The artist Cradle can refer to four groups:

1.

CRADLE is a gr… Read Full Bio ↴The artist Cradle can refer to four groups:

1.

CRADLE is a groundbreaking Japanese unit specializing and leading a beautiful revolution in mellow and jazzy Hip Hop track making.

Through their stunning first release “MAKE IT LAST (feat. Aloe Blacc (Emanon)” in 2005 CRADLE were immediately propelled into the spotlight through outstanding success in Japan. MAKE IT LAST was later released in the USA, Europe and Australia.

Their long-awaited debut album “ATTITUDE” streeted in June, 2006 and the albums immense popularity elevated CRADLE in the top tier of Japanese mellow Hip Hop artists, alongside the internationally acclaimed NUJABES and NOMAK at the forefront of the genre in Japan

As DJs CRADLE play with some of the biggest major and underground Hip Hop artists in Japan including NUJABES, DJ KRUSH, YASUHARU KONISHI (Pizzicato Five), SHUYA OKINO (Kyoto Jazz Massive, DJ KIYO, DJ JIN (Rhymester), DJ MILES (Breakestra), STARVING ARTIST CREW, DJ MITSU , THE BEATS (Gagle), DJ RYOW etc etc

Pursuing their dream sound (and also partly due to the risks and limitations using sampling) CRADLE (aka CRADLE ORCHESTRA) commenced working hard on creating their own unique “LIVE SOUND”, an exciting, new sound that they have always wanted to create.

By collaborating directly with some amazingly skilled and high profile musicians in Japan CRADLE now incorporate live violin, flute, piano, saxophone, bass, and many more instruments into their track making. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of amazingly beautiful and unique melodies with an incredibly original orchestra type sound……the CRADLE ORCHESTRA sound!

2.

The alternative lo-fi band Cradle (which started as Johans solo-project after quiting Flowers for Francis) was born on September 15, 1996 in Rotterdam, Holland.

After playing about everywhere around Holland and some European countries, Cradle decided to call it a day on August 1, 2004.
It was time to review and start all over. They changed their name into the rare, but continued beeing Cradle again in August 2007.

Since August 2007, Cradle was a duo most of the time: Henk and Johan together with a drummachine and sequencer.
Peter, the drummer, joined them on occasion.

After three gigs Henk and Johan decided to look for a permanent drummer again.
It took a few auditions, but since March 2008 Gilbert is now the man behind the kit.
But, he was not the only one joining the band: Nina (guitar) completed the line up in March as well.

Some past Cradle-highlights:
Cradle supported 16 Horsepower, Johan, The Suburbs and performed live in France, Germany, England and Holland.
Many radiosessions were aired and also some acoustic sets were on the bill.
Early 2001 they won a bandcontest: ‘De Kleine Prijs van Dordt’.
Late 2001 a videoclip was shown on the Dutch music-channel TMF.

Line up (2008)
Gilbert - drums
Henk - bass
Nina - guitar
Johan - guitar and voice.

Cradle’s typical sound and performance is raw, intens, hypnotic, loaded, pure and basic.

Let’s reanimate and “Enjoy the Feeling”!

[Besides Cradle, Johan is also working on his singer/songwriterproject The Weak And The Strong.]

Update 2010: Cradle have recently changed their name to Cradle FC.

3.

Evolving out of the roots Quatro sisters’ first band (the Pleasure Seekers), Cradle morphed into a much harder direction, contributing relevant lyrics, creative harmonies, and heavy original music with attitude. They rocked this Renaissance era of sheer, raw, driving “grit” that burst out of Detroit, as it fused the Motown influence, colliding with the English invasion and Acid Rock. Cradle gained popularity quickly, well respected by their musician peers, and touring the country’s pop festivals, concerts, and ballrooms on bills with Mountain, Peter Frampton, Alice Cooper, Joe Cocker, MC5, Iggy Stooge, Ted Nugent, and many legends of the day.

Though they were gaining momentum, Cradle’s ride was sadly cut short with the hard struggle women had to find credibility with the record companies, finally breaking up in 1973, as Suzi went on to a solo career and international fame, and Patti joined forces with Fanny on the west coast.

4.

Within a week of leaving Levitation in 1993, Bickers teamed up with guitarist Clive Giblin (Alternative TV, Shock Headed Peters, Two Worlds Collide, Sol Invictus). The duo formed a band called Paradise Estate, named after the Television Personalities' track as they were both fans. They spent about six weeks writing and recording the songs that would convince Warner Bros to sign Bickers, following which the pair drifted apart (with Giblin leaving the band).

