'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.
Medusa
Brendan Perry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And diamonds and pearls for company
I'll be sailing to St. Lucia on the ocean breeze
With the moon and my scars for company
In your bedroom you keep an iron cage
Where a blackbird sings her freedom song
For you know the true value of keeping slaves
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the Tropic of Solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to undress
Then crowned my head with thorns
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the Tropic of Solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to get dressed
Then turned my heart to stone
The lyrics to Brendan Perry's song "Medusa" paint a hauntingly beautiful picture of a person left with only memories and material possessions, sailing away to find solace in the the company of the moon and their scars. The imagery of the lyrics is profound and metaphorical, referencing the Greek mythological figure of Medusa, who was known for turning her enemies to stone with a single glance. In this song, Medusa is used as a symbol for someone who has left the singer feeling jaded and heartbroken, robbing them of their youth and leaving them abandoned on the "Tropic of Solitude", a barren place of loneliness and despair.
The lyrics also touch on themes of captivity and freedom, as the blackbird in the iron cage sings a "freedom song", highlighting the true value of a life of liberty. The singer acknowledges that though they were once a captive of sorts, they have now been given the chance to break free and embark on a journey of self-discovery, even if it means sailing alone. The lines "You told me to undress / Then crowned my head with thorns" suggest that this journey will not be easy, but one that comes with sacrifice and pain.
Overall, "Medusa" is a powerful song that touches on themes of love, loss, and the journey towards self-discovery. The use of the Medusa myth adds a layer of depth and metaphor to the lyrics, creating a hauntingly beautiful picture of heartbreak and the resilience of the human spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
When all you have left are your memories
When everything else you've had has been taken away and only memories remain
And diamonds and pearls for company
When material possessions are the only companions left
I'll be sailing to St. Lucia on the ocean breeze
I'll be traveling towards a new destination on the winds of change
With the moon and my scars for company
With both the beauty and pain of past experiences as traveling companions
In your bedroom you keep an iron cage
In your private space, you keep something locked away, closed off and inaccessible
Where a blackbird sings her freedom song
But within that space, there's a small glimmer of hope and rebellion that still manages to express itself
For you know the true value of keeping slaves
You understand the power imbalance and control that can be exerted through possession
They sing the saddest of songs
But ultimately, those who are subjected to ownership will feel the sorrow of their situation
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
You, Medusa, have taken away the carefree and innocent nature of youth
Abandoned me on the Tropic of Solitude
Leaving me stranded in a place of loneliness and isolation
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
Preying on those who find themselves lost or vulnerable
You told me to undress
You lured me in with the promise of intimacy and vulnerability
Then crowned my head with thorns
Only to ultimately betray and hurt me, leaving me with pain and suffering
You told me to get dressed
You falsely built up a facade of trust and safety
Then turned my heart to stone
Only to harden and break my heart beyond repair
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LEE PERRY, RICHARD BURTON, BOB WAINWRIGHT, CONRAD GLAZE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@giatrosgiannis2719
When all you have left are your memories
And diamonds and pearls for company
I'll be sailing to Saint Lucia on the ocean breeze
With the moon and my scars for company
In your bedroom you keep an iron cage
Where a blackbird sings her freedom song
For you know the true value of having slaves
They sing the saddest of songs
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the tropic of solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to undress then crowned my head with thorns
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the tropic of solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to get dressed then turned my heart to stone...............Fucking Beautiful................
@felipepereiralucio
So Wonderfull. Amazing voice and song. 👏👏👏👏
@user-ey6vc4vp7s
Me gusta mucho su música es para los verdaderos conocedores de la gran musica con temática espiritual sus letras tan profunda
@Medusa666.
What a masterpiece
@cynthiajulun6879
I wholly agree with you MP.
@aleg1165
Conmueve hasta lo más profundo, belleza de canción, uno de los primeros CD´s que compré y sigo sin dudar de mi elección.
@AndreaFranchiMusic
Beautiful song, great arrangement
@PauloCarnaxide
Masterpiece!
@giatrosgiannis2719
When all you have left are your memories
And diamonds and pearls for company
I'll be sailing to Saint Lucia on the ocean breeze
With the moon and my scars for company
In your bedroom you keep an iron cage
Where a blackbird sings her freedom song
For you know the true value of having slaves
They sing the saddest of songs
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the tropic of solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to undress then crowned my head with thorns
Medusa, you robbed me of my youth
Abandoned me on the tropic of solitude
Seducer of the shipwrecked and forlorn
You told me to get dressed then turned my heart to stone...............Fucking Beautiful................
@elaine2316
Envolvente e misteriosa...!!!👏👏👏
@aleksandarmiljovski8250
One of my best ever songs. Love Brandan, Lisa and DCD, band of my youth and feature. Best regrets from Macedonia.