Fronted by Projekt Records' Sam Rosenthal, the band's line-up has changed significantly over time. The current lineup has Rosenthal on programming, guitar and keyboards, Jon DeRosa ( Aarktica) on vocals, and Henrik Meierkord on strings. The most notable former members of the band are Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls) on percussion, guitar & bass, and vocalists Athan Maroulis (ex-Spahn Ranch), Nicki Jaine, and long time vocalists, Oscar Herrera & Elysabeth Grant.
The style of Black Tape for a Blue Girl is generally described as "gothic", though their long catalog of music does not often gel with all of the contemporary standards of gothic music over time. The lyrics are by Rosenthal himself and explores powerful emotions of love, vulnerability, isolation, loss, jealousy, and passion.
Dream
Black Tape for a Blue Girl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cast out by faith.
Like fallen stars.
Like martyrs we fall,
Blessed is the sufferer.
With these eyes, these hands
We almost grasped paradise.
You lie alabaster
Of crystal dreams.
Defiled and destroyed.
How can I pray
To this cruel god
Who averts his gaze?
How can I believe
In a god
Who creates puppets and sheep?
The lyrics to Black Tape for a Blue Girl's song "On Broken Shells of Crystal Dreams" delve deep into themes of faith and suffering. The opening lines describe a feeling of rejection and abandonment by both angels and faith, comparing the experience to that of fallen stars. The image of martyrs falling further emphasizes the sense of pain and sacrifice in the experience. However, the sufferer is still viewed as blessed, indicating a belief that pain is a necessary part of a spiritual journey.
The second stanza describes a shattered paradise, represented by broken shells of crystal dreams. The use of the word alabaster to describe the figure lying on the shells conjures an image of purity and fragility, further emphasizing the sense of loss and defilement. The singer struggles with how to reconcile their pain with their belief in a god. The god described is harsh and uncaring, one who creates puppets and sheep rather than loving and caring for individuals. Despite this internal conflict, the singer is still searching for answers, unsure of how to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Cast out by angels,
We have been rejected by the divine beings who are supposed to protect us.
Cast out by faith.
Our beliefs have failed us and we feel abandoned.
Like fallen stars.
Our descent has been like that of stars that break upon entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Like martyrs we fall,
We are symbolic of those who gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves.
Blessed is the sufferer.
The one who endures pain is believed to be blessed for their perseverance.
With these eyes, these hands
We acknowledge our role in our own downfall and take responsibility for our actions.
We almost grasped paradise.
Our downfall came at a time when we were closest to our goals.
You lie alabaster
Describing someone or something as alabaster is to say it is perfect and unblemished, but here it is used sarcastically to highlight their flaws.
Translucent on broken shells
Their fragility has been exposed, leaving them vulnerable.
Of crystal dreams.
The hopes and aspirations they had were clear and sparkling, but now they are shattered.
Defiled and destroyed.
All beauty and goodness has been taken from us.
How can I pray
We question the point of prayer when our faith has failed us.
To this cruel god
We cannot reconcile with the idea of a deity who allows such suffering.
Who averts his gaze?
We feel ignored by the divine and left to suffer on our own.
How can I believe
We are struggling to maintain our faith and trust in the divine.
In a god
We are questioning the concept of a divine power.
Who creates puppets and sheep?
We cannot accept the idea of being mere pawns in a god's greater plan, or blindly following without free will.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sam Rosenthal
on All my lovers
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