Sharing an affection for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, and Brian Eno, Daly and Lundon had become burned out from playing with various Knowsley post-punk groups. Daly quit school and then spent much of his time indoors tinkering with synthesizers and a drum machine. Along with Lundon, Daly began writing songs using his high-tech toys. Feeling creatively stifled by the drum machine, the pair eventually asked percussionist Dave Reilly to join them, and in 1982 they released the single "African & White" as China Crisis on the independent label Inevitable. Later re-released by Virgin Records, "African & White" was also China Crisis' first hit in the U.K..
Throughout their career, China Crisis has seen moderate success in the United Kingdom, western Europe, Australia,Philippines and the Americas. Adding Gary "Gazza" Johnson and Kevin Wilkinson to the lineup, they recorded their debut album Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms. Another single, "Christian", hit U.K. #12, followed by two singles from second album, Working with Fire and Steel Possible Pop Songs, Vol. 2.
China Crisis spent 1984-1985 making their biggest chart run, beginning with their first top-ten hit, "Wishful Thinking". Third album Flaunt the Imperfection was produced by the sympathetic Walter Becker, and resulted in the hit singles "Black Man Ray" and "King in a Catholic Style (Wake Up)". The album was followed up in 1986 with What Price Paradise, though China Crisis worked with Becker once more on 1989's Diary of a Hollow Horse, which earned critical raves though not much commercial movement.
Sometimes misunderstood by critics, China Crisis distinguished themselves from Liverpudlian peers like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, The Teardrop Explodes, and Echo & The Bunnymen by digesting a cornucopia of musical genres, everything from jazz to progressive rock. Despite the stylistic deviations, China Crisis maintained their distinctive sound through a number of albums in the '80s and '90s. Tragically, Wilkinson hanged himself on July 17, 1999. In 2000, Daly contributed a track to a tribute compilation to Wilkinson, Green Indians.
Arizona Sky
China Crisis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sky is bigger there
It took my breath away
That doesn't happen every day
Manhattan's music, man
On every avenue
You've heard no greater sound
Decorate, paint it for the union
No reson to give up on the illusion
Take confident possession of yourself
No reson to give up on the illusion
Venice is sinking fast
Looks almost upside down
Under a spell we fell
There's more, too much to tell
Decorate, paint it for the union
No reson to give up on the illusion
Take confident possession of yourself
No reson to give up on the illusion
Uptown in (?)
Beneath chicago moon
Spend every dollar saved
As much as we have made
The song "Arizona Sky" by China Crisis is an uplifting track about the beauty of life and the importance of not giving up on your dreams. The lyrics start with the band member describing the vastness of the Arizona sky and how it took their breath away. This indicates that sometimes life can be overwhelming but it's those beautiful moments that make it all worth it. The next verse pays tribute to the musical scene in Manhattan, New York. The band member states that the music there is so good that you've never heard anything better. However, too much of a good thing can be overwhelming, and the band member acknowledges that too much can get you down.
The next verse describes Venice and how it's sinking fast, yet there is still so much beauty to behold. The band fell under its spell and there's too much to tell. This reminds us that we should appreciate the beauty in life as it is fleeting. The last verse talks about Uptown (?) beneath the Chicago moon, where the band spent all their saved money. This implies that life is about experiences and taking chances, even if it means spending all your savings.
Overall, the lyrics in "Arizona Sky" depict the beauty in life and how we should embrace it, even if it means taking risks.
Line by Line Meaning
The arizona sky
The sky in Arizona is grand and panoramic
The sky is bigger there
The size of the sky leaves an awe-inspiring impression
It took my breath away
The sheer magnitude of its beauty rendered me speechless
That doesn't happen every day
It's a rare occurrence for something to be so captivating
Manhattan's music, man
The sound of Manhattan is layered and complex
On every avenue
It's impossible to escape the city's unique sound
You've heard no greater sound
It's unlikely you'll experience anything more grand
Too much can get you down
Excessiveness can have a negative effect
Decorate, paint it for the union
Prettify your surroundings to align with societal norms
No reson to give up on the illusion
There's no need to abandon the idealistic view of life
Take confident possession of yourself
Have a strong belief in oneself
Venice is sinking fast
Venice is gradually succumbing to the sea
Looks almost upside down
The state of disrepair is so extreme that familiar structures appear unfamiliar
Under a spell we fell
The beauty of Venice captured our hearts
There's more, too much to tell
There are additional aspects to the city that we can't fully express
Uptown in (?)
Unknown
Beneath chicago moon
Underneath the night sky in Chicago
Spend every dollar saved
Use all of the money that you've saved
As much as we have made
Spend as much as you've earned
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DALY, JOHNSON, LUNDON, MCNEIL, WILKINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Karina 2037
I love this song..💕 A total clasic from The 80's....
kbrown649
One of my favorite songs of all time from an awesome album!!!
Mr Zed.
These guys are amazing pure class
Love them to bits
They ooze class and always look so happy performing
Mr Zed.
Pure class
Absolute classic
Will always treasure this group
Real 80s here this is what music should sound like.
I miss the 80s
Zetep
Geweldig, ik had geen idee dat dit ooit op tv was geweest, vergeten jaren 80 meesterwerk.
David Flinton
Love this song ❣️
Syd Barrett
Awesome 80s tune…. Still pisses me off the classic mtv video of this tune can’t be found on YouTube. I loved that video
T- 800
Such great memories . Thank you.
matt hum
Diggin' this in 2022 :)
worstalentscout
my favourite China Crisis song