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.
Core
Cardiacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it cakes walls with sun
I shall be a sky and a hill of good
And it keeps my mind happy
Sucking breath shrieking
From my belly doing no favours
And fluid like the waves and fouling glass
I've been white clean
And I taste in my mouth a worry
Everyone falls I feel fine
And I and I feel fine
Air is thin and it is hurting you
Beast of field, fowl of air
Heart of stone, man of metal
Shakes loose his core
Crazy lover like mad
And it cakes walls with sun
I shall be a sky and a hill of good
And it keeps my mind happy
I've been white clean
And I taste in my mouth a worry
Everyone falls I feel fine
And I and I feel fine
Air is thin and it is hurting you
Lost Jim, I held his fat hand
Needed to be looked after
I saw the vapours
Saw the vapours
Saw the vapours
I tried but could only think of me
The lyrics of Cardiacs' song "Core" are open to interpretation, as with much of their music. However, one could gather that the song speaks to the idea of transcendence, of rising above the mundane and achieving a state of enlightenment. The "crazy lover" perhaps represents a force of passion and inspiration that helps the singer "cake walls with sun" and become a "sky and a hill of good." The singer wants to be elevated, to reach a higher consciousness, and this state of mind makes them happy.
The song takes an interesting turn in the second half, as the singer describes their physical sensations. The breathing and bodily movements described are intense and uncomfortable, but ultimately still contribute to the singer's happiness. They've been "white clean" and feel a nagging worry, but their ability to feel fine even when others are falling speaks to their strength of spirit. The final lines bring in a character named "Lost Jim" who the singer feels an obligation to care for, but can ultimately only focus on themselves.
Overall, "Core" seems to explore the relationship between the physical and spiritual. The body and its sensations are important but ultimately subordinate to the mind and soul. The pursuit of transcendence can be difficult and even painful, but it ultimately leads to happiness and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Crazy lover like mad
Passionate love that consumes and overwhelms
And it cakes walls with sun
Love that shines and illuminates, bringing warmth and light to surroundings
I shall be a sky and a hill of good
Aiming to be a positive and uplifting force, with vast horizons and solid foundations
And it keeps my mind happy
Finding joy and contentment in these aspirations
Sucking breath shrieking
A struggle to breathe and intense emotional release
From my belly doing no favours
The source of this distress is something unpleasant or harmful that is being held within
And fluid like the waves and fouling glass
The experience is tumultuous, unpredictable, and distorts vision
And it keeps my mind happy
Despite the intensity, there is a sense of satisfaction or catharsis
I've been white clean
Having a renewed sense of purity or clarity
And I taste in my mouth a worry
Despite this, there is apprehension or concern about something
Everyone falls I feel fine
Others may fail, but the singer is unaffected and resilient
And I and I feel fine
Emphasizing this self-assurance and confidence
Air is thin and it is hurting you
Others may struggle in difficult circumstances, while the singer feels unencumbered
Beast of field, fowl of air
Describing different creatures and environments that may evoke different feelings or challenges
Heart of stone, man of metal
Evoking images of hardness or toughness, and resilience in the face of adversity
Shakes loose his core
Despite this, the artist implies that even the strongest of us can be shaken or compromised
Lost Jim, I held his fat hand
A scene of caring for someone in need, despite the artist's own challenges and experiences
Needed to be looked after
Describing the vulnerability and frailty of others, and the singer's role in supporting them
I saw the vapours
A description of some kind of mist or haze, that may be literal or metaphorical
I tried but could only think of me
Despite this act of kindness, the artist admits to self-centeredness and self-absorption
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.