Balaam and the Angel are a gothic rock band formed in Cannock, Staffordshir… Read Full Bio ↴Balaam and the Angel are a gothic rock band formed in Cannock, Staffordshire, England during 1983.

The three founding members of the band are Scottish brothers; the Morris brothers (James Morris, Mark Morris and Des Morris). As children in Motherwell, they worked in the entertainment industry as part of a cabaret act. They moved south to England, to Cannock, Staffordshire, where they formed Balaam and the Angel.

1985 saw the band augment their line up with keyboard player ‘Wendy Harper’.

Initially, the band self-released a series of EPs via their own Chapter 22 label and played some tour dates opening for The Cult. This saw Balaam and the Angel catch the attention of Virgin Records who signed them and would release their debut "The Greatest Story Ever Told" in 1986. They toured in support of it in the United States with KISS and label mates Iggy Pop.

A second guitarist, and the first non sibling was added to the band in 1988; Ian McKean. The band began to move away from gothic rock music styles into a sound that had more in common with hard rock. With their new found style they recorded the album "Live Free or Die", which featured the minor rock (#13) and college radio (#18) hit "I Love the Things You Do to Me". This was soon followed up in similar style when they recorded "Days of Madness", before being dropped by Virgin Records. Their song "I'll Show You Something Special" is on the Steve Martin and John Candy movie "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" soundtrack.

At some point, the band were joined by Chris P Notes on Keyboards.

Albums
1985 Sun Family
1987 The Greatest Story Ever Told
1988 Live Free or Die
1989 Days of Madness
1991 No More Innocence
1993 Prime Time
2019 That's Not The Real World

www.balaamandtheangel.co.uk

Live Free Or Die
Balaam and the Angel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been around the world
And baby I know
I'm in another land far from home
I feel I must be dreaming
Or am I just insane
There's one thing I remember
It's burning in my brain
Live free or die

I can't remember when
I felt so small
Handcuffed all stitched up
Against the wall
I've got a strong suspicion
Somethings going on
Something that's got nothing
To do with right or wrong
Live free or die

Live free
Free or die

Overall Meaning

The song "Live Free or Die" by Balaam and the Angel is an anthem of freedom and resilience, highlighting the struggle of being lost in a foreign land and trying to find oneself. The opening lines, "I've been around the world, And baby, I know, I'm in another land far from home" suggest a sense of displacement and disorientation. The singer feels like he must be dreaming or insane, highlighting the inner turmoil and confusion that he is experiencing. But amidst this chaos, there is one thing that he remembers, and that is the message to "live free or die." This phrase has become a burning mantra, urging the singer to break free from whatever chains are holding him down and claiming his freedom.

The second verse is more intense, with lines like "I can't remember when, I felt so small, Handcuffed all stitched up, Against the wall." These lyrics evoke a sense of helplessness and vulnerability, as if the character is physically trapped and cannot escape. Yet, despite all of this, he has a "strong suspicion" something is going on that has "nothing to do with right or wrong." This line suggests an awareness that there are larger forces at play, beyond what is visible on the surface. The song ends on a reiteration of the phrase "live free or die," emphasizing the importance of standing up for oneself and fighting for freedom, no matter what the cost.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been around the world
I've travelled extensively

And baby I know
I'm quite aware

I'm in another land far from home
I'm in an unknown territory

I feel I must be dreaming
It feels surreal

Or am I just insane
Am I losing my mind?

There's one thing I remember
I recall one thing

It's burning in my brain
It's deeply ingrained in my memory

Live free or die
Either have your freedom or face death

I can't remember when
I can't recall the last time

I felt so small
I felt insignificant

Handcuffed all stitched up
Physically restrained