The band released their first album on vinyl, Self Non Self in July 1989. The intensity of that album garnered very good reviews and caught the attention of John Peel, who picked up on the album right away, with the group recording a session for him in the album's first week of release. Shortly afterwards they signed to the label Dedicated (which also became home to Spiritualized and Beth Orton) and went on to record their EP "Espero" in 1990, with the album "Wings of Joy" following a year later. The release of "Wings of Joy" caught the attention of Robert Smith of The Cure who picked the Cranes to open for them on their world tour in 1992. They then went on to record the albums "Forever" (1993), "Loved" (1994), "La Tragedie d'Oreste et Electre" (1995), and "Population Four" (1997).
After a 4 year break, Cranes re-emerged on their own independent label Dadaphonic to release "Future Songs" (2001) and "Particles & Waves" (2004), which saw the band heading in a more electronic direction while retaining the trademark sound of previous releases. In January 2007 the band released a download only album, "Live at Amsterdam Paradiso," originally recorded in 1991. The show captures the darker, heavier days of the early Cranes and is available only via www.dadaphonic.co.uk.
In 2008 Cranes albums "Wings of Joy', 'Forever' and 'Loved' were re-issued by Cherry Red Records, www.cherryred.co.uk as part of their series of 'influential artists' re-releases.
In October 2008 Cranes released their self titled album 'Cranes', to which they did a supporting tour. After that there was the odd performance here and there up until 2012 after which Cranes fell silent again.
In 2022 they re-emerged with several newly opened social media accounts to which the purpose soon became clear: Cranes have reformed in their original nineties line-up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the "Forever" album with some gigs in the UK (see events) and they are currently rehearsing.
In June 2023 they also released a 'new' album: their previously unreleased "Peel Sessions 1989-1990" which you can get on their Bandcamp site (see Linktree below) both digitally and on CD/Vinyl.
Current members
Alison Shaw – vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar (1985–1997, 2000–present)
Jim Shaw – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drums (1985–1997, 2000–present)
Mark Francombe – guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, spanner (1989–1997, 2022-present)
Matt Cope – guitar (1989–1997, 2022-present)
Former members:
Kevin Dunford – lead guitar (1988–1989)
Paul Smith – guitar, keyboards (1995–1997, 2000–2012)
Manu Ross – drums (1996–1997)
Ben Baxter – bass guitar (2000–2012)
Jon Callender – drums (2000–2007)
Jon Mattock – drums (2008–2012)
Cranes official Linktree: https://linktr.ee/cranesofficial
Adrift
Cranes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a lonely sea
And the stars and moon
Shine down on me
Down, down the river we go
Holding on for dear life
To the last stick of the raft
And he tried to be brave
Through each and every tear
And the only warmth
Is the warmth of-their bodies
We're like a boat drifting
In a lonely sea
And I start to cry
I need nothing but you
I wish I could be beautiful for you
But I feel as shallow as steel
No words are hollow enough
For how I feel.
The opening lines of Cranes' "Adrift" compare human existence to a boat in a lonely sea. This metaphor sets the tone of the track, which explores themes of solitude, vulnerability and the lengths people go to find love, and also shows the insatiable human desire to connect with one's counterpart. The second line of the verse, "And the stars and moon/Shine down on me," underscores this sense of cosmic aloneness and serves as a reminder of just how tiny and insignificant we can sometimes feel.
The song’s middle stanza talks about floating down the river of life, holding on for dear life to the last stick of the raft. This highlights the theme of change, uncertainty, and the mysteriousness of the unknown. The singer also talks about how he tried to be brave but each tear that he sheds washes away his courage. The warmth of their bodies is the only comfort in this vast and desolate sea.
The song’s final stanza begins with the chorus reprise of the boat drifting in a lonely sea, and the singer beginning to cry. The lines "I need nothing but you/I wish I could be beautiful for you/But I feel as shallow as steel/No words are hollow enough/For how I feel" shows how difficult it can be to open up to the person you love, and how difficult it can be to express genuine emotions. It touches on the fear of vulnerability and how we strive to look perfect for the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
We're like a boat drifting
We are aimlessly floating through life, without direction or purpose.
In a lonely sea
We are surrounded by emptiness and feel isolated.
And the stars and moon
The only source of light and hope in our dark existence is the celestial objects.
Shine down on me
We are seeking guidance and comfort from something greater than ourselves.
Down, down the river we go
We are being carried away by the current of life, with no control over our fate.
Holding on for dear life
We are desperately trying to hold on to whatever we can, in order to survive.
To the last stick of the raft
We are clinging to the very end of our existence, unwilling to let go.
For we do love
The only reason we continue to hold on is because of the love we have for someone or something.
And he tried to be brave
We are attempting to be strong in the face of adversity, even though we are scared.
Through each and every tear
We are enduring pain and sadness that seems never-ending.
And the only warmth
The only sense of comfort we have is from the physical presence of others.
Is the warmth of-their bodies
We rely on the embrace of others to keep us warm and safe.
And I start to cry
Our emotions overwhelm us and we cannot contain our tears.
I need nothing but you
The only thing that truly brings us fulfillment is the love and companionship of another.
I wish I could be beautiful for you
We want to be seen as worthy and desired by those we love.
But I feel as shallow as steel
Despite our desire to be more, we feel hollow and lacking in substance.
No words are hollow enough
Language fails to express the depths of our despair and loneliness.
For how I feel.
Our pain and sadness are too great to be put into words.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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