They first released a demo with songs that would eventually find themselves on their debut album The Age Of Quarrel (1986). The bass player Harley Flanagan and singer John Joseph were not the best of friends and eventually Joseph would part ways with the band leaving Harley to sing on the following Cro-Mags release. After The Age of Quarrel, the band released the record Best Wishes (1989). The record had a more heavy metal-influenced sound which alienated many of their fans. The band released another record Alpha Omega (1992), that saw the return of Joseph, and the departure of guitarist and songwriter Parris Mitchell Mayhew, a record that was only embraced by the most devoted of their fanbase, and followed by Near Death Experience (1993). After suffering from many lineup changes and frequent breakups, the group finally disbanded, seemingly for the last time, after this record. However, in 2000 they released a record that would almost make up for their past two releases. With Revenge the Cro-Mags came back to their early roots with songs that were comparable to their first release plus some songs with a more melodic/punk rock feel. After the release of Revenge the band broke up once again, and the internal hostility amongst band members (mainly between Mayhew and Flanagan) has never been resolved.
Reflections
Cro-Mags Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keepers of secrets stored on life's shelves
Locked in our souls they key is always the past
Don't hold on to things cause you know that they just never last
Somewhere in time your eternal quest
Your fear of dying will be the first test
Looking for meaning to find some purpose to life
Mysteries are but ephemeral reflections in time
Oceans of wisdom run so deep and sublime
How far have we come, left so much behind
Escaping your nature block it out of our mind
Sold us a dream full of pain and despair
So lost in illusion we haven't a prayer
Cycles of change surely to come
As time destroys all, all that we've done
Dig in your souls reflect in your hearts
Cause death is behind us to tear us apart
Show you no mercy, no mercy at all
The valley of death it echoes its call
The lyrics to Cro-Mags's song "Reflections" are easily interpreted as a message about reflecting on one's personal journey through life. The opening lines speak to the importance of holding onto the moments and memories that make us who we are, even if they may be difficult to confront. The past becomes the key to unlocking our future and is a guide to navigating the difficult questions we encounter as we seek purpose and meaning in our lives. The fear of death is mentioned as a test that we will all face, and the search for the answers to life's mysteries can be equally daunting.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more philosophical in nature, contemplating the ephemeral nature of wisdom and the vastness of the universe. The final lines remind the listener that death is inevitable and that we can find solace in reflection and introspection.
Overall, "Reflections" is a thoughtful and introspective piece that speaks to the universal human experience of seeking truth and purpose in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Between birth and death we must find in ourselves
Throughout our entire existence, from being born to dying, we have to figure out who we are.
Keepers of secrets stored on life's shelves
We all have hidden things about us that we keep tucked away, like memorabilia on a shelf.
Locked in our souls they key is always the past
The key to understanding ourselves is always going to be in the past, even if we don't want to go back there.
Don't hold on to things cause you know that they just never last
We shouldn't hold on to things too tightly because everything eventually fades away.
Somewhere in time your eternal quest
Our quest for meaning and purpose is a never-ending journey.
Your fear of dying will be the first test
The fear of death is something we all must face and it will be one of the toughest things we'll have to go through.
Looking for meaning to find some purpose to life
We search for meaning to make sense of our life and find our purpose.
Answers to questions that tear at your heart like a knife
Questions that cut us deep and hurt our hearts are the ones we often search for answers to the most.
Mysteries are but ephemeral reflections in time
The mysteries of life that we ponder are only fleeting moments in time.
Oceans of wisdom run so deep and sublime
There is so much wisdom and knowledge out there that we have yet to discover or understand; it's like an endless ocean.
How far have we come, left so much behind
We've come so far in our development as a society but we've also left a lot of things behind.
Escaping your nature block it out of our mind
We try to escape our own nature or parts of ourselves that we don't like and ignore them.
Sold us a dream full of pain and despair
We've been fed a dream that promises so much but often leads to pain and despair.
So lost in illusion we haven't a prayer
We're so caught up in our illusions that we're unable to see any way out of them.
Cycles of change surely to come
Change is inevitable and happens in cycles throughout time.
As time destroys all, all that we've done
No matter what we do, time will eventually destroy everything.
Dig in your souls reflect in your hearts
We need to go deep within ourselves and reflect on our emotions and thoughts.
Cause death is behind us to tear us apart
Death is always looming behind us and will eventually tear us apart from everything we know and love.
Show you no mercy, no mercy at all
Death is unforgiving and doesn't show mercy.
The valley of death it echoes its call
The call of death is like an echo in a valley, drawing us closer and closer to it.
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Malcolm Gray
Classic NYHC!!The greatest hardcore band ever!!!!!hail the Cro-Mags!!!!
DARIO CURI CHE
the best album!!!!!!