Backworld was formed in 1993 owing to Budenholzer's growing passion for English folk music, minimalist classical composition, Christian mysticism, and a desire to make music that could reflect these interests and hopefully be as spiritual and beautiful.
Since joining forces with World Serpent Distribution (London) in 1995 four studio albums have resulted, Holy Fire (1996), Isles of the Blest (1997), Anthems from the Pleasure Park (1999), Of Silver Sleep (2001) and a live album, The Fourth Wall, recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London 2001. And 2 moreLPs Good Infection (2007) and Come The Bells (2011) on his own Discalucla label
Backworld's albums and early performances at CBGB's 313 Gallery and the NYU Experimental Theatre Wing and more recent concerts at House Leipzig, Germany; Grandson Castle, Switzerland; Bloomsbury Theatre, and St. Olave's Church, London, have featured a changing roster of players but the course is still steered by Budenholzer's constant vision. Arrangements of guitar, strings, percussion, flutes, electronics, revolve around lyrics concerned with ecstatic religious yearnings and tales of otherworldly visions. Notably Jarboe (Swans) has been a recurring figure in this story as well. Her presence can be felt lurking around certain tracks on the second and third albums. Recently, while recording the upcoming album, Good Infection, he enlisted the talents of Isobel Campbell (Belle & Sebastian, Gentle Waves), David Tibet (Current 93) and Drew McDowall (Coil) to contribute vocals and other textures to the new songs.
The Wisdom of the Flesh
Backworld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
the memory of the everlasting heaven of the senses
the memory we bring with ourselves at birth
the memories of all forbidden powers and pleasures
all this is contained in the helix of the body
even death is encoded in this street of the flesh
symbols burst from from inside out
the flesh is ours and it is also ours te be learned, to learn the wisdom of the flesh
for if the hand is to grasp the heart it cannot be ruled from without
it must be faithfully guided frow within, the body
it must be written again and again, etched on the surface of the flesh
the senses must be tempered as they are burned, just as the fire tempers the steel of swords
yearning will be given over to the wisdom of the body
the uncovering of the bible which lies coiled in the heart of love
this knot is undone by the revelations that had been long denied
that we are of this one flesh
and it is neither good or evil
that yearning can be given over to the wisdom of the body
and that heaven lies here for the taking
disguised in the cloth of death
and so the fire of blood floods the horizon
and great cracks and fissures split the flesh world
and then from deep within the body will come a lightning
approaching, nearing, gathering, striking
this is the violent love of the saints
impaled heroes of the christians
the whoredom of the holy god
violation of the sacred love
miracle of sodomy
the memory of the body
The opening lines of Backworld's song The Wisdom of the Flesh speak to the concept of an inherent knowledge contained within all humans, a memory of things that we cannot fully know or understand. This memory is described as being related to the "everlasting heaven of the senses" and the "forbidden powers and pleasures" that we all carry within us. The body itself is seen as the vessel for this knowledge, with even death being encoded in its very structure. The symbols that burst forth from within us offer a glimpse of the hidden truth that lies within, waiting to be reclaimed.
The lyrics then move on to speak about the importance of learning the wisdom of the flesh, of understanding and connecting with our bodies in order to be truly fulfilled in life. The focus is on the idea that we must be guided from within, allowing the body to lead us in all things, rather than seeking control over it from the outside. This includes tempering our senses as they are "burned" through experience, learning from them and using them as a tool for growth. Ultimately, the song suggests that the union of body and mind will lead to the unlocking of a powerful knowledge, a "bible coiled in the heart of love" that will reveal the true nature of existence and our place within it.
Overall, The Wisdom of the Flesh is a complex meditation on the nature of the human experience, exploring the ideas of inherent knowledge, bodily wisdom, and the search for enlightenment. By embracing the power of the body and the senses, the song suggests that we can navigate the challenges of life and find a deeper connection to the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
From within come the visions, memories of things i cannot know
The mind contains memories beyond what we can comprehend
the memory of the everlasting heaven of the senses
Memories of the eternal pleasure of our senses
the memory we bring with ourselves at birth
We are born with innate memories
the memories of all forbidden powers and pleasures
The mind holds memories of things that are taboo but pleasurable
all this is contained in the helix of the body
All these memories are stored within our DNA
even death is encoded in this street of the flesh
Our bodies have a natural cycle of life and death programmed into them
symbols burst from inside out
These memories can manifest in the form of symbols that emerge from within
bringing with them the hidden truth of stolen treasures here to be reclaimed
These symbols reveal truths that may have been obscured or forgotten
the flesh is ours and it is also ours to be learned, to learn the wisdom of the flesh
Our bodies belong to us, and we must understand and learn from them
for if the hand is to grasp the heart it cannot be ruled from without
True understanding of our bodies cannot be imposed from external sources
it must be faithfully guided frow within, the body
Understanding must come from within and be allowed to guide us
it must be written again and again, etched on the surface of the flesh
We must continuously learn from and reinforce our knowledge of the body on the physical level
the senses must be tempered as they are burned, just as the fire tempers the steel of swords
We must regulate and control our senses, as they can be both powerful and dangerous
yearning will be given over to the wisdom of the body
We must allow our desires to become informed by our knowledge of the body
the uncovering of the bible which lies coiled in the heart of love
Discovering the true nature of our bodies is like unlocking a sacred text hidden within our hearts
this knot is undone by the revelations that had been long denied
The secrets of the body can be revealed only by confronting and overcoming our past denials of them
that we are of this one flesh
We are all connected by our shared physical nature
and it is neither good or evil
The body itself is not inherently good or evil, but our actions with it can be
that yearning can be given over to the wisdom of the body
Desire can be channeled into constructive, informed actions by learning from the body
and that heaven lies here for the taking
We can find heaven on earth by properly understanding and utilizing our bodies
disguised in the cloth of death
This realization may only come after confronting our own mortality
and so the fire of blood floods the horizon
Our passionate desires can create powerful, all-encompassing experiences
and great cracks and fissures split the flesh world
New revelations about our bodies can fundamentally shift our worldview
and then from deep within the body will come a lightning
The knowledge and understanding of the body can strike like lightning from within
approaching, nearing, gathering, striking
This understanding can build over time before making a powerful impact
this is the violent love of the saints
This knowledge can be seen as intensely passionate and spiritual
impaled heroes of the christians
References the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian in Christian mythology
the whoredom of the holy god
The idea that God is both pure and promiscuous, a paradox that reflects the dual nature of the body
violation of the sacred love
The idea that the body's natural urges may conflict with established societal norms
miracle of sodomy
A reference to the controversial theory of 'Anal Vision', the idea that anal sex could lead to spiritual enlightenment
the memory of the body
Ultimately, the song is an exploration of the concept of embodied knowledge and the sensual experiences that shape us
Contributed by Alexander A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.