Catherine Wheel formed in 1990, comprising singer/guitarist Rob Dickinson (cousin of Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson), guitarist Brian Futter, bassist Dave Hawes, and drummer Neil Sims. Hawes had previously played in a Joy Division-influenced band called Eternal. They took their moniker from the firework known as the Catherine wheel, which in turn had taken its name from the medieval torture device of the same name. The band was often included in the shoegazing scene, characterized by bands that made extensive use of guitar feedback and droning washes of noise, as well as their continuous interaction with extensive amounts of effects pedals on the stage floor.
The band performed a Peel session in early 1991 while still unsigned; two 12" vinyl EPs were released on the Norwich based Wilde Club Records, named after the regular weekly Wilde Club gigs run by Barry Newman at Norwich Arts Centre. They signed to major-label Fontana Records after being courted by both Creation Records and the Brian Eno-run label Opal Records. The band's debut album, 1991/92's Ferment, made an immediate impression on the music press and introduced Catherine Wheel's biggest U.S. hit, "Black Metallic," as well as moderate hit "I Want To Touch You". The album features re-recorded versions of some of the Wilde Club-issued EPs.
The more aggressive Chrome followed in 1993, produced by Gil Norton. With this album, the band began to shed its original shoegazing tag, while still making skillful use of atmospherics, such as on the song "Fripp." In a 2007 interview, Rob Dickinson said that members of Death Cab for Cutie and Interpol told him that without this album, their bands "wouldn't exist."
1995's Happy Days saw the band delving further into metallic hard rock, which alienated a portion of their fanbase, even as it increased their exposure in the United States during the post-grunge era. The single "Waydown," and especially its plane-crash themed video, received heavy play in the U.S. A more sedate strain of rock known as britpop was taking over in the UK, causing C.W. to continue to have greater success abroad than at home.
The B-sides and outtakes collection, Like Cats and Dogs, came out the following year, revealing a quieter, more contemplative side of the band, spanning the previous five years. This carried over into Adam and Eve in 1997, wherein the band scaled back the sonic force of their sound from its Happy Days levels, with clean playing on some songs that featured extensive use of keyboards and acoustic guitars. Alternately, songs like "Satellite" and "Here Comes the Fat Controller" were lush and orchestral in scope.
In 2000, Catherine Wheel re-emerged with a new record label, a new bassist (Ben Ellis); a modified name (The Catherine Wheel); and a new album, Wishville. After mixed reviews, record company turmoil and lacklustre sales, the band went on a still-continuing hiatus.
In March 2010, Ferment was re-released, containing bonus tracks and extensive sleeve notes.
Strange Fruit
Catherine Wheel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But the taste is just a memory you hold
There is no real decay
No feeling of the skin
No juice
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
It never lets that sun out
This is sweet the soul the flesh I wish
It's the liquid that I miss
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely bruised
It's no use
Strange fruit, strange fruit
Sonic juice inside my head
This fever is so concentrated
Oh no what a shame
Climb the tree and shake this passion down
But this fruit won't even kiss the ground
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely grazed
There's no way
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
The lyrics to Catherine Wheel's "Strange Fruit" are uniquely enigmatic with a blend of imagery that may seem abstract but creates a powerful, thought-provoking song. The opening lines, "I've been inside this fruit when juices flow, but the taste is just a memory you hold" could be interpreted as a metaphorical reference to the experience of being inside a person when they're at their most vulnerable, ripe and open, but once that moment passes, any visceral understanding of that experience becomes just a memory. The line, "There is no real decay, no feeling of the skin, no juice" echoes this melancholy sentiment, of wanting to hold onto something that has passed, but it just vanishes without leaving any lasting traces.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "strange fruit" multiple times, which has several connotations. Firstly, it pays tribute to Billie Holiday's famous song of the same name that was about the lynching of Black Americans. But, in the context of this song, it could refer to something that is deemed "strange" simply because it's not easily understood, or it is out of the ordinary. The lines, "This is sweet the soul the flesh I wish, it's the liquid that I miss" are also complex, evoking a deep longing for something lost, which could be love, passion, or something else entirely.
In "Strange Fruit," Catherine Wheel creates an atmospheric experience that sweeps over the listener, but its true meaning might be hard to discern initially. It presents several images that can be interpreted in a variety of ways, which makes it a haunting, difficult song to forget.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been inside this fruit when juices flow
I have experienced indulgence and temptation that come with pleasures, but nothing lasts forever.
But the taste is just a memory you hold
The memory of the past experiences is what remains with us after the pleasures fade away.
There is no real decay
The transience of life and experiences is inevitable, yet there is something that transcends the brevity.
No feeling of the skin
The fleeting pleasures that we experience often leave a void within us.
No juice
The pleasures that we crave can never quench our thirst for true satisfaction.
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
It is often the things that are inherently flawed that we find most desirable.
It never lets that sun out
These pleasures keep us in a constant state of darkness and deprive us of experiencing true joy.
This is sweet the soul the flesh I wish
The desires of our heart and soul are often at odds with what our flesh craves.
It's the liquid that I miss
We miss the essence of the experience more than the experience itself.
The flesh is barely bruised
The pleasure that we derive from indulging in our desires often leave no physical trace, yet they impact our soul and spirit.
It's no use
Indulging in fleeting pleasures is futile as it doesn't bring us true satisfaction.
Sonic juice inside my head
The impact of our past experiences shapes the way we perceive the world and influences our thinking.
This fever is so concentrated
The craving for pleasures and experiences can take over our entire being and become an obsession.
Oh no what a shame
Regret often sets in after indulging in pleasures as we realize that it didn't bring us true satisfaction and fulfillment.
Climb the tree and shake this passion down
We often feel compelled to take drastic measures to satisfy our desires, yet it only leads to more emptiness and dissatisfaction.
But this fruit won't even kiss the ground
Even after we reach our desired destination, the ultimate satisfaction remains elusive.
The flesh is barely grazed
The lure of pleasures and indulgences is often just a veneer that doesn't satisfy our true hunger and thirst.
There's no way
The constant cycle of craving, indulging, and feeling empty is a never-ending loop, and we need to find a way to break out of it to find true fulfillment.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Written by: BRIAN FUTTER, ROBERT DICKINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sara kadam
I've been inside this fruit when juices flow
But the taste is just a memory you hold
There is no real decay
No feeling of the skin
No juice
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
It never lets that sun out
Strange fruit
This is sweet the soul the flesh I wish
It's the liquid that I miss
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely bruised
It's no use
Strange fruit, strange fruit
Sonic juice inside my head
This fever is so concentrated
Oh no what a shame...
Climb the tree and shake this passion down
But this fruit won't even kiss the ground
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely grazed
There's no way
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
Loren Miller
Catherine Wheel is easily the most underrated band of the 1990s. The fact that they haven't even yet really been discovered, just goes to show that one day, they will be. I love my CW... they never let me down right before I'm about to go out for a night on the town, like tonight.
Tina Michael
They were sublime live.
jamey james
:-)
88KeysToSoundMind
This song makes me dance and cry at the same time... it has an immortal quality~ A melancholy yet upbeat, melt in your mouth sound.
Mark & Marlo - Comedy in High Definition®
Transcendent?
jas22
@88KeysToSoundMind That is pretty much what I struggled to say in a recent comment, but failed....you said it perfectly. "Chrome" is just...amazing. See? there again - I could only muster the lamest adjective! haha....
Sara kadam
I've been inside this fruit when juices flow
But the taste is just a memory you hold
There is no real decay
No feeling of the skin
No juice
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
It never lets that sun out
Strange fruit
This is sweet the soul the flesh I wish
It's the liquid that I miss
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely bruised
It's no use
Strange fruit, strange fruit
Sonic juice inside my head
This fever is so concentrated
Oh no what a shame...
Climb the tree and shake this passion down
But this fruit won't even kiss the ground
There is no real decay
The flesh is barely grazed
There's no way
Strange fruit, strange fruit, strange fruit
David Robert
ITS THE LIQUID THAT I MISS ~
Neville
I thought it said "I bit inside this fruit when juices flow"
Heather Mamatey
This song takes me right back to college in the 90s. My friends and I just adored this band, and this song was one of our very favorites. We used to talk about how it just drips sex. :-)