Tibet has been the only constant in the group, though Steven Stapleton (of Nurse With Wound) has appeared on nearly every Current 93 release. Michael Cashmore has also been a constant contributor since Thunder Perfect Mind. Douglas P. of Death In June has played on well over a dozen Current 93 releases, and Steve Ignorant of Crass (using the name Stephen Intelligent), Boyd Rice, runologist Freya Aswynn , Nick Cave, Björk, Andrew W.K., Will Oldham, Ben Chasny, Rose McDowall, Tiny Tim, Tony Wakeford of Sol Invictus, Marc Almond, John Balance of Coil, Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons, Baby Dee and Ian Read of Fire + Ice have also lent their talents over the years. Tibet is fond of the works of American writer Thomas Ligotti, and invited him to collaborate with Current 93.
Current 93 have released over twenty albums and many singles as well as having been a guest on many of the above listed artists' records. Tibet has also collaborated with Nature and Organisation and The Hafler Trio.
Much of Current 93's early work was similar to late 1970s and early 1980s industrial music: abrasive tape loops, droning synthesizer noises and Tibet's distorted, excoriating vocals. This early work became influential with the goth scene. Later works found Tibet mostly casting off such trappings in favor of a more organic sound, labeled by some as "apocalyptic folk" music, occasionally featuring his sinister nursery rhyme-influenced singing and primarily acoustic folk-styled music.
Tibet's lyrics have been fairly consistent, regardless of delivery: The earlier recordings reflect his preoccupation with death, Christ, mysticism, Aleister Crowley (Tibet borrowed the term "93 Current" from Crowley - the 93 Current being the current of Thelema or Agape), Tibetan Buddhism, Gnosticism, runes, swastikas, Noddy, The Wicker Man, and a variety of occult notions. The later to present-day period of Current 93's recordings increasingly reflect Tibet's interest in Christian mysticism. Tibet has stated that he identifies as a Christian.
Literary influences include Lautreamont's Les Chants de Maldoror, the Bible, The Poetic Edda, Hildegard von Bingen, John Dee, Heptarchia Mystica, The Thunder, Perfect Mind, William Blake, Louis Wain, writer Thomas Ligotti, occult British author Arthur Machen (originator of the title "The Inmost Light"), M.R. James's various ghost stories, The Cloud of Unknowing, Count Eric Stenbock, and Russell Hoban's Riddley Walker.
Musical influences include religious chants, traditional folk music, The Tam Lin ballad, The Incredible String Band, Sand, Comus, Blue Öyster Cult, Black Sabbath, Love, Shirley Collins, some progressive bands such as Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and the British composer Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji.
David Keenan's book England's Hidden Reverse - A Secret History of the Esoteric Underground (SAF Publishing 2003) extensively covers Tibet's musical evolution along with that of Coil, Stephen Stapleton, and others.
A Sadness Song
Current 93 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it falls away
When we feel that we're born
Just to fall apart
And our mother lies in state
And the broken pitcher glistens
And the snow is at the window
Creating neither sign nor symbol
And the mud lies in pools
Where the sand-dunes stretch unbroken
And the dry wind bends and sighs
And the geese are running harmless
And our desires are running wild
Then we're looking at the smoke
That's rising from the incense
Neither coming here nor going
Neither heaven here nor hell
Neither borning here nor birthing
Neither dying here nor death
And we're wrapped inside our troubles
And we're wrapped inside our pain
And wracked with fires with longing
And our eyes are blind with night
With our fingers clutching coins
And our thoughts burning with 'I'
And our eyes cannot be sated
With the world and its nightmares
With the world and its dreams
Though later they'll be filled
With a small handful of dust
And the gods appear on the altars
And we recognize their face
It's a face that we have carved there
And it's full of fear and longing
And promises and threats
But they neither stoop to conquer
Nor do they stoop to praise
And the mines are void of diamonds
That we carry in our rags
Then all the world seems
A sadness song
And all the world seems
A sadness song
The lyrics of "A Sadness Song" by Current 93 are a reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The first stanza speaks of the transience of the physical world, where things fall apart or decay over time, as represented by the broken pitcher and the mud lying in pools. The second stanza describes a barren landscape, in which desires run wild, but ultimately lead to nothing. The smoke rising from the incense represents a sense of lostness and confusion, where the singer can neither find heaven nor hell, nor any real meaning or purpose in life.
The third stanza acknowledges the pain and suffering that accompany human existence. The singer is wrapped in troubles and pains, with their thoughts consumed by the constant need for material possessions, represented by the clutching of coins. The fourth stanza speaks of the insignificance of these worldly concerns in the face of death, where all the treasures we hold dear are reduced to mere dust. The final stanza brings the song full circle, with the world appearing as a "sadness song", reinforcing the idea that life is inherently fleeting and filled with sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
When we touch the world
When we experience the world
And it falls away
And it disappears
When we feel that we're born
When we feel that we came into existence
Just to fall apart
Just to break down
And our mother lies in state
And our nurturing source is lifeless
And the broken pitcher glistens
And the shattered container sparkles
And the snow is at the window
And the white powder is visible through the window
Creating neither sign nor symbol
But not presenting any significance or meaning
And the earth covers earth
And the soil blankets the soil
And the mud lies in pools
And the mud resides in puddles
Where the sand-dunes stretch unbroken
Where the sandy hills extend without interruption
And the dry wind bends and sighs
And the parched breeze curves and exhales
And the geese are running harmless
And the geese are moving around innocuously
And our desires are running wild
And our wants are running rampant
Then we're looking at the smoke
Then we're observing the fumes
That's rising from the incense
That's ascending from the fragrant substance
Neither coming here nor going
Not arriving nor departing
Neither heaven here nor hell
Neither paradise nor inferno
Neither borning here nor birthing
Neither originating nor delivering
Neither dying here nor death
Neither expiring nor death
And we're wrapped inside our troubles
And we're wrapped within our misfortunes
And we're wrapped inside our pain
And we're wrapped within our torment
And wracked with fires with longing
And consumed with flames of yearning
And our eyes are blind with night
And our vision is obscured by darkness
With our fingers clutching coins
With our digits grasping currency
And our thoughts burning with 'I'
And our minds aflame with our concept of self
And our eyes cannot be sated
And our sight cannot be gratified
With the world and its nightmares
With the world and its terrifying realities
With the world and its dreams
With the world and its aspirations
Though later they'll be filled
Although eventually they will be fulfilled
With a small handful of dust
With a minuscule amount of dirt
And the gods appear on the altars
And the deities emerge on the shrines
And we recognize their face
And we identify their visage
It's a face that we have carved there
It's a face that we have etched into existence there
And it's full of fear and longing
And it's brimming with dread and desire
And promises and threats
And vows and intimidations
But they neither stoop to conquer
But they do not condescend to triumph
Nor do they stoop to praise
Neither do they lower themselves to commend
And the mines are void of diamonds
And the mines are empty of precious stones
That we carry in our rags
That we transport in our tattered clothes
Then all the world seems
Then the entire world appears
A sadness song
A sorrowful melody
And all the world seems
And the universe appears
A sadness song
A melancholic song
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: H JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stav Mkr
When we touch the world
And it falls away
When we feel that we're born
Just to fall apart
And our mother lies in state
And the broken pitcher glistens
And the snow is at the window
Creating neither sign nor symbol
And the earth covers earth
And the mud lies in pools
Where the sanddunes stretch unbroken
And the dry wind bends and sighs
And the geese are running harmless
And our desires are running wild
Then we're looking at the smoke
That's rising from the incense
Neither coming here nor going
Neither heaven here nor hell
Neither borning here nor birthing
Neither dying here nor death
And we're wrapped inside our troubles
And we're wrapped inside our pain
And wracked with fires with longing
And our eyes are blind with night
With our fingers clutching coins
And our thoughts burning with I
And our eyes cannot be sated
With the world and its nightmares
With the world and its dreams
Though later they'll be filled
With a small handful of dust
And the Gods appear on the altars
And we recognise their face
It's a face that we have carved there
And it's full of fear and longing
And promises and threats
But they neither stoop to conquer
Not do they stoop to praise
And the mines are void of diamonds
That we carry in our rags
Then all the world seems
A sadness song
And all the world seems
A sadness song
ᑎIᑎᗩ ᒪIᕮᗷT ᗪIᕮ Pᕮᑎᕮᑎ
More wisdom in this song than i am willing to take. Frightening...Depressing, in a soothing way. Not comparable to any other piece of music. David Tibet is a genius that has changed my life. I dont know if for the better or for the worse.
Gamers against Lean Alberta 2007
Really helps with bad hangovers etc. Lifesaver genre Neofolk is.
Great David
This is the song of my depression wich was severe for years, started since I was 18 at high school, I can feel every second of it with all my soul even now.. feels nostalgic god damn, anyways I wish good recovery to everyone listening to this right know, unless you wouldnt be listening to this, you would not have been listening to the sad sadness song
T. Byron K.
This song is eternal. <3
Stav Mkr
When we touch the world
And it falls away
When we feel that we're born
Just to fall apart
And our mother lies in state
And the broken pitcher glistens
And the snow is at the window
Creating neither sign nor symbol
And the earth covers earth
And the mud lies in pools
Where the sanddunes stretch unbroken
And the dry wind bends and sighs
And the geese are running harmless
And our desires are running wild
Then we're looking at the smoke
That's rising from the incense
Neither coming here nor going
Neither heaven here nor hell
Neither borning here nor birthing
Neither dying here nor death
And we're wrapped inside our troubles
And we're wrapped inside our pain
And wracked with fires with longing
And our eyes are blind with night
With our fingers clutching coins
And our thoughts burning with I
And our eyes cannot be sated
With the world and its nightmares
With the world and its dreams
Though later they'll be filled
With a small handful of dust
And the Gods appear on the altars
And we recognise their face
It's a face that we have carved there
And it's full of fear and longing
And promises and threats
But they neither stoop to conquer
Not do they stoop to praise
And the mines are void of diamonds
That we carry in our rags
Then all the world seems
A sadness song
And all the world seems
A sadness song
Giulia Tamborrino
this kind of songs go so deep.. seepings of tears..or quiet..
Ronald Nock
Great song!
Polacy Biedacy
the best band in the world!
Abra Hadabra
Coil the best band.
sugar coded
so it turns out that the line "with a small handful of dust" is most likely inspired by a Tibetan Buddhist anecdote in which a priest is arranging an altar to the gods/buddhas. the priest and a devotee decide that the altar is perfectly arranged, and complete. but then spontaneously the priest picks up "a small handful of dust" and tosses the dust onto the altar. He says "now it is perfect."
pardon me if i got a detail wrong in the telling of this story, as i can't remember where i read it.