving
It's not that easy
The lyrics to Bachdenkel's song "Donna" suggest a complex and emotionally fraught relationship between two individuals, Donna and the singer of the song. The singer seems desperate to keep Donna from leaving, acknowledging that he knows exactly why she's hesitant to go. He believes that without him, Donna would be lost and alone, ultimately dying in darkness. However, despite this knowledge, Donna still speaks of leaving, suggesting that she's unhappy in the relationship or has other reasons for wanting to go.
The second stanza offers a glimpse into Donna's psyche, as she visits the graveyard still dressed in mourning. She calls out the singer's name, hoping for some sort of answer or comfort. However, even when she hears a voice, it's unclear if it's actually him or just a figment of her imagination. The final stanza is more reflective, with the singer acknowledging that Donna stays despite wanting to leave, perhaps because there's still so much she wants to learn or experience. He believes that each time she tries to leave, it becomes more difficult to do so.
Overall, the song deals with themes of attachment, dependence, and emotional manipulation. While the singer claims to understand Donna's motives for wanting to leave, he still tries to convince her to stay, suggesting that her life would be empty and meaningless without him. However, as Donna continues to speak of leaving, it's clear that the relationship is not a healthy or sustainable one.
Line by Line Meaning
Donna, you won't leave me
The singer believes Donna won't leave him.
You won't leave me
The singer reiterates that Donna won't leave him.
I know why
The singer claims to know why Donna won't leave him.
Without me to bring you comfort
If the artist wasn't there to comfort her, Donna would be unhappy.
You'd live in darkness
Without the artist's help, Donna would be in a state of misery.
And there you'd die
Donna's mental state is so crucial to the singer that he believes she would die without him.
And Donna speaks of leaving
Despite the singer's belief that Donna won't leave him, she mentions the possibility of doing so.
It's not that easy
Leaving is difficult due to the artist's importance in Donna's life.
And Donna comes to the graveyard
Donna visits the graveyard.
Still dressed in mourning
Donna is still grieving.
And calls my name
Donna cries out for the singer.
And sometimes she hears an answer
Donna thinks she hears a response.
But now the voices
Donna's hearing is impaired - all the voices sound the same.
All sound the same
All of the voices blend together for Donna.
And Donna, she speaks of leaving
Donna brings up the possibility of leaving again.
It's not that easy
Leaving is still difficult despite the decreased value the artist has in Donna's life.
And you stay, but you say
The artist is staying, but conveying how he feels.
You're wasting time
The singer might feel that he is wasting time with Donna.
And you go, but you know
The singer might leave but knows something the reader does not yet.
You're tasting wine
The artist's future will involve tasting wine.
And there's still so much
There is a lot left to explore in life.
You'd like to learn
The artist expresses a desire to learn more.
And I know why
The singer understands why Donna won't leave him.
You stay here, so close to leaving
Donna is hesitant to leave the relationship.
I know there's less reason
The singer believes there's less reason for Donna to stay.
Each time you try
Despite this, Donna still struggles with leaving.
And Donna, she speaks of leaving
Donna is still considering leaving.
It's not that easy
Leaving is not an easy decision for Donna.
Contributed by Camilla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dougmphilly
Love that opening chord progression