The band was, for a time in the 1970s, a sensation in the world of British progressive-rock because of Sonja Kristina's sensual vocals and Darryl Way's romantic violin. Kristina was a veteran of the London musical Hair in the late 60s. This combination of sensual vocals and romantic violin was the same as tested in California by It's a Beautiful Day. Francis Monkman (the real genius behind their compositions) added a synthesiser.
Their debut album Air Conditioning (1970) contains "Vivaldi", their most celebrated piece. Second Album (1971) delivered their only hit, "Back Street Luv", and the twelve-minute "Piece of Mind". Their artistic peak was reached with Phantasmagoria (1972), but the band dissolved after Air Cut (1973), with Eddie Jobson taking over violin and keyboard duties. Kristina was joined by her husband Stewart Copeland (future The Police) for a new version of Curved Air that released Midnight Wire 1975) and Airborne (1976).
From then on Curved Air as a group were largely inactive. In early 2008, the band regrouped. A live album consisting of recordings from the previous UK tour, Live Atmosphere, was released on 2 April 2012. A studio album, North Star, followed in 2014.
Sonja Kristina remains the only original band member.
Metamorphosis
Curved Air Lyrics
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We sing and our breath turns to frost, we watch and the frost melts
We hear the crazy winds that weep, we don't sleep where the minds meet
In icy mercury seas we dream and we picture the same
We dance and the worlds melt away
Sky we sing, frost we watch, seas we dream, same we dance
Picture in a mirror, picture in a mirror, born we watch, so much we touch
On the misty beach we stand, the children gold and silver from ice and mercury born
We watch and our eyes see so much, we touch and it all melts
We are the children of the midnight, marching high in an icy mercury sky
We dream and we picture the same, we dance and the worlds melt away
The lyrics of the song Metamorphosis by Curved Air depict a group of individuals who refer to themselves as the "children of the midnight", who march high in an icy mercury sky. They sing and their breath turns into frost, and they observe as the frost melts away. They listen to the winds that weep, and they do not sleep where the minds meet. In icy mercury seas, they dream and picture the same. When they dance, the worlds melt away.
The lyrics suggest that these individuals are a part of a mystical group that possesses extraordinary powers. They appear to be able to transform their surroundings and create alternate realities. The use of vivid imagery in the lyrics conveys a feeling of otherworldliness and mystical experience.
Overall, the lyrics of Metamorphosis speak to the theme of transformation and the power of collective consciousness. The children of the midnight are portrayed as a group that transcends the physical world and experiences something larger than themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
We are the children of the midnight, marching high in an icy mercury sky
We are the poetic souls who are awake at midnight and are wandering aimlessly in the sky, which is colored by a mix of colors of ice and mercury.
We sing and our breath turns to frost, we watch and the frost melts
When we sing, a white mist comes out. We're so in the moment that the ice begins to melt while we watch.
We hear the crazy winds that weep, we don't sleep where the minds meet
We are able to perceive the sounds of strong and unusual winds that are weeping with intensity. We stay awake in places where people's minds often gather to communicate.
In icy mercury seas we dream and we picture the same
We all see the same dream of being in an ocean with water the color of ice and mercury.
We dance and the worlds melt away
When we dance, our minds transcend the material world and imagine a different reality.
On the misty beach we stand, the children gold and silver from ice and mercury born
We stand on a misty beach, and we recognize ourselves as children born from gold and silver mixed with ice and mercury.
We watch and our eyes see so much, we touch and it all melts
When we watch, we are noticing so many details and beauty in the world. When we touch something, it seems like it melts under our fingertips.
We dream and we picture the same, we dance and the worlds melt away
Our collective dream visions are identical, and when we dance together, we envision a world that is completely different from the one we are currently living in.
Contributed by Lauren J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.