In 1989 musicians Paul Sadler and Deborah Denton moved from London to Sydne… Read Full Bio ↴In 1989 musicians Paul Sadler and Deborah Denton moved from London to Sydney, Australia.

In 1991, taking the name derived from the Philip K. Dick sci-fi novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (later to become the movie Bladerunner) they were influenced by the films dark,futuristic and other worldly themes and formed Big Electric Cat.

Following several changes in the bands line-up,it was not until 1993 they were joined by local bassist David Block and that the current band was born.Their live drummer was dropped in favour of a drum machine "Dr Ruth" named after the famous US sex therapist.

After sell out gigs across Australia the band recorded their 4 track demo "Suspira". After a chance meeting with the owner of Phantom Records in Sydney, he suggested sending their demo to the newly formed Goth label Cleopatra Records in Los Angeles.
They were offered a three album deal.

The band's first full album was titled "Dreams of a Mad King" and was released in 1994. Recorded at Damien Gerrard Studios in Sydney it contains the songs "Christabel", "Orchid Dreaming", "Paris Skyes" and "Red Roses" which defined their sound and since its release, has become a classic across the USA and Europe.

On the suggestion of Cleopatra label boss Brian Pereira the second release by the band was the seven track remix EP Burning Embers overseen by electronic guru Uberzone and was released in October 1995.

In 1997 the band embarked on the massive Congregation Tour of the USA with labelmates Christian Death and Switchblade Symphony.

On their return to Australia Deborah Denton left the band and Paul and David continued to record the second full length album "Eyelash".

Released in August 1997,the songs took a darker,electronic journey-the classic title track was dedicated to the recent death of Paul's father.

With more live commitments and increasing popularity William Jackson was recruited for keyboard duties, and when David Block quit unexpectedly later that year, he was replaced by maven Damien Gillette on bass.

Big Electric Cat were among one of the first handful Australian Gothic bands to break through to the USA.

Big Electric Cat's music continues to be released to a new generation of fans.

Bed of Nails
Big Electric Cat Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Woke up on a bed of nails
The walls came tumbling down

Your love it never failed
You pushed it to the ground

It looks good
Yeah it's understood

It looks good
Like it happened before
It looks good
Yeah it's understood
You gave me love but you wanted more

And while the wheels were turning
What did you see inside?

A flower that is burning - sacrificed

We ride on a ship of fools scary when the sun goes down
You broke all the golden rules have mercy on my son

It looks good
Yeah it's understood
It looks good
Like it happened before
It looks good
Yeah it's understood
You gave me love but you wanted more

And while the wheels were turning
What did you see inside?

A flower that is burning - sacrificed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bed of Nails by Big Electric Cat describe a relationship that has come to an end. The singer wakes up feeling the pain of the breakup, as if they were lying on a bed of nails. The walls coming tumbling down symbolize the collapse of the relationship. The singer acknowledges that the love they were given was good, but it was not enough. The partner always wanted more, pushing the relationship to the ground, and ultimately leading to its demise.

The second verse describes a moment of reflection as the wheels turn, perhaps referring to a car ride or the progression of time. The partner sees a burning flower, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the sacrifice and destruction of the relationship. The third verse references a ship of fools, a term often used to describe a group of people making foolish decisions. The singer pleads for mercy on their son, perhaps a metaphor for their own vulnerability and need for protection.

Overall, the lyrics of Bed of Nails describe the pain and complexity of a failed relationship. The use of metaphors and imagery add depth to the emotions expressed in the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Woke up on a bed of nails
Started the day with pain and discomfort

The walls came tumbling down
Everything fell apart

Your love it never failed
Despite everything, you always loved

You pushed it to the ground
But you intentionally destroyed it all

It looks good
From the outside it appears fine

Yeah it's understood
This is something that repeats

Like it happened before
This has all happened before

You gave me love but you wanted more
You always wanted more from me

And while the wheels were turning
During this whole process

What did you see inside?
What was happening internally?

A flower that is burning - sacrificed
An innocent, pure thing was destroyed in the process