Throughout the 1970s, the band generally played a style of heavy metal heavily rooted in hard and progressive rock. The band's first studio album, Frost and Fire (1981), featured a heavier sound, generally regarded as an early example of American power metal. By the band's second studio album, King of the Dead (1984), the band had solidified their power metal style of playing while gravitating toward a much 'darker' sound, with many considering the album among the first doom metal releases. The band took their name from the mountain pass Cirith Ungol in J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The name is Elvish and means "Pass of the Spider." While the place in Tolkien's book is pronounced "kirith ungol," the band pronounced it "sirith ungol. Each studio album's cover art is taken from the cover of a DAW Books edition of a book in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné saga; the art is by Michael Whelan.
Greg Lindstrom, Robert Garven, Jerry Fogle and Pat Galligan (later a guitarist in Angry Samoans) played in Titanic, their first band in junior high school. With a desire to play heavier music similar to that of Mountain and Grand Funk Railroad, the rest of the band parted with Galligan and founded Cirith Ungol in late 1971. After forming in late 1971, the band played their first gig on January 1, 1972 at an anti-Vietnam war peace rally.
In 1980, they were signed by Liquid Flames Records, and released their first album, Frost and Fire, with Tim Baker on vocals and songs written by bassist and guitarist Greg Lindstrom. Their second album, King of the Dead was released in on July 2, 1984 and contained lyrics primarily written by vocalist Tim Baker and drummer Robert Garven. The album was then followed by One Foot in Hell on August 12, 1986, and Paradise Lost on August 23, 1991.
They played their last live show on December 13, 1991 and disbanded in 1992, following frustration with their record label.
In 2001, Metal Blade Records released in Germany Servants of Chaos, a compilation album of unreleased demos and live songs. With old tapes and assistance from Lindstrom and Garven, it was an attempt to give fans a wealth of archival and previously unheard material before the tapes deteriorated beyond retrieval. This double-CD was later re-released worldwide, with a rare 1984 live DVD recorded at Wolf & Rissmiller's Country Club in California. Founding guitarist Jerry Fogle died from liver failure on August 20, 1998.
The band was reformed by members Tim Baker, Robert Garven, Jim Barraza, and Greg Lindstrom on October 8, 2016 at the 2nd annual Frost and Fire Festival in Ventura, California. Throughout 2017, the band had set out to headline and co-headline several European and US festivals, including Keep It True (Germany), Up The Hammers (Greece), Defenders Of The Old (US), Chaos Descends (Germany), Psycho Las Vegas (US), Days Of Darkness (US) and Hammer of Doom (Germany). In April 2018, Cirith Ungol performed at the Hell's Heroes Festival in Houston, Texas and at the NYDM Spring Bash in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In August 2018, Cirith Ungol released the single "Witch's Game". Their latest record Forever Black was released on April 24, 2020.
What Does it Take
Cirith Ungol Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm out to get what I can get
I'd put it down to experience
But I haven't had any yet
What does it take to get to you? [Repeat x2]
Maybe it's better him than me
With different faces and different names
They all seem different but they're all the same
What does it take to get to you? [Repeat x2]
Look through me like I'm not there
You always act like you just don't care
You always see what you wanted to see
Why don't you take a better look at me?
What does it take to get to you? [Repeat x6]
The opening lines of Cirith Ungol's song What Does it Take reflects the singer's revelation of growing out of innocence and experiencing the harsh realities of life. He admits to making a conscious effort to get as much as he can, although he thinks he hasn't had enough experience to be called a seasoned individual. The lyrics here are a reflection of the modern-day struggle of young adults, who are constantly seeking to learn and achieve more in life.
The repeated question "What does it take to get to you?" signifies the singer's confusion on how to reach his goal, perhaps a person or a position in life. He acknowledges that it may be easier for someone else to attain the same thing he's after, even if it's a version of the "pretty picture" he has in mind. His cry of "what does it take" is both a plea for guidance and a rhetorical question that speaks volumes about the singer's internal dialogues.
The last verse of the song speaks to the singer's frustration of being constantly overlooked or misjudged. He describes feeling invisible, with people only noticing what they want to see. He challenges them to take a better look at him, a display of his desire to be acknowledged and understood. Overall, the song is a reflection of the confusion and frustration that comes with growing up and taking on bigger challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I'm losing my innocence
I feel like I'm becoming less naïve and more aware of the harsh realities of life.
I'm out to get what I can get
I'm focused on getting what I want, even if it means taking advantage of others.
I'd put it down to experience
I would explain my actions based on past events I've learned from.
But I haven't had any yet
But I haven't actually had much experience to draw from.
What does it take to get to you? [Repeat x2]
What do I need to do to get your attention and approval?
Maybe it's better him than me
Perhaps it's better someone else experiences the consequences of their actions, not me.
A pretty picture but I don't want to see
Something may look good on the surface, but I know it's not really what it seems.
With different faces and different names
Despite appearing different, all these things/people are really the same underneath.
They all seem different but they're all the same
Despite appearing different, all these things/people are really the same underneath.
Look through me like I'm not there
You ignore me and act as if I'm not even present.
You always act like you just don't care
You consistently seem indifferent to my feelings and thoughts.
You always see what you wanted to see
You only focus on what you want to believe, not what's actually there.
Why don't you take a better look at me?
Why don't you actually try to see and understand who I really am?
What does it take to get to you? [Repeat x6]
What do I need to do to get your attention and approval?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GREG LINDSTROM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind