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.
Judas as Black Moth
Current 93 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pettled with blood
Back over their moulded walls
With spiteful flames
I can't hear the voice
I can't see the form
The wallpaper peeling
Let the walls down
Eternity
To my question
When?
What time is it?
What place is this?
Which conjunction is this?
All this waste
Where the clocks tick away
All around
What hour is this in the middle of the night?
The cats cry in the street
The car sweeps by with a murdered child
The car sweeps by with a violated girl
The car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
Do you believe in God?
Do you believe in Christ?
What monsters we've become
This flight from ease will finally kill us all
And all we need is something
Let us lie and sleep and dream
Other dreams
Brighter dreams
Better dreams
Please
In Current 93's song Judas as Black Moth, the lyrics paint a picture of destruction, violence, and chaos. The opening lines describe flowers paid for with blood, and walls covered in spiteful flames. The singer is unable to see or hear, and the wallpaper is peeling, symbolizing decay and ruin. The bone answers with the word "eternity", suggesting a sense of hopelessness and endlessness to the destruction around them.
As the song progresses, the singer asks a series of questions, seemingly searching for meaning in the midst of the madness. They ask about the time, place, and conjunction, highlighting a sense of disorientation and confusion. The imagery becomes increasingly graphic, with references to murdered and violated children and death in the trunk of a car. These lines convey a sense of horror and despair, and the continued questioning of whether belief in God or Christ is possible suggests a crisis of faith and a sense of hopelessness.
The song concludes on a plea for something better than the current state of affairs. The singer seeks dreams that are brighter and better than what they are currently experiencing, a longing for escape from the violence and destruction that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
All the blossoms have been paid for
All forms of beauty and joy have been traded for violence and bloodshed
Pettled with blood
Marred and corrupted by the shedding of blood
Back over their moulded walls
Returning to the confines of society and tradition, only to find them corrupted and hateful
With spiteful flames
Fueled by rage and anger, with a desire to destroy
I can't hear the voice
Overwhelmed by confusion and chaos, unable to find guidance or direction
I can't see the form
Blinded by darkness and ignorance, unable to perceive truth and meaning
The wallpaper peeling
The facade of normalcy and civilization is crumbling, revealing the ugliness beneath
Let the walls down
Breaking down the barriers that separate individuals and societies, recognizing our common humanity
And the bone answers
The reality of death and decay provides the only certainty and truth in a confusing world
Eternity
The infinite and eternal nature of time and existence
To my question
In the face of uncertainty and fear, the search for answers and meaning is unceasing
When?
A desperate plea for clarity and direction in an uncertain world
What time is it?
A literal question about time, but also a broader question about the state of the world and humanity's future
What place is this?
A question about location and surroundings, but also about the nature of reality and perception
Which conjunction is this?
A poetic way of asking about the alignment of the stars and planets, but also a question about destiny and fate
All this waste
The despair and destruction that surrounds us, leaving us feeling hopeless and powerless
Where the clocks tick away
Time passes inexorably, leading us ever closer to an uncertain future
All around
The chaos and uncertainty is all-encompassing, leaving no escape
What hour is this in the middle of the night?
A question about time, but also a reflection on the darkness and fears that come out at night
The cats cry in the street
The natural world is also affected by the violence and destruction wrought by humanity
The car sweeps by with a murdered child
A symbol of the senseless violence and cruelty that we inflict on each other
The car sweeps by with a violated girl
A reflection on the horror and trauma of sexual violence, which is all too common in our world
The car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
A metaphor for the apathy and detachment that allows such violence and death to occur routinely
Do you believe in God?
A question about faith and belief, but also a reflection on the search for meaning and purpose in life
Do you believe in Christ?
A question about religious belief, but also a reflection on the power of redemption and forgiveness
What monsters we've become
A recognition of the darkness and ugliness within human nature
This flight from ease will finally kill us all
The pursuit of comfort and safety is ultimately futile, and may even hasten our demise
And all we need is something
Despite the despair and chaos, there is still a desire for hope and meaning
Let us lie and sleep and dream
A call for escapism and rest, in the face of overwhelming despair
Other dreams
A hope for better and brighter dreams, free from the violence and chaos of the waking world
Brighter dreams
A plea for hope and optimism, even in the darkest of times
Better dreams
A desire for a better and more just world, where violence and fear are replaced by love and kindness
Please
A desperate plea for a better world, where beauty and love can once again flourish
Contributed by Isaiah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zichietto
In my record this song is strumental. No words!
only:
A car sweeps by with a murdered child
A car sweeps by with a violated girl
A car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
I can't hear the voice
I can't see the face
(This is "Judas as black moth II" number I overture strumental)
Zichietto
In my record this song is strumental. No words!
only:
A car sweeps by with a murdered child
A car sweeps by with a violated girl
A car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
I can't hear the voice
I can't see the face
(This is "Judas as black moth II" number I overture strumental)
Zichietto
In my record this song is strumental. No words!
only:
A car sweeps by with a murdered child
A car sweeps by with a violated girl
A car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
I can't hear the voice
I can't see the face
(This is "Judas as black moth II" number I overture strumental)
Nephilim1977
The original version is good... this one is brilliant and insanely haunting
Zichietto
In my record this song is strumental. No words!
only:
A car sweeps by with a murdered child
A car sweeps by with a violated girl
A car sweeps by with its trunk full of death
I can't hear the voice
I can't see the face
(This is "Judas as black moth II" number I overture strumental)
mohawkmonkeymofo
Masterpiece. Thank you for uploading.
Cathy Judge
Oh so hauntingly beautiful!!!
Aeon135
This is my favourite Randy Newman song.
Aeon135
6 years later, still listening. Still rending.
Mreaja
Mine too
Thomas Hervier Engie
Masterpiece 🍓🍓🍓
Mio Silver
Great song