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”.
Pure Chance
Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So far out here
As if repeating
What's never clear
The verdant meadows
The smoky coil
The air and ether
The boiling soil
I read your novel
The names were switched
I heard you travel
You must be rich
Those distant cities
Are safe and warm
Within their walls
Of chloroform
Home
It's so far away now
Pure chance
It's so far
It's so far away now
My wife was warm
But the water was cold
And she was young
And the ocean was old
There were voices singing from under the sea
As I followed them down I felt them drowning me
What chance of meeting
So long ago
Just for a fleeting...
Ah, well you know
How unintentional
A random whim
Coincidental
A shallow thing
Home
It's so far away now
Pure chance
It's so far
It's so far away now
My wife was soft
The mountain was hard
Her skin was smooth
The rocks were scarred
There were voices singing above in the sky
As I followed them up I was prepared to die
The song "Pure Chance" by Church's opens with a series of questions that seemingly reflect on the chances of two people meeting randomly in the midst of nature. The lyrics "What chance of meeting, So far out here, As if repeating, What's never clear" suggest that the meeting is unexpected and accidentally coincidental, yet to some extent, it might be destiny. The reference to the "verdant meadows," "smoky coil," "air and ether," and "boiling soil" highlights the idea of nature as a powerful presence in people's lives. Perhaps their meeting is not incidental, but rather intentional or even fated, with the imagery suggesting a beautiful, natural, and passionate connection between two individuals. The lyrics "I heard you travel, You must be rich, Those distant cities, Are safe and warm, Within their walls, Of chloroform" could allude to the value of experiencing nature as much richer than the safety and comfort of city/civilization.
The second verse speaks of the singer's wife, who is warm but whose surroundings are cold. The lyrics "My wife was warm, But the water was cold, And she was young, And the ocean was old" illustrate her vulnerability among stronger elements. Then the lyrics "There were voices singing from under the sea, As I followed them down, I felt them drowning me" conveys a sense of foreboding or possibly a loss of control. The next set of lyrics somewhat contradicts the hope of an intentional or fated meeting effect on chance versus intention, determination versus impulsion: "How unintentional, A random whim, Coincidental, A shallow thing." This confusion highlights the intricacy of relationships and how they are affected by both environmental situations and our natural ability to choose (free will).
Church's "Pure Chance" creates a compelling emotional connection to the audience, which deepens with each verse, ultimately ending with a contrasting sense of hope and despair. Sparks of beauty in our lives, such as unexpected meetings, can make all the difference, while natural surroundings can bring romance, risk, and wonder. In contrast, civilization and its false securities can keep people more contained, which may eventually lead to melancholy. Overall, the lyrics nest a message about the importance of embracing life in its entirety - the beauty, the adventure, the risks, and the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
What chance of meeting
What are the odds of encountering someone here, in this remote location?
So far out here
In this vast, isolated terrain
As if repeating
As if reliving a similar scenario
What's never clear
Yet the outcome is uncertain
The verdant meadows
Green, lush fields
The smoky coil
A murky, hard-to-see spiral of smoke
The air and ether
The atmosphere and the space between all matter
The boiling soil
The fiery, heated ground beneath our feet
I read your novel
I perused a book you wrote
The names were switched
The characters' identities were altered
I heard you travel
I learned that you journey frequently
You must be rich
Surely, you have great wealth
Those distant cities
The cities located far away
Are safe and warm
They provide security and comfort
Within their walls
Sheltered behind their barriers
Of chloroform
Perhaps, a reference to the use of anesthetic to keep people calm and oblivious
Home
The place of our origin and loved ones
It's so far away now
It seems distant and unattainable at this very moment
Pure chance
A completely random happening
My wife was warm
My partner felt cozy
But the water was cold
The liquid around us was frigid
And she was young
My companion was youthful
And the ocean was old
Yet the current and the waves were ancient
There were voices singing from under the sea
A choir chiming from the abyss
As I followed them down I felt them drowning me
As I descended toward them, I sensed their deadly pull
So long ago
It took place ages in the past
Just for a fleeting...
Only for a brief moment
Ah, well you know
It's a familiar story
How unintentional
How thoughtless and accidental
A random whim
A capricious choice
Coincidental
Fortuitous, resultant of coincidence
A shallow thing
A superficial matter
My wife was soft
My better half was delicate
The mountain was hard
The rocky mount was solid and formidable
Her skin was smooth
My companion's epidermis was silky
The rocks were scarred
The stones bore signs of wounds and blemishes
There were voices singing above in the sky
A melodious chorus originating from the firmament
As I followed them up I was prepared to die
As I pursued them upward, I resigned myself to passing away
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Michael
What can you say when 95% of the music they make is amazing and ahead of it's time? They are eqic for the last 40 years.
1976Renault
Agree with Richie Z here. Astonishing piece of music from a remarkably consistent band.
David troen-krasnow
as a drum nerd i gotta say...what a great ride cymbal
Richie Z
killer song, i wonder if there's any live takes anywhere? didn't find here on youtube
Elijah Knutsen
Richie Z very late comment but look up “the church live in the basement 2006.” A lot of Uninvited songs including this one. Very good show.
Michael
The verdant meadows
The smoky coil
The air and ether
The boiling soil