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...".
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Song To The Siren
Dead Can Dance Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of "Song To The Siren" by Dead Can Dance is a story of a man who is lost at sea and is trying to reach his lover. The song mentions the "floating Shipless oceans" which represent the vast emptiness of the sea. The man sees his lover in his dreams and tries to reach her. The lyrics say, "Did I dream you dreamed about me? Were you here when I was full sail? But now my foolish boat is leaning, Broken love lost on your rocks." This suggests that the man was once with his lover but is now separated from her and his boat is in trouble.
The man is confused about his feelings and is unsure whether he should continue his journey towards his lover or just give up and accept his fate. The lyrics say, "But I'm as puzzled as the newborn child, I'm as riddled as the tide. Should I stand amid the breakers or should I lie with death my bride." The man is torn between life and death, and it is not clear what his ultimate decision will be.
Line by Line Meaning
On the floating Shipless oceans
Amidst the endless ocean, I am floating aimlessly without direction or purpose.
I did all my best to smile
Despite feeling lost and alone, I made an effort to put on a happy face and remain optimistic.
To your singing eyes and fingers
Your captivating presence, manifested in your eyes and the way you touch me, draws me closer to you.
Drew me loving to your arms
Your love and affection irresistibly pulled me into your embrace.
And you sang Sail to me
You entreat me to set sail with you and embark on a journey together towards the unknown.
Let me enfold you
Allow me to hold you close and protect you from harm.
Here I am Waiting to hold you
I am present and ready to comfort and support you whenever you need me.
Did I dream You dreamed about me
I wonder if the intense and magical connection we share was a figment of my imagination or if you too have been thinking about me.
Were you here when I was full sail
Did you also experience the excitement and adrenaline rush of being on a thrilling adventure with me.
But now my foolish boat is leaning
In this moment of vulnerability, I feel as though my life is unstable and uncertain like a boat swaying dangerously in the wind.
Broken love lost on your rocks
Our love has been shattered and destroyed like a boat crashing against sharp rocks in a stormy sea.
Will you sing Touch me not
Do you want to distance yourself from me by refusing physical contact or affection.
Come back tomorrow
Perhaps you need some time to yourself to heal and recover, but I hope you will return to me eventually.
Oh, my heart Shies from the sorrow
My heart cowers and recoils in pain and sadness, unable to bear the weight of my emotions.
But I'm as puzzled as the newborn child
I am as confused and uncertain about my feelings and the state of our relationship as an innocent and naive newborn baby.
I'm as riddled as the tide
My thoughts and emotions are as turbulent and restless as the changing tides of the sea.
Should I stand amid the breakers
Should I confront the challenges and obstacles in our relationship head-on, or should I retreat and avoid further conflict.
Or should I lie with death my bride
Is it better to give up on us entirely and embrace the certainty of loneliness and sorrow, like lying with death as my partner.
Hear me sing Swim to me Swim to me
I implore you to come back to me and swim towards me with open arms.
Let me enfold you
Let me envelop you in my love and warmth.
Here I am Waiting to hold you
I am still here, patient and waiting for you to return to me.
Writer(s): Timothy Charles Iii Buckley, Larry Beckett
Contributed by Carter C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Francesco Nizza
Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me, sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream, you dreamed about me?
Were you here when I was full sail?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks
For you sing
Touch me not, touch me not
Come back tomorrow
Oh, my heart
Oh, my heart shies from the sorrow
Well I'm as puzzled as the newborn child
I'm as riddled as the tide
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Or should I lie with death my bride?
Hear me sing
Swim to me, swim to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you
Lauralee Hansen
This is my favorite song of all times and i love listening to different artists sing their version. Awesome job.
Andrew MacLeod
Same, this is like the four I've listened to tonight so far.
Don't Go To Hell
The Bible says faith in Jesus Christ and repentance are the ONLY way into the Kingdom of Heaven. John 14:6
Make sure you get you Judgement-Ready.
Acts 2:38-39
Beatriz Correa
Oh God, Brendan's voice only gets better through the years. Love Dead Can Dance forever.
Francesco Nizza
Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me, sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you
Did I dream, you dreamed about me?
Were you here when I was full sail?
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks
For you sing
Touch me not, touch me not
Come back tomorrow
Oh, my heart
Oh, my heart shies from the sorrow
Well I'm as puzzled as the newborn child
I'm as riddled as the tide
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Or should I lie with death my bride?
Hear me sing
Swim to me, swim to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am, here I am
Waiting to hold you
Whiite shirt
3rd verse, 2nd line should be: Were you hare when I was fox? (rhymes with "Broken lovelorn on your rocks")
Chele66
Beautiful!
Martin Cooke
Original version has the lyric “I am puzzled as the oyster” this is a wonderful choice of strange. I don’t like the more conventional “newborn child” replacement as much but it’s still a phenomenal song.
mstanley97
Been listening to Dead Can Dance since 90's. live voice is so amazing and sounds just like the studio. Liz Frazier version is also amazing and my favorite!
HiDay
Saw them in London a few years back best concert ever!!!!!incredible voices just sublime ❤️🎤