Blue Öyster Cult have been described as heavy metal, light metal, psychedelic rock, occult rock, acid rock, and progressive rock. They have also been recognized for helping pioneer genres such as stoner metal and speed metal.
The band is influenced by artists such as Alice Cooper, Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, MC5, The Blues Project, Jimi Hendrix, and Black Sabbath.
While Blue Öyster Cult has been noted for heavy rock, they would often add their own tongue-in-cheek style. Keeping with their image, the band would often include out-of-context fragments of Pearlman’s The Soft Doctrines of Imaginos into their lyrics, giving their songs cryptic meanings. Additionally, the band would keep a folder of Meltzer’s and Pearlman’s word associations to insert into their music.
Blue Öyster Cult's longest-lasting and most commercially successful lineup included Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (lead guitar, vocals), Eric Bloom (lead vocals, "stun guitar," keyboards, synthesizers), Allen Lanier (keyboards, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Joe Bouchard (bass, backing vocals), Albert Bouchard (drums, percussion, backing vocals). The band's current lineup includes Roeser and Bloom, as well as Danny Miranda (bass, backing vocals), Jules Radino (drums, percussion) and Richie Castellano (keyboard, rhythm guitar, backing vocals).
Perfect Water
Blue Öyster Cult Lyrics
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'Ware the tree. Is this our destiny?
To join our hands at sea - and slowly sink, and slowly think:
This is perfect water, passing over me.
Do you know Jacques Cousteau when they said on the radio
That he hears bells in random order, deep beneath the perfect water?
Love! That is frightening, but still so inviting.
And to think... And to think:
This is perfect water, passing over me.
To flow inside the spiral tide;
To drown my eyes like a blind ride.
And to cross the perils of black water -
It waits for me like mother and daughter.
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
Perfect water. I dream this dream within my deep and warm gulf stream.
Where two blocks of ice melt into my hands like dice,
And I roll seven on the floor of the sea!
And I roll seven on the floor of the sea!
And I feel the perfect water, washing over me.
To flow inside the spiral tide;
To drown my eyes like a blind ride.
And to cross the perils of black water -
It waits for me like mother and daughter.
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
A life! A strange!
A life! A strange!
The lyrics of Blue Öyster Cult's song "Perfect Water" evoke powerful imagery of the beauty and danger of the sea. The opening lines describe the wind braiding the waves that gray birds, setting a tone of ominous foreboding. The cautionary "ware the tree" suggests that danger lurks beneath the surface, and the question "is this our destiny?" hints at a fatalistic acceptance of this danger.
The chorus of "perfect water, passing over me" suggests a surrender to the allure of the sea, even in the face of danger. The reference to Jacques Cousteau, who famously explored the depths of the ocean, adds a touch of wonder to the lyrics, as he hears "bells in random order" from the mysterious depths below. The paradoxical "love that is frightening, but still so inviting" reflects the ambivalence humans have always felt towards the sea, both fearful and drawn to its power.
The evocative imagery of the lyrics continues, as the singer describes flowing inside the spiral tide and drowning their eyes like a blind ride. The idea of crossing the perils of black water and feeling it wait for them like "mother and daughter" again creates a sense of foreboding. Yet the repetition of the phrase "a life of perfect order, a strange and perfect water" suggests that despite the dangers, the sea offers a sense of meaning and order that is both alien and compelling.
Overall, "Perfect Water" is a surreal and thought-provoking exploration of humanity's relationship to the sea, both beautiful and deadly.
Line by Line Meaning
Perfect water - the dark wind braids the waves that grays birds.
The water is perfect, and the wind is creating patterns in the waves that the birds are enjoying.
'Ware the tree. Is this our destiny?
Be careful of the tree. Are we meant to be here?
To join our hands at sea - and slowly sink, and slowly think:
We join hands at sea, and contemplate sinking into the water.
This is perfect water, passing over me.
The water is so perfect that it feels like it is passing over the artist.
Do you know Jacques Cousteau when they said on the radio
Have you heard of Jacques Cousteau and what he said on the radio?
That he hears bells in random order, deep beneath the perfect water?
Jacques Cousteau reported hearing bells in various patterns deep under the perfect water.
Love! That is frightening, but still so inviting.
The idea of drowning in a sound is scary but alluring.
To drown inside a sound that lay so far underground.
The concept of drowning in a sound that is deep underwater is intriguing.
And to think... And to think:
And to contemplate... And to contemplate:
This is perfect water, passing over me.
The water is so perfect that it feels like it is passing over the artist.
To flow inside the spiral tide;
To be carried by the swirling current;
To drown my eyes like a blind ride.
To be unable to see, like being on a roller coaster with your eyes closed.
And to cross the perils of black water -
To navigate the risks of dark water -
It waits for me like mother and daughter.
The water is patient and nurturing.
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
The water represents a life that is structured and ideal, yet strange.
A life! A strange!
It's a life! A strange one!
Perfect water. I dream this dream within my deep and warm gulf stream.
The artist is dreaming of perfect water within a comforting and familiar stream.
Where two blocks of ice melt into my hands like dice,
Two ice blocks melt in the singer's hands like dice being rolled.
And I roll seven on the floor of the sea!
The singer rolls a seven as the ice blocks melt on the ocean floor.
And I feel the perfect water, washing over me.
The water feels perfect as it washes over the artist.
A life of perfect order! A strange and perfect water!
The water represents a life that is structured and ideal, yet strange.
A life! A strange!
It's a life! A strange one!
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Donald Roeser, J. Carroll
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind