Death in June are a neofolk group led by UK musician Douglas Pearce. Althou… Read Full Bio ↴Death in June are a neofolk group led by UK musician Douglas Pearce. Although originally a post-punk band, they are credited with the initial development of neofolk music along with Current 93 and Sol Invictus.

Death in June emerged in 1981, reuniting singer/multi-instrumentalist Douglas P. and bassist Tony Wakeford; drummer Patrick Leagas completed the original lineup, which made its live debut late the following year with an opening slot for the Birthday Party.

The 12-inch Heaven Street soon followed, and in 1983 Death in June issued their first full-length effort, The Guilty Have No Pride. From the outset, the group was criticized for its adoption of fascist imagery, and charges of Nazism dogged Pearce throughout his career. However, Pearce is openly homosexual and has also collaborated with various ethnic Jews throughout his discography; the official Death in June web site used to sport an Israeli flag, and Death in June played live in Israel on June 18, 2004 for a predominantly Jewish audience.

Upon completing the Burial LP, Wakeford left the lineup to form Sol Invictus. Following the release of 1985’s Nada!, only Pearce remained, with Leagas exiting to form his own project, Sixth Comm.

Beginning with the 1986 double album The World That Summer, Pearce continued Death in June primarily as a solo concern, aided by a revolving group of collaborators including Current 93’s David Tibet, Boyd Rice and Coil’s John Balance. The abrasive electronics and martial rhythms of early efforts gave way to an increasingly expansive sonic approach over the course of subsequent outings including 1987’s Brown Book, 1989’s The Wall of Sacrifice and 1992’s But, What Ends When the Symbols Shatter?, the latter evoking Pearce’s longstanding interest in traditional European folk music.

The first British act to perform in Croatia following the outbreak of Yugoslavia’s civil war, Death in June documented their experiences on 1993’s Something Is Coming. Subsequent efforts include 1995’s Rose Clouds of Holocaust, 1998’s Take Care and Control, 2000’s Operation Hummingbird, and 2001’s All Pigs Must Die.

The official web site of Death in June is maintained at http://www.deathinjune.net.

Official Death In June merchandise can be bought here http://www.plastichead.com/catalogue.asp?ex=backlist&category=merch&target=DEATH+IN+JUNE.

Born Again
Death in June Lyrics

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Stranger, I'll wait for you
Beneath the archway to never
Let's cease our
Constant wailings
For our prayers fall
On deaf ears
Her white skin
Shines through darkness

Taut with pleasure
Taut with pain
And her keeper
Always laughing, always laughing
And, I'll wait forever
For only you
The disappeared ones
And, the pain will last forever
For only you
That's how the dream goes on
Born again
He says
We'll be born again
But, into rats and hell
For a dollar death
But, that can't happen here!
No, no not again
No, no not again
And, later we'll be talking
Oh, you wonder why you die?
My head is filled with
Fallen statues
Slaughtered children
Fill our eyes

And, the skull is always laughing
Always laughing, always laughing
And I'll wait for ever
For only you
The disappeared ones
And the pain will
Last forever
For only you
The price of freedom
Born again
He says
That we'll be born again
Into rats and hell
For a dollar death
For your twisted mind
And, it will happen here

No, no not again
No, no not again

Overall Meaning

The song "Born Again" by Death In June is enigmatic and metaphorical, making it a challenging piece to interpret. The song starts with an invitation, "Stranger, I'll wait for you beneath the archway to never," suggesting a place where no one usually goes. It could be an allegory for the supernatural realm, where the singer waits for the stranger, indicating a rendezvous to revisit their past or to find a new beginning. The singer is tired of the constant mourning, "Let's cease our constant wailings, For our prayers fall on deaf ears."

The next two lines seem to describe the woman, perhaps a symbol of something deeper, with her white skin shining through the darkness, taut with pleasure and pain. The keeper, who is always laughing, might represent the cycle of life, the indifference of nature that makes fun of our joy and suffering. The singer is willing to wait forever for the disappeared ones and the pain that will last forever, but why? The chorus answers this question - "Born again, he says, We'll be born again, But into rats and hell, For a dollar death." The singer and the stranger will be born again, but into a wretched state. It hints at the inevitability of death and reincarnation, but this time it will be unpleasant, starting life anew in misery.

The song ends with a warning that there is no escape from the cycle of life and death. The skull is always laughing, which might be an indication that all our deeds, good or bad, are meaningless. The singer waits "for only you, the disappeared ones." It could suggest that the singer can connect with those who have crossed the threshold, searching for solace, meaning or a new start.

Line by Line Meaning

Stranger, I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you even if I don't know you well

Beneath the archway to never
At a place where we will never meet

Let's cease our constant wailings
Let's stop crying and complaining

For our prayers fall on deaf ears
Our prayers are not answered

Her white skin shines through darkness
Despite the darkness around us, her skin is bright

Taut with pleasure, taut with pain
Experiencing both joy and suffering

And her keeper, always laughing, always laughing
The person responsible for her is always happy, always happy

And I'll wait forever, for only you
I will wait for you forever, just for you

The disappeared ones
People who have gone missing

And, the pain will last forever, for only you
The pain will never go away, only you will feel it

That's how the dream goes on
This is how the fantasy persists