Bickers renamed the project Cradle and drafted in three new members. A year later, unhappy with the band, Bickers approached Giblin and asked him to rejoin Cradle (also recruiting former King Kurt drummer Daniel). This line up – together with Bickers' partner, singer Caroline Tree – spent the summer of 1994 locked away in a studio in Lincolnshire recording an album for Warner Bros. The band recorded almost 20 tracks in various forms (with fifteen finished and mixed) but this period was allegedly a difficult time for all concerned due to strong destructive external influences in several band members' personal lives. The end result was an album and single for Warner Bros, neither of which were released (although some copies of the single were pressed and reviewed in the music press). Once again Giblin jumped ship, and not long after Warner Bros dropped the band.

Moving to Rye in Sussex, Bickers put together a third line-up of Cradle with himself on guitar, vocals, and various instruments, Caroline Tree as co-lead singer (and main creative foil) and Ian Mundwyler on guitar, plus a floating cast of contributing musicians. Recording sessions for this project were more successful and Cradle released what would be their only completed album, Baba Yaga, in 1995. This displayed a divided approach, alternating distinctly between noisy indie rock songs (predominantly sung by Tree) and ghostly psychedelic material (predominantly sung by Bickers) which showed a much softer approach than either Levitation or The House of Love. (During this period, Bickers also played on Divan, the 1995 debut album by Oedipussy, a project headed by former The Perfect Disaster member Phil Parfitt).[15]

In contrast to the reception afforded to Bickers' two previous bands, the press received Cradle with indifference or even contempt, with Caroline Tree being labelled as "the worst singer in the world" in a review in New Musical Express. Tree left the band shortly afterwards.[13][16] Despite playing a few concerts with Bickers as lead vocalist, and more or less ditching the more conventional indie rock approaches in favour of dark psychedelia, Cradle did not last for much longer and quietly dissolved in 1996.

Smoke
Cradle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Earth and sea cower from my screams
As I climb into the skies
Atop sins towered heaven high for me
From whence I see no reason why
I should not smite with vengeance
And hurl thieves down from paradise
For storms before were as nothing more
Than a breeze next to this night

I am Methuselah of the Tribulation
The Moonchild come to harm
A riot of stars shaken from their station

The choking smoke of Jerusalem burning
Six vices become wrath

And though half-blind with ravening
Like Phineus now I see
The end declared from the beginning
Love won through my defeat
But now I fear I will never peer
On Her radiance again
I shall glimpse instead, the slurried red
Of faces pressed to bloodstained panes

Betrayed and played by God
Who alone but He
Scapegraced and goated me?
Now I wish to piss on His parade

Angels, clawed with burnished wings
Still loyal, kiss the seal
Bent on knees and harrowing
Promise overkill

Know that you shall die like whores
And the cries of your writhings shall rise
To please their Lord...
So before the sword
Side with me in slaughter

I am Methuselah of the Tribulation
The Moonchild come to harm
The spoken horns of desolation

Drink the pouring of my fury
Those darkened waters spur
The brink of war as my judge and jury
And rapist executioner
Our time is short, the horsemen ride
A foul-breathed chora howls, besides
Damnation and a day has passed
This divine right to genocide

Weld the gates to heaven shut
The abyss leers in hissing ruts
Unhilt the black grimoire of death
Inscribe all names that God has left

I lived the drams of nymphs and men
But now the nightmares come again

Now the nightmares come again...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Cradle's song "Smoke" portray a sense of power and wrath, as well as a feeling of betrayal and the desire for revenge. The song begins with the imagery of the singer's screams causing the earth and sea to cower, as they ascend to the skies and question the reason why they shouldn't unleash their vengeance upon thieves in paradise. They compare previous storms to a mere breeze in comparison to the intensity of the night they are experiencing.

The lyrics then suggest that the singer is Methuselah of the Tribulation, the one who brings harm as the Moonchild. They speak of stars being shaken from their position, symbolizing chaos and upheaval. There is mention of the choking smoke of Jerusalem burning, representing destruction and turmoil. Six vices are mentioned as becoming wrath, further depicting the themes of punishment and retribution.

The song continues with the singer expressing their fear of never witnessing the radiance of someone they love again. They describe instead glimpsing the faces of others pressed against bloodstained panes, implying violence and suffering. There is a sense of being betrayed and played by God, with the desire to disrupt His plans. The mention of angels still loyal, but marked with clawed wings, suggests a deep conflict and struggle within the divine realm.

The final part of the lyrics speaks of the pouring of fury and darkened waters, symbolizing the singer's anger and the impending war. They describe themselves as the judge, jury, and executioner, and the horsemen of the apocalypse ride. There is a sense of damnation and a divine right to commit genocide. The lyrics conclude with a call to weld the gates of heaven shut, to inscribe the names God has left, and the recognition that nightmares have returned.

Overall, the lyrics of "Smoke" depict a character filled with rage and a desire for revenge, who questions their role in a world filled with chaos and betrayal. The song explores themes of power, wrath, and the consequences of one's actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Earth and sea cower from my screams
My powerful screams instill fear in both the land and the ocean

As I climb into the skies
Ascending high above, reaching the heavens

Atop sins towered heaven high for me
Perched on a towering structure of sins created just for my existence

From whence I see no reason why
From this vantage point, I cannot comprehend any justification

I should not smite with vengeance
I am justified in striking with great force and anger

And hurl thieves down from paradise
I cast the wrongdoers out of paradise with force and contempt

For storms before were as nothing more
Previous storms were insignificant compared to the chaos I bring

Than a breeze next to this night
This current night of destruction is far more powerful than any breeze

I am Methuselah of the Tribulation
I embody immense longevity and suffering

The Moonchild come to harm
I am a vulnerable child of the moon, destined for pain and suffering

A riot of stars shaken from their station
A chaotic disturbance causing stars to fall from their celestial positions

The choking smoke of Jerusalem burning
The suffocating smoke from the destruction of Jerusalem

Six vices become wrath
Various immoral behaviors transform into overwhelming anger

And though half-blind with ravening
Although partially blinded by my insatiable desire

Like Phineus now I see
Similar to Phineus, I gain sight and clarity

The end declared from the beginning
The ultimate outcome was predetermined from the very start

Love won through my defeat
Love emerged victorious despite my own failure

But now I fear I will never peer
However, now I worry that I will never again witness

On Her radiance again
The brilliance and beauty of Her presence

I shall glimpse instead, the slurried red
Instead, I will see the distorted red hue

Of faces pressed to bloodstained panes
Faces pressed against windows smeared with blood

Betrayed and played by God
God has deceived and manipulated me

Who alone but He
There is no one else but God

Scapegraced and goated me?
Has God made me a wayward and despised figure?

Now I wish to piss on His parade
Now I desire to demean and ruin His triumph

Angels, clawed with burnished wings
Angels with sharpened, shining wings

Still loyal, kiss the seal
Remaining faithful, they bestow a gentle kiss upon the mark

Bent on knees and harrowing
They kneel and cause distress and torment

Promise overkill
An excess of promises, causing overwhelm

Know that you shall die like whores
Understand that your deaths will be disgraceful and ignoble

And the cries of your writhings shall rise
The sounds of your agonizing struggles will ascend

To please their Lord...
To satisfy their Master

So before the sword
Therefore, prior to facing the impending doom

Side with me in slaughter
Align with me in the act of merciless killing

Drink the pouring of my fury
Experience the intensity and bitterness of my wrath

Those darkened waters spur
Those obscured depths incite

The brink of war as my judge and jury
The threshold of war will pass judgment upon me

And rapist executioner
And an executor who commits violation

Our time is short, the horsemen ride
Our time is brief, as the horsemen gallop forth

A foul-breathed chora howls, besides
An unpleasantly odoriferous chorus wails in addition

Damnation and a day has passed
Condemnation and a complete day have gone by

This divine right to genocide
This perceived entitlement to commit mass killings

Weld the gates to heaven shut
Permanently seal the gates to heaven

The abyss leers in hissing ruts
The abyss gazes menacingly with sibilant grooves

Unhilt the black grimoire of death
Uncover the unholy book of death

Inscribe all names that God has left
Engrave all the names abandoned by God

I lived the drams of nymphs and men
I experienced the fantasies of mythical creatures and humans

But now the nightmares come again
However, now the horrifying dreams return

Now the nightmares come again...
Now the nightmares haunt me once more...

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL JAMES ALLENDER, DANI DAVEY, ADRIAN PAUL ERLANDSSON, GIANPIERO GUISEPPE PIRAS, MARTIN F. POWELL, DAVID JOHN PYBUS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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