2. Doom/Sludge band from Saramento, CA - formed by members of Caulfield
Not to be confused with Australian 1980’s band The Church most famous for their hit-single “Under The Milky Way”.
For a Moment We're Strangers
Church Lyrics
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Of skins and heart and I come apart
In your icy hands
I forget my role, as I stare into your soul
In the empty place you change your mind
You change your clothes you change your pose
For a perfect fit
I forget the cast, as I stare into your past
For a moment we're strangers
For a minute you look away
For a second or always
For an instant another day
Such strange things you say
In the empty place we dress our wounds
Collect our coats, a window gloats
Above a street
I prepare my case, as I stare into your face
Just one me one you
The world contains a few
Is it true, is it truly new
Are we through the stolen door once more
The lyrics of Church's song For a Moment We're Strangers evoke a sense of vulnerability, disconnection, and uncertainty. The first verse sets the tone of the song with the imagery of an "empty place" where the persona's soul is "stripped bare." This line could indicate a sense of loss, inner turmoil, or a lack of identity. The following lines suggest that the persona is seeking comfort or understanding from someone ("in your icy hands"), but at the same time, they feel lost and confused ("I forget my role"). The second verse highlights the idea of change, how people can transform themselves, and how this affects the persona ("I forget the cast"). There's a sense of intrigue and curiosity as the persona attempts to understand the other person by looking into their "soul" and "past."
The chorus "For a moment we're strangers" represents the idea that people can be so close, but still feel distant, disconnected, and even unknown. The repetition of "for a minute", "for a second," and "for an instant" creates a sense of temporariness and fleetingness, emphasizing that whatever connection the persona has with the other person is only brief and superficial. The last two verses present a sense of closure, where the persona is preparing to leave the encounter yet still wonders about the possibilities of what happened between them ("Is it true, is it truly new?"). The last line "Are we through the stolen door once more" is ambiguous and open to interpretation, but it could mean that whatever happened between the persona and the other person could happen again, under a different circumstance or in a different "empty place."
Line by Line Meaning
In the empty place the soul stripped bare
In the place of emotional emptiness where the soul is completely exposed
Of skins and heart and I come apart
Where the protective layers of skin and heart fall away and I am vulnerable
In your icy hands
In the hands of someone whose embrace feels cold and distant
I forget my role, as I stare into your soul
I lose my sense of identity as I gaze into the depths of your being
In the empty place you change your mind
In this emotional void, you change your opinions and thoughts
You change your clothes you change your pose
You alter your appearance and demeanor to better suit the situation
For a perfect fit
To seamlessly blend into the surroundings and avoid scrutiny
I forget the cast, as I stare into your past
I ignore the preconceived notions I had of you as I delve into your history
For a moment we're strangers
In this brief moment, we are unfamiliar to each other
For a minute you look away
For a short time, you turn your gaze elsewhere
For a second or always
Whether this fleeting moment or an eternal state
For an instant another day
In one moment, another future may become possible
Such strange things you say
Your words are peculiar and difficult to comprehend
In the empty place we dress our wounds
We tend to our emotional injuries in this empty space
Collect our coats, a window gloats above a street
We retrieve our belongings as a window reveals the outside world
I prepare my case, as I stare into your face
I ready my defenses as I scrutinize your countenance
Just one me one you
There is only one of each of us in this moment
The world contains a few
In this vast universe, we are but a small number
Is it true, is it truly new
We question the validity and originality of our experiences
Are we through the stolen door once more
Have we again found ourselves in this unguarded junction
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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