As well as Smith, around 23 musicians were part of the Cardiacs over the years, including Smith's brother, Jim, and multi-instrumentalist, Sarah Cutts, who married Tim Smith in 1983.
Their music combined the excitement and energy of punk with the intricacies and technical cleverness of early British progressive rock, a combination sometimes referred to as pronk, although frontman Smith disavowed this classification.
Cardiacs released eight studio albums plus a number of live albums, compilation albums and singles between 1980 and 2007, and are best known for the 1988 minor hit single "Is This the Life?" They are also noted for attracting strongly diverse responses: they have remained one of Britain's leading cult rock bands during their four-decade-spanning career, but have also attracted virulent critical attack (including a lengthy editorial ban from the British music magazine New Musical Express).
On the 30th June 1990, Cardiacs played at Salisbury Arts Centre (a former church). The show was recorded and initially the video of it was released on VHS tape under the name "All That Glitters Is A Mare's Nest". The video helped Cardiacs achieve a cult following, with pirated copies of the video, being highly sought after. The audio from the show was released on CD in 1995.
The band was on hiatus following the 2008 hospitalisation of Tim Smith after a heart attack and series of strokes which affected his speech and movement.
Commenting on his condition, in 2017, Smith wrote: “Imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you, with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”
In 2018, fundraising was set up for Tim Smith, which included the comment “This condition has affected Tim’s movement, his dexterity, his ability to speak, and it has added painful muscle tone and spasms that are a permanent feature of his life these days.”
On Tuesday 21st July 2020, at around 10.30 pm, Tim Smith passed away at his home, as a result of a heart attack.
Cardiacs final album, "LSD" remained unfinished at the time of Tim Smith's death. At the time of his death, Cardiacs still remained a cult following, their recordings were not, for example, available on Spotify. For many years there were few new copies of Cardiacs albums in circulation. Later on, re-releases became available on CD and then vinyl.
All Spectacular
Cardiacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dead and burying
Good man scared takes sail through his life
Let's sing of his life
Let's sing of his life
All his might against terror and fright
Let's sing of his might
Ridicule and fear
Good man scared takes sail through his life
Let's sing of his life
Let's sing of his life
All his might against terror and fright
Let's sing of his might
Life, everything
Dead and burying
Good man scared takes sail through his life
Let's sing of his life
Let's sing of his life
All his might against terror and fright
Let's sing of his might
Good man scared takes sail through his life
Let's sing of his life
Let's sing of his life
All his might against terror and fright
Let's sing of his might
The lyrics of Cardiacs' "All Spectacular" tell the story of a man who is afraid of the challenges and uncertainties of life. He is described as a "good man," which implies that he is moral and decent, but he is also scared. Despite his fear, he sets sail through his life, facing terror and fright with all his might. The repeated phrase "Let's sing of his life" encourages the listener to celebrate this man's courage and determination to confront his fears. The song seems to suggest that life is a mixture of joy and sorrow, and that it is worth living even with its ups and downs.
The repetition of the lyrics in "All Spectacular" creates a sense of urgency and importance, as if the story being told is of great significance. The use of the phrase "All spectacular" is interesting because it can be interpreted in different ways. It might mean that life is full of spectacular moments, both good and bad. Alternatively, it might suggest that the man's courage in facing life's challenges is spectacular in itself. The song's message is both uplifting and melancholy, celebrating the human spirit's resilience while acknowledging the difficulties of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Life, everything
The entirety of existence and all that it encompasses
Dead and burying
Death and the act of laying to rest
Good man scared takes sail through his life
An admirable person who is afraid, navigating through their existence
Let's sing of his life
To celebrate and honor the individual's journey
All his might against terror and fright
The person's full effort and bravery in the face of fear
All spectacular
An impressive and awe-inspiring display
Ridicule and fear
Mockery and apprehension
Good man scared takes sail through his life
A virtuous individual who is overwhelmed but continues their journey
Let's sing of his life
To acknowledge and recognize the person's struggles and successes
All his might against terror and fright
The individual's unwavering determination in spite of fear
Good man scared takes sail through his life
A noble individual who persists in the face of adversity
Let's sing of his life
To pay tribute and commemorate their existence
All his might against terror and fright
The person's courageous effort in the midst of fear and uncertainty
Contributed by Eva T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.