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.
Foundling
Cardiacs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(But awful too)
Here comes the bride
No-one knows where she came from
Ghostly lady is here to warm your bed
Both now and in the life everlasting
Here comes the bride
No-one knows where she came from
He would give himself ten showers a day
In the murky ponds and weedy rivers
And it was wicked of you big dead boy
Suddenly just went to sleep
Well here we are
I could walk with angels
But I'd rather walk with you
(You are) only a foundling
Ghostly lady is here to warm your bed
Both now and in the life everlasting
Leaving something in the air
Here comes the bride
Nobody knows where she came from
"Foundling" by Cardiacs is a beautiful yet somewhat cryptic song. It opens with the line "Tasting sweet and beautiful, but awful too" which sets a dreamlike, otherworldly tone. The song then goes on to reference a mysterious bride who nobody knows where she came from. She is described as a "ghostly lady" who is here to warm your bed, both now and in the life everlasting. The idea of a ghostly presence is reiterated throughout the song, leaving something in the air that is both alluring and potentially dangerous.
The line "He would give himself ten showers a day in the murky ponds and weedy rivers" is particularly interesting as it juxtaposes cleanliness with murky, dirty water. It could be interpreted as an attempt to cleanse oneself from something unclean or negative. The next line "And it was wicked of you big dead boy suddenly just went to sleep" introduces a darker aspect to the song, hinting at a tragic event that has taken place. The song ends on a bittersweet note with the line "I could walk with angels, but I'd rather walk with you, only a foundling" which speaks to the idea that the person the singer is addressing may not necessarily have a clear identity or origins but their connection is still valued.
Overall, "Foundling" presents a surreal and haunting image. The bride and ghostly lady represent a sense of mystery and the unknown, while the allusions to dirt and death give the song a more ominous undertone. It could be interpreted as a meditation on the fragility and impermanence of identity and life itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Tasting sweet and beautiful (But awful too)
Despite its initial appeal, there is something unsettling about this situation
Here comes the bride
A new element or character is now entering the scene
No-one knows where she came from
There is mystery and uncertainty surrounding this new element
Ghostly lady is here to warm your bed
A comforting presence is here with you to provide emotional warmth
Both now and in the life everlasting
This comforting presence is not temporary, but rather will endure through time and beyond
Leaving something in the air
There is an intangible quality or feeling present
He would give himself ten showers a day
This character is obsessive and fixated on cleanliness
In the murky ponds and weedy rivers
This character goes to great lengths to achieve a sense of cleanliness, even in unclean environments
And it was wicked of you big dead boy
Another character is being accused of something cruel or malicious
Suddenly just went to sleep
This other character has unexpectedly ceased to act or respond
Well here we are
Despite all that has happened, we are still in the present moment
I could walk with angels
But I'd rather walk with you
(You are) only a foundling
This character values the presence of another individual, even though they are not perfect and have flaws
Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.