Brendan Perry (born 30 June 1959 in Whitechapel, London) was half of one of… Read Full Bio ↴Brendan Perry (born 30 June 1959 in Whitechapel, London) was half of one of the most successful and enduring acts in 4AD's history: Dead Can Dance. He spent 16 years searching the world for meaning and knowledge through music in partnership with Lisa Gerrard, then turned his attention to a solo record which would continue this exploration. Although Eye Of The Hunter was released in October 1999, Brendan began work on the album while Dead Can Dance were still active - the idea was inspired, in part, by his incredible solo performance during 4AD's 13 Year Itch celebrations at the ICA in 1993. Boasting lush production sensibilities and a boundary-defying spirit, Eye Of The Hunter offered an immediate familiarity to fans of Dead Can Dance's unique soundworld. But there were difference in the manner the music was made, and also how it was presented. Though Dead Can Dance employed vocals, the duo's goal was to express emotions beyond language. Their recording process was also open to improvisation, Brendan and Lisa letting the music lead them to its destination. In contrast, Eye Of The Hunter's vignettes were written - crafted - using a more traditional singer / songwriter process. The music, centered around Brendans thoughtful and restrained guitar playing, provided a backdrop for his deep, gentle vocals. And while much of Dead Can Dance's work eluded categorisation, Brendan embraced it, making a folk record in the truest sense: these songs - each one its own story but each also contributing to an overall theme - were rooted in his life experiences.

'Eye Of The Hunter' was recorded at Brendan's Quivvy Church studio in County Cavan in Ireland. It's a relatively isolated setting - one which allows its owner space to pursue his interests, which range from music to astronomy and archery to arboriculture. Dead Can Dance's music often suggested a search for meaning and sense in the world, and Brendan has taken up a similar journey. But instead of looking at the external world, he has decided to explore the inner world of his own private universe. "People have multiple personalities which are always evolving," he says. "This record deals with the different facets of my own personality." "Eye Of The Hunter's deeply personal songs explore the theme of loss - both of life and love - but they are not bereft of hope. "Saturday's Child," which opens the record, poignantly describes the changing relationship between Brendan and his father after the latter suffered two debilitating strokes. "Sloth" deals with time lost to anger, addiction and inertia, preventing us from achieving our true potential. "The Captive Heart" deals with the attempt to keep love afloat over a long distance. A cover of Tim Buckley's "Must Have Been Blind" features one of the record's more extravagant arrangements, with layers of pedal steel supporting Brendan's soaring vocals. An emotional centerpiece is the haunting, autobiographical "Voyage of Bran". Brendan Perry toured Europe and North America in support of Eye Of The Hunter. But - apart from a number of local performances and workshops in Ireland - he subsequently remained out of the public eye until Dead Can Dance reformed for a series of live concerts in the spring of 2005.

His second album entitled 'Ark' was released 7 June 2010. This album was very different from 'Eye of the Hunter', notably because it will feature rhythm machines and electric guitars.

Two more Dead Can Dance albums followed; 'Anastasis' (2012) and 'Dionysius' (2018) along with a selection of live releases; 'Live Happenings I-V' (2012) and 'In Concert' (2013). 'Live Happenings' was a selection of live tracks released in 5 separate parts online. Each part consisted of 4/5 tracks. These were recordings from the 2005 DCD tour. 'In Concert' was recordings from the 2012 tour.

During the time between albums Brendan also moved from Ireland to Bretagne/Brittany, France and during February/March 2019 completed a solo tour in France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, starting in La Souterraine (FR), closely followed by a Dead Can Dance tour which started in Rennes (FR) in May 2019.

Ten years after 'Ark', on 20 November 2020 Brendan released his third solo album 'Songs of Disenchantment: Music from the Greek Underground'. Initially released in digital formats (MP3/FLAC) and via streaming (Spotify, Amazon Music etc) The physical vinyl and CD versions followed in Spring 2021. This is an album of Greek songs in the Rebetiko street music style (Greek blues?). All the songs are cover versions of 1920s-1930s Greek songs but have been translated in to English. Brendan plays all the instruments himself including traditional instruments like Bouzouki, Saz, Baglama & Tsouras along with lutes and the dulcimer, which DCD fans will be familiar with.

