Born to a working-class family, Ferry studied fine art and taught at a secondary school before pursuing a career in music. In 1970 he began to assemble the rock band Roxy Music with a group of friends and acquaintances in London, and took the role of lead singer and main songwriter. The band achieved immediate international success with the release of their eponymous debut album in 1972, containing a rich multitude of sounds, which reflected Ferry's interest in exploring different genres of music. Their second album, For Your Pleasure (1973), further cultivated the band's unique sound and visual image that would establish Ferry as a leading cultural icon over the next decade.
Ferry began a parallel solo career in 1973 by releasing These Foolish Things, which popularized for the first time the concept of a contemporary musician releasing an album covering standard songs and was a drastic departure from his ongoing work with Roxy Music. His second album, Another Time, Another Place (1974), featured as its cover image Ferry posing by a pool in a white dinner jacket and represented one of his most impactful fashion statements. Over the next two years, Roxy Music released a trilogy of albums, Stranded (1973), Country Life (1974) and Siren (1975), which broadened the band's appeal internationally and saw Ferry take greater interest in the role of a live performer, reinventing himself in stage costumes ranging from gaucho to military uniforms.
Ferry disbanded Roxy Music following the release of their best-selling album Avalon in 1982 to concentrate on his solo career, releasing further singles such as "Slave to Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance" and the UK no. 1 album Boys and Girls in 1985. Including his work with Roxy Music, Ferry has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
As well as being a prolific songwriter, Ferry has recorded many cover versions, including standards from the Great American Songbook, in albums such as These Foolish Things (1973), Another Time, Another Place (1974), Let's Stick Together (1976), Taxi (1993) and As Time Goes By (1999), as well as Dylanesque (2007), an album of Bob Dylan covers. In 2019, Ferry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Ferry
Studio albums
These Foolish Things (1973)
Another Time, Another Place (1974)
Let's Stick Together (1976)
In Your Mind (1977)
The Bride Stripped Bare (1978)
Boys and Girls (1985)
Bête Noire (1987)
Taxi (1993)
Mamouna (1994)
As Time Goes By (1999)
Frantic (2002)
Dylanesque (2007)
Olympia (2010)
The Jazz Age (2012)
Avonmore (2014)
Bitter-Sweet (2018)
Limbo
Bryan Ferry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is calling
Down in limbo
Moonlight lush life
Bears strange fruit
Down in limbo
A moth to a flame
You never get near enough
You try again
Closer now
Oh how we dance
The spirit holding us
In a trance
Bamboo dancer
No stranger
Down in limbo
Can you tango?
Takes two to
Down in limbo
You are the one
Now is the time
Let your memory beat the drum
On the street car line
Voodoo warning
Is calling
Down in limbo
Moonlight lush life
Bears strange fruit
Down in limbo
Creole tattoo
I buy you
Down in limbo
Heartbeat you mistreat
I owe you
Down in limbo
The lyrics of Bryan Ferry's song Limbo depict a night filled with the allure of the voodoo culture. The song begins with the warning of voodoo, which is calling from the depths of limbo. The atmosphere is set with "moonlight lush life" that bears "strange fruit." These lines refer to Billie Holiday's song "Strange Fruit" which was written to expose the lynching of African Americans in the Southern US. Here, the lines symbolize the mystery and intrigue that surrounds the voodoo culture.
The second verse invites the listener to come with the singer, like a moth drawn to a flame. They never get near enough, and with every attempt to get closer, they only get trapped in the dance. The song then describes a bamboo dancer, holding the two in a trance. The third verse asks if the listener can tango, which hints at the idea of a seductive and intense dance, often symbolizing a struggle for power or dominance. The line, "takes two to" is left open-ended as a suggestion that anything could happen in limbo.
The final verse talks about the memories and the drumbeat of life, and how they all tie into the evocative combination of the voodoo culture and limbo. The song reflects an exploration of the mystery and seduction of the voodoo culture, which represents the deeper passions and emotions of humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
Voodoo warning
An ominous sign of what's to come
Is calling
It's beckoning
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
Moonlight lush life
A luxuriously exciting nightlife under the moonlight
Bears strange fruit
Produces unexpected consequences
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
Come with me now
Join me on this adventure
A moth to a flame
Drawn to something dangerous
You never get near enough
Always just out of reach
You try again
Attempt to get closer
Closer now
Almost within reach
Oh how we dance
A joyous moment of movement together
The spirit holding us
An intense energy guiding us
In a trance
In a hypnotic state
Bamboo dancer
A fluid, graceful performance
No stranger
One we know well
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
Can you tango?
Are you up for the challenge?
Takes two to
Requires two participants
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
You are the one
You're the perfect dance partner
Now is the time
The moment is right
Let your memory beat the drum
Remember the rhythm and keep it going
On the street car line
In the midst of a journey
Creole tattoo
A permanent mark of identity
I buy you
I'll take care of you
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
Heartbeat you mistreat
Taking advantage of emotions
I owe you
I owe you repayment
Down in limbo
In an uncertain in-between place
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRYAN FERRY, PATRICK LEONARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@santyalameda5115
This song always makes me want to be sailing ⛵️ on the ocean 🌊 . Something in it feels so mysterious and free! Bryan ferry is eternal ❤
@tompettersson3814
This always makes me wanna drive my 1988 Saab 900 Turbo.
@mariastellagranata8396
Bryan Ferry, mon amour
@pamela8329
Never enough of Bryan Ferry.❤️
@sabinescheer7803
Have a crush on him too, for me the sexiest man alive ❤
@AchtungBaby77
Hypnotic, majestic and captivating - Ferry is king!
@marymcdoangh5835
At this very moment I flew in from Ireland to see Roxy at the O2. Beautiful song and great album. Byran is a remarkable artist. 👏 ❤️
@milar.7263
Bryan 😍😍😍😍
@ka.yo4006-tp3wc
I love this song! Great!
@veraargentieri733
Bete noir 1987 capolavoro di disco ❤