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.
Christian
China Crisis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Emotion less war
A torn shirt and a long dead cause
I can't sleep
This kind of thing gets me down
Don't say walk
I may lose my fear
In this honesty
I read all sorts of things
There's so much to learn
I've seen the hand that rushes in
As it rush over you
I could lose myself
In this honesty
"Christian"
The song "Christian" by China Crisis seems to be a commentary on the emotional and psychological toll of war. The opening lines, "This is emotion, emotionless war" suggest a contradiction and a struggle between feeling and the absence of feeling, perhaps due to the numbing effect of war. The image of a "torn shirt and a long dead cause" emphasize the futility and loss inherent in war. The singer reveals that they can't sleep, indicating the deep psychological impact of war on an individual. The line "this kind of thing gets me down" implies a sense of helplessness and despair.
The singer then expresses their vulnerability, stating "Don't say walk, I may lose my fear", suggesting that even the simple act of walking can seem daunting and overwhelming. The singer further reveals their vulnerability by stating that they could "lose myself in this honesty", potentially suggesting a sense of being exposed and raw.
The final lines, "I read all sorts of things, there's so much to learn, I've seen the hand that rushes in, as it rushes over you" may suggest the singer's search for understanding and meaning in the face of war. The phrase "the hand that rushes in" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the sudden and violent nature of war and the way in which it can sweep over and consume individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
This is emotion
This is a feeling that cannot be easily explained or contained
Emotion less war
A war that lacks feeling or empathy towards the lives lost
A torn shirt and a long dead cause
A symbol of the destruction and loss caused by a meaningless, forgotten cause
I can't sleep
Inability to find rest due to overwhelming thoughts or feelings
This kind of thing gets me down
These experiences or events cause sadness or depression
Don't say walk
Do not tell me to move on or forget about what has happened
I may lose my fear
Leaving behind fear and moving towards a place of bravery and strength
I could lose myself
In this honesty
Being completely authentic and truthful, to the point where it becomes all-consuming
I read all sorts of things
Reading and learning about a variety of topics and perspectives
There's so much to learn
Discovering that there is an endless amount of knowledge and wisdom to be gained
I've seen the hand that rushes in
As it rush over you
Observing the swift, overwhelming power that can take hold of someone or something
I could lose myself
In this honesty
Being completely authentic and truthful, to the point where it becomes all-consuming
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DALEY, LUNDON, REILLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Karoline gonzales dela cruz
This is emotion
Emotion less war
A torn shirt and a long dead cause
I can't sleep
This kind of thing gets me down
Don't say walk
I may lose my fear
I could lose myself
In this honesty
I read all sorts of things
There's so much to learn
I've seen the hand that rushes in
As it rush over you
I could lose myself
In this honesty
peter chorley
I remember the very first time that I ever heard this hauntingly beautiful song way back in 1983....it was on Radio 1 in my bedroom at home and I instantly fell in love with the song...I was 17 at the time...the music and lyrics are staggeringly fantastic and I never ever tire of hearing this song...it is so beautiful it could easily reduce me to tears.
Joseph Clift
❤️
Austin Reid
I agree. Its so relaxing its truly a modern hymn
Douglas Hughes
Totally agree
Sim H
I remember too listening to this my dad died and I just played this so much
Gaz T
God Bless xx
ian wooding
Unbelievable relaxing song .Could never get sick of listening to it. Blast from the past and memories of good times when the world wasnt mad.
Mike Holness
My good friend in those days the world was not perfect either. Remember the US and USSR locked in an ever-escalating arms race and living in the shadow of the mushroom cloud as you tucked your child into bed at night? And how about the crazy apartheid regime in South Africa? In the UK we had the miners striking and football violence every weekend. The world has always been fucked.
Christopher Adderley
Such a great band. "Christian" is one of the most beautiful tracks ever recorded. I think that China Crisis are only underated by people who've never actually listened to them 🧡
Sim H
Totally agree