Having disbanded in 1998, they reunited briefly in 2005 for a world tour and reformed in 2011, releasing a new album (Anastasis) and embarking on several tours.
Dead Can Dance formed in Melbourne, Australia in August 1981 with Paul Erikson on bass guitar, Lisa Gerrard (ex-Microfilm) on vocals, Simon Monroe (Marching Girls) on drums and Brendan Perry (also of Marching Girls) on vocals and guitar. Gerrard and Perry were a couple who met as members of Melbourne's little band scene. In May 1982, the band left Monroe in Australia and moved to London, England, where they signed with alternative rock label 4AD. With the duo, the initial United Kingdom line-up were Paul Erikson and Peter Ulrich.
The group's debut album, Dead Can Dance, was released in February 1984. The artwork, which depicts a ritual mask from New Guinea, "provide a visual reinterpretation of the meaning of the name Dead Can Dance", set in a faux Greek typeface. The album featured "drum-driven, ambient guitar music with chanting, singing and howling", and fit in with the ethereal wave style of label mates Cocteau Twins. They followed with a four-track extended play, Garden of the Arcane Delights in August. AllMusic described their early work as "as goth as it gets" (despite the group themselves rejecting the label), while the EP saw them "plunging into a wider range of music and style".
A shift in sound followed for the Spleen and Ideal album, with more emphasis on strings, brass and drones being used. A quasi spiritual element also emerged on this album, notably on the opening tracks "De Profundis" and "Ascension". Its worth noting that around this time Lisa and Brendan had been doing tours of European Cathedrals, absorbing the ambience which in turn was reflected in the work.
The highlights of the bands career followed with the genre defining album Within The Realm of a Dying Sun, featuring fan favorite "Cantara", which is where the bands Arabic and World music influences began to appear, and the double whammy of "Summoning of the Muse" and "Persephone (The Gathering of Flowers)." Critics at the time were undecided about the album, mainly due to the fact that the pieces were split according to the vocals. Brendan had the first side of the album, where Lisa took over for the latter half.
The Serpent's Egg was the next album and built on the premise set by the previous album, although the album is slightly uneven in quality and a short listen at around 40 minutes. The album is redeemed by the opening and closing pieces "The Host of Seraphim", and Perry's epic "Ullyses".
For the next album Aion, the band slipped back several centuries and recreated working medieval instruments such as the Sackbut, Viol and Hurdy Gurdy for the distinctly Medieval flavor. Included on the album is "Song of the sibyl" a text from 14th century Spain and now a live favorite. Another text appears in the song "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book".
Into the Labyrinth was the follow up album and was the album that saw Brendan mastering the use of samples and synthesizers and also the album that brought the band's music to American audiences selling over a million copies worldwide. The track "The Ubiquitous Mr Lovegrove" was played across on college radio and was instrumental in the albums success.
Spiritchaser was the seventh studio album for the band and brought about an abrupt upturn in musical style, instead of drawing on the historical past the band drew upon South American and African influences which gave the album a very rhythmic ambience. Considered by some to be the bands weakest album, it features highlights such as the percussive "Nierika" which was the most played track on American college radio for that year, and the epic 9 minute trance inducing "Indus".
A 3 CD retrospective simply called 1981-1998 was issued by 4AD and compiled a comprehensive overview of the bands career, and provided diehard fans with the only finished track from the Spiritchaser follow-up sessions called "The Lotus Eaters".
As a live band is probably where Dead Can Dance have gained their reputation. To put it simply, they were phenomenal. The concerts often featured many improvised pieces that to date have never been recorded in the studio. A live album entitled Toward the Within was released in 1994 and allowed fans unfortunate enough to have not attended concerts the chance to hear a few of these songs. A companion video/DVD of the concert was also released allowing people to see these highly ethereal concerts.
After Dead Can Dance ceased to be a functioning band both Perry and Gerrard embarked upon solo careers. To date, Brendan has released one solo album The Eye of the Hunter and has completed work on a new album, 'Ark', to be released in June 2010, whilst Lisa has been more prolific but with mixed results, releasing two solo albums The Mirror Pool and The Silver Tree. Lisa has also collaborated with other artists, namely Pieter Bourke of the band Soma and Irish composer Patrick Cassidy on the respective albums Duality and Immortal Memory. Lisa has also become a sought after soundtrack artist too after a wave of publicity for the Ridley Scott film Gladiator and continues to release work on a regular basis including soundtrack work on Ali, Layer Cake, and Whale Rider. Peter Ulrich, former percussionist of the band has also released two solo albums, Pathways and Dawns and more recently, Enter the Mysterium.
A series of 31 reunion concerts took place in 2005 in both Europe and North America including two memorable sell out concerts at The Hollywood Bowl and Radio City accompanied by 40 piece orchestras. Many of these concerts were professionally recorded and released as a double CD.
In late 2011, the band announced a reunion World Tour, in order to promote their new album, fittingly titled Anastasis, as it was released on August 9, 2012, 16 years after the group's previous album. Anastasis was well received by critics and is also the first album of the band not released by 4AD Records.
The name "Dead Can Dance" is often misleading. Although this group is quite popular among the goth sub-culture with the name appearing to be inspired by the Danse macabre allegory, it should instead be interpreted as 'giving life to something that was previously inanimate' as Perry said:
"The album artwork [of our self titled first album], a ritual mask from New Guinea, attempted to provide a visual reintrepretation of the meaning of the name "Dead Can Dance." The mask, though once a living part of a tree is dead; nevertheless it has, through the artistry of its maker, been imbued with a life force of its own. To understand why we chose the name, think of the transformation of inanimacy to animacy.... Think of the processes concerning life from death and death into life. So many people missed the inherent symbolism, and assumed that we must be 'morbid gothic types,' a mistake we deplored and deplore...".
http://www.deadcandance.com
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04-The Carnival is Over
Dead Can Dance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The storm clouds gathering,
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn
Reach up and kiss the sky.
They are driven by a strange desire
Someone is calling.
I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Look! Over here.
Outside
The circus gathering
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye.
The carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose again
For the very first time.
The lyrics to Dead Can Dance's song "The Carnival Is Over" are melancholic and seem to be depicting the end of something magical and fantastical. The first two verses describe a storm gathering and flowers reaching up to the sky, which feels like a metaphor for heightened emotions and anticipation. The chorus emphasizes the strange desire driving the carnival and how it is unseen by the human eye. The verse about remembering holding hands in the park during the circus's visit implies a bittersweet nostalgia for something that can never be recaptured.
The second two verses depict the aftermath of the carnival leaving town in the rain - the shouting is over and the fabulous freaks are leaving. The fact that the procession is moving silently implies a sense of finality and sadness. The final line about watching the moon rise again for the very first time is a bit cryptic, but it could mean that the end of the carnival has opened up new possibilities or made the world seem different somehow.
Line by Line Meaning
Outside
Setting the scene in an external environment.
The storm clouds gathering,
Describing the ominous atmospheric conditions outside.
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard.
The quiet, yet ominous movement of the storm clouds.
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
Describing the natural beauty of the flowers in the area.
So they can in turn
Explaining the flowers' purpose.
Reach up and kiss the sky.
Describing the movement of the flowers, which creates a pleasing image.
They are driven by a strange desire
Speculating on the reason behind the flowers' movement.
Unseen by the human eye
Noting that the reason is beyond what humans can see or comprehend.
Someone is calling.
Hinting that there may be supernatural or mysterious elements at play in the scene.
I remember when you held my hand
Recalling an intimate moment with someone.
In the park we would play when the circus came to town.
Recalling a specific situation and time period in the past that the singer associates with joy.
Look! Over here.
Calling attention to something specific in the scene.
Outside
Repeating the earlier descriptor and creating a parallel between the two scenes.
The circus gathering
Describing a new scene that takes place in a similar environment.
Moved silently along the rainswept boulevard.
Creating a similar, though more somber and ominous atmosphere around the new scene.
The procession moved on the shouting is over
Describing the movement of the circus and the accompanying changes in the atmosphere and noise level.
The fabulous freaks are leaving town.
Describing the departure of a specific group of people associated with the circus, using a pejorative label.
They are driven by a strange desire
Echoing the earlier line that suggested that the flowers were also motivated by an unexpected force.
Unseen by the human eye.
Reiterating that there are elements of this scene that the audience cannot perceive.
The carnival is over
Suggesting that the circus symbolizes a kind of fleeting joy that has come to an end.
We sat and watched
The artist and an unidentified listener are observers of the scenes that are unfolding.
As the moon rose again
Drawing attention to a celestial event that marks the end of the day and the passage of time.
For the very first time.
Suggesting that although this is a natural event, it can be experienced in a new or special way each time.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN MICHAEL PERRY, LISA GERMAINE GERRARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@saltywisdom
Outside the storm clouds gathering
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn reach up and kiss the sky
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling
I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play
When the circus came to town
Look over here
Outside the circus gathering
Moved silently along the rain swept boulevard
The procession moves on the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town
They are driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling
The carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose
For the very first time
@carlotapuig
Outside the storm clouds gathering
Moved silently along the dusty boulevard
Where flowers turning crane their fragile necks
So they can in turn reach up and kiss the sky
They're driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling
I remember when you held my hand
In the park we would play
When the circus came to town
Look over here
Outside the circus gathering
Moved silently along the rain swept boulevard
The procession moved on, the shouting is over
The fabulous freaks are leaving town
They're driven by a strange desire
Unseen by the human eye
Someone's calling
The carnival is over
We sat and watched
As the moon rose
For the very first time
@dusilva932
Lá fora as nuvens de tempestade se reunindo
Movidas silenciosamente ao longo da avenida empoeirada
Onde as flores girando esticam seus pescoços
Então, elas podem, por sua vez, alcançar e beijar o céu
São movidas por um desejo estranho
Invisível ao olho humano
Alguém está chamando
Eu lembro quando você segurou minha mão
No parque iríamos brincar
Quando o circo veio para a cidade
Olha lá
A reunião do circo
Movido silenciosamente ao longo do bulevar varrido pela chuva
A procissão avançou, a gritaria acabou
As aberrações fabulosas estão deixando a cidade
São movidos por um desejo estranho
Invisível ao olho humano
Alguem está chamando
O carnaval acabou
Nós sentamos e assistimos
Enquanto a lua nascia
Pela primeira vez
@jillianperkins3207
This was my mother's funeral song. When she was alive, the first time she heard it she told my brothers and I that it was her funeral song. So we made sure she got her wish. Love you mum xx
@jaimesastre6393
Nice 🙏
I was thinking too for myself. It's an excellent choice I think.
@oscarchacon7543
so sorry jill, she wet with love and marvelous music vibes💞
@melangeazul286
R.I.P. Beautiful song. I had the privilege to see DCD live in the 90's
@darryltoups7315
I like the request.Peace.
@yccct54
🙁😢 sorry for your loss
@halschild1708
I edited this video. It's still my favorite project that I worked on.
@pslugworth
It's a tour de force! I admire the editing every time I watch this.
@gabbyhyman1246
Thank you. It's fantastic!!!!
@PawelChyrowski
Great work! I love this video clip. Amazing job!