Next up is a Dead Can Dance's Europe tour in 2022, rescheduled from 2021 due to Covid restrictions.

Love On The Vine
Brendan Perry Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There’s nothing sadder in this life
When I see your love die on the vine
Two lonely people and a broken dream
No love for you, no hope for me

But you can’t hold a memory in your arms
It will slip right through your fingers just like unrequited charms
And there’s no point in living in the past

And maybe love inside us
In your rising love

As the vine continues to grow
With every seed the sun shines on
Two new hearts were both entwined
Together as one upon the vine

But she gave him white lies, will hurt you like a knife
And you know paper cuts can sometimes be most cruel and unkind
So I write this letter with ink from the vine
To save the child inside of us
In your rising love

But you can’t hold a memory in your arms
It will slip right through your fingers just like unrequited charms
And there’s no point in living with the past
And see the side of night
In your rising love
In your rising love
In your rising star

In your rising star
In your rising love

Overall Meaning

In Brendan Perry's song "Love On The Vine", he sings about the sadness of seeing love die on the vine. The imagery of the vine can be understood as a metaphor for a relationship that has the potential to flourish but ultimately fails due to various reasons. The lyrics suggest that two people who were once entwined on the vine are now lonely and broken-hearted. The singer acknowledges the fleeting nature of memories and advises against living in the past. He encourages his listener to embrace the possibility of a new love, symbolized by the rising vine.

The second half of the song introduces the idea of white lies and betrayal in a relationship. The singer writes a letter in hopes of saving the "child inside of us" - the innocent and loving parts of the self that can be wounded by deceit. The repetition of the phrase "in your rising love" reinforces the theme of hope and renewal. The song suggests that while love is not always easy, it is still worth pursuing and nurturing.

Overall, "Love On The Vine" is a poignant commentary on the complexities of love and relationships. The use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors creates a haunting and moving song that stays with the listener.

Line by Line Meaning

There’s nothing sadder in this life
The saddest thing in life is when love deteriorates.

When I see your love die on the vine
It's sad to see love falter and fade away without blossoming into something beautiful and long-lasting.

Two lonely people and a broken dream
Two individuals feeling isolated and dejected with a shattered hope they harbored.

No love for you, no hope for me
There's no love for one of them, and no hope for the other.

But you can’t hold a memory in your arms
Memories are intangible, and holding onto them is not possible as they will slip away from your grasp over time, similar to how even unreciprocated love will erode over time like a charm or amulet.

It will slip right through your fingers just like unrequited charms
When a charm is unreciprocated, it can easily slip away from your grasp.

And there’s no point in living in the past
Being preoccupied with the past doesn't help anyone at all.

And maybe love inside us
Perhaps, there is still love lying dormant within them.

In your rising love
A hope for love manifesting and growing stronger.

As the vine continues to grow
The growth and development of the vine are analogous to the persistence of hopes for love across generations.

With every seed the sun shines on
Prosperity and fertility are metaphorically synonymous with the growth of this vine, largely determined by fortuitous occasions, likened to the rays of the sun.

Two new hearts were both entwined
The union of two hearts, with increasing strength and unity, emulates the vine's entwining climb.

Together as one upon the vine
The couple embodies the growing bond that acts as one entity---growing and moving together in the same direction---similar to the vine branches.

But she gave him white lies, will hurt you like a knife
The woman said little lies to her partner that would cause more damage than a direct strike from a knife to his heart.

And you know paper cuts can sometimes be most cruel and unkind
Paper cuts can be just as painful and inopportune, just like little innocuous lies that can cause lasting damage.

So I write this letter with ink from the vine
The author pens a message composed of words chosen and transcribed from the same source as the growing love in hopes of advocating a more empathetic connection.

To save the child inside of us
To protect the innocent part of themselves that still harbors feelings of wonder and hope about the future.

And see the side of night
The night serves as a metaphor for the dark, disillusioned side of life.

In your rising love
Hope and expectation converge to create a fervor for a yet-to-bloom amor.

In your rising love
A doubling down on hope, wishing for the growth of love to come to fruition.

In your rising star
The persistent, growing love and hope for love have the potential to become as powerful as a shining star that can light up the universe.

In your rising love
Echoing the same recurring hope of a growing, blooming love.

Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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