Previously, Mayberry was a member of the bands Boyfriend/Girlfriend and Blue Sky Archives. Mayberry is a trained drummer and also did a four-year law degree, followed by a Masters in journalism. Cook was a member of Aereogramme and The Unwinding Hours and also wrote music for film and TV. Doherty was a live member of The Twilight Sad. According to Mayberry, "Iain and Martin went to university together so they've known each other for quite a long time".
The band started in October 2011 as a studio project between the long time friends Iain Cook and Martin Doherty. Cook already knew Lauren Mayberry from working with Blue Sky Archives and suggested her as a potential vocalist for the project.
CHVRCHES were influenced by acts such as Prince, Tubeway Army, Robyn, Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Laurie Anderson. The band write, record, mix and master everything in a basement studio in Glasgow.
In May 2012, they released the song "Lies". In the same year, CHVRCHES toured with Passion Pit, as the opening band for their concerts and also toured on their own. "Lies" ranked at number 28 on NME's Best Tracks of 2012. CHVRCHES also came fifth on the BBC's Sound of 2013 list.
On 25 March 2013, they released Recover EP. They performed at SXSW and won the Inaugural Grulke Prize (for Developing Non-US Act). The band also supported Depeche Mode on four shows in July during their The Delta Machine Tour 2013.
On 20 September 2013, CHVRCHES released their debut album, The Bones of What You Believe. The album is supported by the singles "The Mother We Share", "Recover" and "Gun".
Links: official site at chvrch.es | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Tumblr | Vimeo
Deliverance
CHVRCHES Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drowning in your own beliefs
Careful when you're standing at a broken altar
Asking if we feel relief
Careful when you're looking for a true confession
Mirror what you wanna see
Careful when you're tellin' us about obsessions
Sayin' that we're never free
You better hold on, hold on, hold on
You better hold on to what you love
You better give up, give up, give up
You better give up on giving up
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you can never, never change
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you hurt me in exchange
Trust me when I tell you 'bout my own convictions
Made my mind up long ago
Trust me when I tell you it's a contradiction
Wishin' that I didn't know
Trust me that I struggle with all your destruction
Screamin' that I told you so
Trust me when I talk about the disillusion
Building up and letting go
You better hold on, hold on, hold
You better hold on to what you love
You better give up, give up, give up
You better give up on giving up
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you can never, never change
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you hurt me in exchange
Look in my eyes when you say it, say it
Look in my eyes like you mean it, mean it
Look in my eyes when you say it, say it
Look in my eyes like you mean it
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you can never, never change
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
If you hurt me in exchange
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
Look in my eyes when you say it, say it
If you can never, never change
Look in my eyes like you mean it, mean it
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
Look in my eyes when you say it, say it
If you hurt me in exchange
Look in my eyes like you mean it, mean it, mean it
Like you mean it
Like you mean it
Like you mean it
In "Deliverance," CHVRCHES comments on the danger of losing oneself to religious and societal pressures. The lyrics warn against blindly following religious beliefs and feeling trapped by them. The reference to 'holy water' and a 'broken altar' highlights the danger of blindly following religious rituals that no longer hold any significance. The line 'Asking if we feel relief' shows the frustration of being burdened with religious expectations even if they do not bring any comfort.
The chorus of the song urges the listener to hold on to what they love and not give up. The lines “It's a deliver-iver-iverance, If you can never, never change” in the chorus talk about how true deliverance will only come when one is willing to embrace change and break away from dogmas. The bridge of the song shifts to a more personal story, talking about the contradictions that exist within the self. It shows that while the band understands the pressure of conformity, they still struggle with accepting change and fighting against the disillusionment brought on by the society.
Line by Line Meaning
Careful when you're swimmin' in the holy water
Be cautious when you are blindly following the beliefs and traditions of a certain religion or faith.
Drowning in your own beliefs
Being too consumed by your own beliefs can be suffocating and may lead you astray from seeing reality.
Careful when you're standing at a broken altar
Be wary of blindly following institutions or systems that have been damaged or unstable as this can lead to further harm or disappointment.
Asking if we feel relief
Inquiring if others feel content or free from the burden of the broken system.
Careful when you're looking for a true confession
Be careful when seeking a genuine admission of fault or guilt from a person or system as it may not necessarily reflect the truth.
Mirror what you wanna see
Sometimes the confessor will only admit to what they want to admit to, which may not always be the whole truth.
Careful when you're tellin' us about obsessions
Be cautious when speaking about your personal fixations or strong interests to others.
Sayin' that we're never free
Proclaiming that we are trapped or constrained by something or someone else beyond our control.
You better hold on, hold on, hold on
Encouraging people to hold onto what they truly love and cherish in this volatile world.
You better hold on to what you love
One should never let go of the things they truly value no matter how difficult the situation may become.
You better give up, give up, give up
It's better to give up on giving up and keep fighting for what you believe in or yearn for.
You better give up on giving up
Don't give up on your goals, dreams or desires due to external pressures or obstacles.
It's a deliver-iver-iverance
The song talks about deliverance, which implies a sense of release, liberation and redemption from previously negative conditions.
If you can never, never change
Being stuck in your beliefs or habits can be inflexible and may result in missed opportunities for growth or change.
If you hurt me in exchange
If someone hurts you in return for your love, care or faith, then true deliverance may be out of reach.
Trust me when I tell you' bout my own convictions
Believe me when I talk about my own firmly held beliefs and opinions on certain topics.
Made my mind up long ago
I have already decided what I stand for and what I believe in a long time ago.
Trust me when I tell you it's a contradiction
Trust that I know and understand the paradoxical nature of some of my beliefs or actions.
Wishin' that I didn't know
Sometimes, the truth or reality can be too hard to accept or intolerable, and we may wish we didn't know it.
Trust me that I struggle with all your destruction
Believe me when I say that I am affected and impacted by the damage or harm caused by others.
Screamin' that I told you so
Exclaiming or proclaiming that I predicted a certain outcome, scenario or consequence from the beginning.
Trust me when I talk about the disillusion
Trust me when I speak about the feeling of disappointment or lack of satisfaction with the current state of affairs or reality.
Building up and letting go
Cycle of building up hope, dreams, and expectations only to let go when they fail or fall apart.
Look in my eyes when you say it, say it
Stare into my eyes when you speak your truth to show that you are being sincere and honest about your feelings.
If you hurt me in exchange
If someone causes you pain or inflicts damage, the sense of liberation and deliverance may not be possible.
Look in my eyes like you mean it, mean it
Make sure you really mean what you say and that you are true to your words or promises to gain trust and respect.
Like you mean it
Be genuine, sincere and honest in your words, actions and intentions to create a better and more trustworthy relationship.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gregory Allen Kurstin, Iain Andrew Cook, Lauren Eve Mayberry, Martin Clifford Doherty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind