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.
The Calling
Death in June Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And dry your eyes
We live in fear
And drunken lies
Douse the flames
Of devil dawning
The cold blade falls
On misty morning
We live and die
The angel cowers
In blackened skies
So take my hand and walk again
We'll take a walk through yellow rain
She's calling, just calling
So now's the time
We hear the calling
While lovers feast
By mirrored pools
A million cries
From shattered faces
We dance in tune
To the pipes of gold
She's calling, just calling
The verse "Clear your tears and dry your eyes, We live in fear and drunken lies" sets the narrative with an opening that indicates overcoming fear and lies. Death in June's lyrics "Douse the flames, Of devil dawning" in the next line suggests that something dark and dangerous is approaching. The line, "The cold blade falls on misty morning," symbolizes impending danger as the cold blade signifies an impending danger that might strike at any moment. Then, the lyric "And for their sins, We live and die" seems to be a reference to an ancient belief that people face the consequences of the actions of their forefathers. Hence, the fear that we live with today is a product of humanity's sins in the past.
The above events lead to a situation where the "angel cowers in blackened skies," signifying the arrival of some menacing force, possibly a war or an invasion. In the chorus, Death in June encourages its listeners to take its hand for a walk to go through the "yellow rain." The rain is a metaphor for the danger that is looming, and by walking through it, the singer suggests that everyone can overcome it. In the second verse, "While lovers feast by mirrored pools" highlights that while people carry on with their daily lives, danger lingers, evident in "a million cries from shattered faces." Despite this, the singer finds a source of joy in this situation as they "dance to the tune of the pipes of gold," meaning they find beauty amid the ugliness.
Line by Line Meaning
Clear your tears
Let go of your sadness
And dry your eyes
Stop crying
We live in fear
Our lives are full of anxiety
And drunken lies
We lie to ourselves when we're drunk
Douse the flames
Put out the fire
Of devil dawning
The evil that starts to come out in dawn
The cold blade falls
The weapon falls and kills
On misty morning
This happens during a foggy morning
And for their sins
We suffer the consequences of other's bad actions
We live and die
Life and death are inevitable
The angel cowers
The divine being is afraid
In blackened skies
In the dark, ominous skies
So take my hand and walk again
Let me guide you through a new beginning
We'll take a walk through yellow rain
We'll go through challenges and hardships
She's calling, just calling
The looming presence is beckoning us
So now's the time
The moment has arrived
We hear the calling
We heed the ominous call
While lovers feast
While people are enjoying the moment
By mirrored pools
Reflecting back at themselves
A million cries
The scream of many
From shattered faces
Faces that are broken
We dance in tune
We move to the rhythm
To the pipes of gold
The music of wealth and luxury
She's calling, just calling
The ominous entity is summoning us again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AURELIUS, DOUGLAS, LORENZO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind