Can was an experimental rock group founded in Cologne, Germany in 1968. Des… Read Full Bio ↴Can was an experimental rock group founded in Cologne, Germany in 1968. Describing themselves as an "anarchist community", they constructed their music largely through improvisation and editing, in a way similar to several avant-garde composers of the time. They had only occasional commercial success, but exerted a huge influence on subsequent rock and electronic music. They are generally held to be one of the finest of the original Krautrock bands, and are among the most important experimental artists in recent music history.
A lot of their initial popularity came from positive press in the UK (when many other Krautrock bands were shunned by UK media such as NME) and airplay on John Peel's BBC radio programmes, which led to extensive touring in the UK. They also gained exposure in Germany by doing soundtrack work for German filmmakers.

Keyboardist Irmin Schmidt and bassist/producer Holger Czukay had studied electronic music together under Karlheinz Stockhausen circa 1966. Schmidt was inspired to start the group following a trip to New York where he was "corrupted' by Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground. As well as Schmidt and Czukay, the initial lineup included guitarist Michael Karoli, a former pupil of Czukay; and drummer Jaki Liebezeit.

Their first vocalist was an American sculptor, Malcolm Mooney, who joined them living in an old castle with their own music studio, Inner Space. Mooney added a sort of "outsider artist" approach to his improvised vocals, but the chaotic lifestyle was damaging to his mental health and he eventually fled back to the USA on advice of a psychiatrist. He later contributed to the 'reunion' album Rite Time in the mid '80s.

Mooney was replaced by Kenji "Damo" Suzuki, found busking outside a café in Munich. With Damo Suzuki they made their classic albums Tago Mago (1971), Ege Bamyasi (1972) and Future Days (1973). Suzuki left the group in 1973, marrying his German girlfriend and becoming a Jehovah's Witness; he subsequently resumed touring and recording as a solo artist. He sadly passed away on 09.02.2024 at the age of 74.

Following Suzuki's departure the music at first became even more atmospheric and electronic-based, with Karoli and Schmidt providing occasional vocals. However they then moved towards conventional music forms such as disco and reggae. The disco-influenced single I Want More was an international hit in 1976. The lineup was bolstered in 1977 by the addition of former Traffic bassist Rosko Gee and percussionist Rebop Kwaku Baah, while original bassist Czukay was relegated to making electronic sound effects.

The group split in 1979 but reunited briefly in the mid-80s and early 90s.

Desert
Can Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Favored one, fade on, see them run
Journey 'round, heave ho all night long
You've been afraid for far too long
I've been enraged in my song
I've been a rose in my rage
I've been a rose
I've been a rose
I've been a rose

Canaan ran, since her desert song
Canaan ran, rides on the bird song
You've been afraid for far too long
I've been enraged in my songs
I've been a rose
I've been a rage
I've been a rose

I've been a rage
I've been a rose

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Can's song "Desert" reflect a message of fear and rage, coupled with a call to action. The opening line, "Favored one, fade on, see them run," seems to suggest that the singer is addressing someone who has perhaps been favored in the past but is now fading into insignificance, causing others to run away. The next line, "Journey 'round, heave ho all night long," implies a sense of toil and struggle that will last all night.

The chorus, "You've been afraid for far too long, I've been enraged in my song, I've been a rose in my rage," is both empowering and poetic. The singer acknowledges the fear that has been holding the other person back, but also notes their own anger and passion. The image of a rose in rage is particularly striking, suggesting both beauty and fierceness.

The final lines repeat the same message, with a slight variation in the second verse ("Canaan ran, since her desert song"). The idea of running from a desert is an interesting one, as deserts are often thought of as places to be journeyed through rather than fled from. It seems to suggest that the singer has been on a difficult and perhaps transformative journey, one that they are still struggling to fully understand or communicate.

Overall, "Desert" is a song that combines both poetic imagery and a powerful message of inner strength and resilience. It suggests that even in the midst of fear and rage, there is still beauty to be found, and that perseverance is the key to overcoming even the most challenging of situations.

Line by Line Meaning

Favored one, fade on, see them run
You, the favored one, continue to fade away while observing others running away in fear.

Journey 'round, heave ho all night long
Travel all around while working hard continuously throughout the night.

You've been afraid for far too long
You have been experiencing fear consistently for too long.

I've been enraged in my song
My song is full of anger.

I've been a rose in my rage
Despite my anger, I am still delicate and beautiful like a rose.

I've been a rose
I am a symbol of both beauty and fragility.

Canaan ran, since her desert song
Canaan has been running since she heard her 'desert song', symbolic of personal revelation or spiritual awakening.

Canaan ran, rides on the bird song
Canaan continues to run, carried by the melodies of the birds in her surroundings.

I've been a rage
My anger has consumed me.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN MICHAEL PERRY, LISA GERMAINE GERRARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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