Bauhaus first broke up in 1983. Peter Murphy began a solo career while the other members continued as Tones on Tail and later as Love and Rockets. Both enjoyed greater commercial success in the United States than Bauhaus had, but disappeared from the charts in their homeland. The band reunited for a 1998 tour and on a more permanent basis in 2005. The group announced plans to disband again following the release of their final album Go Away White in 2008.
The release of Go Away White signaled the end of the band and there was no supporting tour. Drummer Kevin Haskins said in an interview that they “were getting along really well, but there was an incident that occurred.” As a result, “some of us just felt that we didn’t want to carry on as a working unit.” In an interview with SuicideGirls, bassist David J said about the breakup: “You have a test tube, and you pour in one chemical, and you pour in another chemical, and something happens. It starts to bubble. Pour in another chemical, and it starts to bubble a bit more. You pour in a fourth chemical, and it bubbles really violently, and then explodes. That’s my answer.” Peter Murphy claimed in another interview that he “he was most satisfied with the bonding on an emotional level. It was good to be working together and to put the past behind us and it was very positive. The result was coming out really fast, so it was exciting and it was very enjoyable,” but in the end “That rocky character worked and I think it was a bit right to finish it, really.”
Murphy also stated in his MySpace blog that “there’s a lot more to it than this ‘incident’ that I’ve heard bandied about. In any group’s business there are constant incidents, so what? Committing to being in a band takes tolerance, love, and a massive commitment. I’ve walked on that stage at times when I could emotionally barely manage to and give it all just the same. If I’d let some disagreement or bad word distract me from that goal, then I’d need to question my integrity. Anton Corbijn once related to me how Bono of U2 talked about one of the reasons that U2 had survived was that they’re unlike many English bands; there was a kinship and priority given to each other as family. I personally sympathize with that. ‘There is no love where there is no Love.’”
A Bauhaus reunion was aborted in 2022 after Peter Murphy forced the band to cancel the tour as he entered rehab.
(2) Bauhaus was also the name of an Italian jazz rock band. They made recordings in 1974 but they weren’t released until almost thirty years later.
The Sanity Assassin
Bauhaus Lyrics
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Letter boxes screaming
You try to pin him to the wall
You end up on the ceiling
Locked in a dome
The shadows flicker by
He's the madcap pusher
Delerium the drug he's dealing
He drops a capsule in your drink
And spikes your dreams with madness
He's the sniper in the hills
Hiding the holes in your head
He's the poison in your poison
The razor in your head
Hanging on a picture
Eyelid needle and thread
You empty yourself once again
But he's always one step ahead
He whispers in your ear
was it nothing that you said
He's walking in your sleep now
He keeps your fat paranoia well-fed
He drops a capsule in your drink
And spikes your dreams with madness
The sanity assassin
Stays up all night stalking
The sanity assassin
Picks off victims like flies
The sanity assassin
Let his fingers do the walking
The sanity assassin
The crack shot between your eyes
He's got you in his sights
He drops a capsule in your drink
And spikes your dreams with madness
The razor in your head
He's the poison in your poison
Drops a capsule in your drink
Drops a capsule in your drink
The song "The Sanity Assassin" by Bauhaus is a dark and sinister portrayal of a psychopathic figure who preys on people's minds and emotions, driving them to madness and insanity. The lyrics are full of vivid and disturbing imagery that evokes a sense of dread and terror. The opening lines "Sinister echoes clutching at straws, Letter boxes screaming" set the tone for the rest of the song, creating a sense of disorientation and confusion.
The singer is a madcap pusher who deals in delirium, dropping capsules in people's drinks and spiking their dreams with madness. He is a sniper in the hills, hiding in the shadows, and poisoning his victims with his deadly drug. He is also the razor in your head, the poison in your poison, and the crack shot between your eyes. The singer is trapped in a dome, with shadows flickering by and the madcap pusher always one step ahead. The final lines of the song, "He drops a capsule in your drink, Drops a capsule in your drink," are a chilling repetition of the pusher's deadly actions.
The song is a powerful commentary on the dangers of drug use, and the devastating consequences it can have on a person's mental health. The Sanity Assassin is a warning against the allure of drugs, and the risks of getting caught up in a world of addiction and despair. The music complements the lyrics perfectly, with its haunting and intense sound adding to the sense of unease and paranoia that permeates the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Sinister echoes clutching at straws
Creepy sounds trying to grasp for something in desperation
Letter boxes screaming
The mailboxes are making a loud, high-pitched noise
You try to pin him to the wall
You attempt to confront the Sanity Assassin
You end up on the ceiling
Your efforts backfire and you find yourself confused and disoriented
Locked in a dome
Trapped in a confined space
The shadows flicker by
The dark figures move quickly and erratically
He's the madcap pusher
He's the crazy dealer of drugs
Delerium the drug he's dealing
He's selling a kind of madness-inducing substance
He drops a capsule in your drink
He secretly puts drugged liquid into your cup
And spikes your dreams with madness
As a result, you have terrifying and insane nightmares
He's the sniper in the hills
He's like a sharpshooter hiding on a high ground
Hiding the holes in your head
He's hiding your vulnerabilities and weaknesses
He's the poison in your poison
He's contaminating your toxic situation
The razor in your head
He's like a sharp blade cutting into your mind
Hanging on a picture
You're holding onto a memory
Eyelid needle and thread
Your eyes are closed as if being sewn shut with a needle and thread
You empty yourself once again
You feel emotionally drained and exhausted
But he's always one step ahead
The Sanity Assassin is always more prepared and cunning than you
He whispers in your ear
He speaks to you in a low and sinister voice
Was it nothing that you said
Did you do anything wrong to deserve this treatment?
He's walking in your sleep now
He's controlling your mind and dreams
He keeps your fat paranoia well-fed
He nourishes your intense fear and distrust
The sanity assassin stays up all night stalking
He's constantly watching, following, and tormenting his target
Picks off victims like flies
He kills his targets easily and ruthlessly
Let his fingers do the walking
He prefers to use his fingers to control and manipulate others
The crack shot between your eyes
His attacks are precise, hitting his target right between the eyes
He's got you in his sights
You're his next victim, and he's already found you
Drops a capsule in your drink
Once again, he puts drugged liquid into your cup
And spikes your dreams with madness
You have more terrifying and insane nightmares
The razor in your head
He continues to cut into your mind, causing immense mental pain
He's the poison in your poison
He's a toxic element in your already toxic situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL GASTON ASH, DAVID JAY, KEVIN HASKINS, PETER JOHN MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind