Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and were broken up for eight years from 1976 to 1984, with drummer Ian Paice being the band's only constant member. The first four line-ups, which constituted the band's original 1968–1976 run, are officially indicated as Mark I (1968–1969), Mark II (1969–1973), Mark III (1973–1975) and Mark IV (1975–1976). Mark I comprised the founding members of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Rod Evans (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Paice (drums) and Nick Simper (bass), while Mark II was the most commercially successful line-up, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replacing Evans and Simper respectively. Mark III saw David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes replace Gillan and Glover respectively, while Mark IV featured Tommy Bolin replacing Blackmore. The band split in July 1976 and Bolin died from a drug overdose five months later. In 1984, Deep Purple reformed with the Mark II line-up, which remained in place until Joe Lynn Turner replaced Gillan in 1989. Gillan rejoined in 1992, with Blackmore leaving for the second and final time the following year. He was replaced temporarily by Joe Satriani and then permanently by Steve Morse. In 2002 Don Airey replaced Jon Lord, which saw Deep Purple settle into its longest running line-up, unchanged for the next twenty years, until Morse announced his departure from the band in 2022. His place was taken by Simon McBride. Paice, Glover, Gillan, Airey and McBride comprise the current line-up of Deep Purple.
Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme] and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever". The band received the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards. Deep Purple (specifically Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillan, Glover, Coverdale, Evans, and Hughes) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Before Time Began
Deep Purple Lyrics
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But there's never much to talk about
Another day goes rushing by and here we are just wondering why
We have to belong with a sense of purpose
That's all we need, without them we're worthless
Ah, we've come so far, hm, but then again
All we see is more of the same
It's getting crowded here we agree no doubt
Hey you over there why don't you throw down your spear?
We all need some help right now
Where are we going from here?
The way things are working out
It won't be too long before we have to move
Better start thinking about it
While there's still time to choose
Every day of my life I discover
Someone murdering my sisters and brothers
In the name of some god or another
What do you know
For the first precious few it's time to go
What might have been we'll never know
All those bad ideas became the law
Oh yes, we've forgotten what we're looking for
All of you angels it's time to gather your wings
Leave it all behind you won't need any of those things
We're going on through the darkness hand in hand
To step into the future
Before time began
And for those who remain with your chosen gods
May your prayers be answered.
The lyrics of Deep Purple's song Before Time Began take a reflective and philosophical tone, exploring themes of purpose, progress, and mortality. The song starts with a description of the passage of time, with the daylight fading and stars coming out, but not much to talk about in terms of progress or meaning. The lyrics then delve into a sense of longing for belonging and purpose, which gives meaning to our existence. The lyrics acknowledge that humanity has come a long way, but sometimes it feels like all we see is more of the same. The song then touches upon the idea of overpopulation and the strain it puts on our world, asking the question "What's it all about?".
In the middle of the song, the lyrics take a turn towards more serious and global issues - the murder and destruction of human life in the name of religion or ideologies. The lyrics point out how these killings have become laws, and humanity has forgotten what they were meant to look for. Nevertheless, the song ends on a more positive note, with the idea of moving beyond the darkness, hand in hand, towards a future before time began. The lyrics encourage those who choose to believe in gods to keep praying for answers.
Overall, the lyrics of Before Time Began by Deep Purple focus on the idea of moving forward with a sense of purpose, even if it means leaving behind past ideas and beliefs. It urges the listener to reflect on the big questions of life, and strive towards progress and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
The daylight fades and the stars come out
The end of another day is here and nightfall has come
But there's never much to talk about
Nothing new or exciting has happened to discuss
Another day goes rushing by and here we are just wondering why
Time flies by and we question the meaning of our existence
We have to belong with a sense of purpose
We need to feel like we fit in and have a reason for being here
That's all we need, without them we're worthless
Without a sense of belonging and purpose, we feel like we have no value
Ah, we've come so far, hm, but then again
We've made progress as a society, but there's still much room for improvement
All we see is more of the same
Despite progress, we still experience the same problems and struggles
It's getting crowded here we agree no doubt
Overpopulation is becoming a concern
Oh dear brother what's it all about?
What is the meaning of life and our purpose on this planet?
Hey you over there why don't you throw down your spear?
Why can't we work together and put down our weapons?
We all need some help right now
We're struggling and could use some assistance
Where are we going from here?
We need to figure out our path for the future
The way things are working out
The current situation isn't ideal
It won't be too long before we have to move
We'll need to adapt and change soon
Better start thinking about it
We need to start planning and considering our options
While there's still time to choose
We need to act before it's too late
Every day of my life I discover
Each day, more and more injustices are revealed to me
Someone murdering my sisters and brothers
People are being killed due to someone else's beliefs
In the name of some god or another
Those committing atrocities claim to be doing so in the name of religion
What do you know
What do we really understand about the world and each other?
For the first precious few it's time to go
The earliest humans have reached the end of their lives
What might have been we'll never know
We can only imagine what could have been if things had turned out differently
All those bad ideas became the law
Negative and harmful beliefs have been established as societal norms
Oh yes, we've forgotten what we're looking for
As a society, we've lost sight of what is truly important and meaningful
All of you angels it's time to gather your wings
People who have passed away should prepare for the afterlife
Leave it all behind you won't need any of those things
In the afterlife, material possessions and earthly desires are no longer necessary
We're going on through the darkness hand in hand
Together, we'll face the unknown future
To step into the future
We'll move forward and see what lies ahead
Before time began
Before the beginning of human history and civilization
And for those who remain with your chosen gods
For those who continue to have faith in their religions
May your prayers be answered.
May your religious beliefs bring you comfort and guidance.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Don Airey, Ian Gillan, Ian Anderson Paice, Roger David Glover, Steven J. Morse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind