Galás is known for being a fiercely confrontational avant-garde performer and is noted for her wailing, four-octave vocal range. Galás was the daughter of Greek Orthodox parents and her singing was roundly discouraged, although her prowess as a classical pianist was nurtured; ultimately, her strict upbringing resulted in a reckless, drug-fueled youth prior to her entrance into the University of California's music and visual arts program. Galás made her performing debut in 1979 at France's Festival d'Avignon, which led to an invitation to assume the lead role in composer Vinko Globokar's politically charged opera Un Jour Comme un Autre. In subsequent solo performance art pieces like Wild Women with Steak Knives and Tragouthia Apo to Aima Exon Fonos, Galás further honed her unique, shattering vocal style, inspired by the Schrei ("shriek") opera of German expressionism (a form employing a system of four microphones and a series of echoes and delays).
She worked with many avant-garde composers including Phillip Glass, Terry Riley, John Zorn, Iannis Xenakis and Vinko Globokar. She made her performance debut at the Festival d'Avignon in France as the lead in Globokar's opera, Un Jour Comme Une Autre which deals with the death by torture of a Turkish woman. The work was sponsored by Amnesty International. She also contributed her voice to Francis Ford Coppola's film Dracula (1992) and appeared on the film's soundtrack.
Her work first garnered widespread attention with the controversial 1991 live recording of the album "Plague Mass" in the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York. With it, Galás attacked the Catholic Church for its indifference to AIDS using biblical texts. In the words of Terrorizor Magazine, "The church was made to burn with sound, not fire." Plague Mass was a live rendition of excerpts from her same-titled trilogy which began as a response/homage/indictment to the multitudinous effects of AIDS upon the silent class - of which her brother was a member. During the period of these recordings, Galás had "We are all HIV+" tattooed upon her knuckles; an artistic expression of disillusionment and disgust with the ignorance and apathy surrounding the AIDS epidemic. Her brother, who died during the trilogy's final production, reportedly appreciated her efforts.
Susan McClary (1991) writes that Galás, "heralds a new moment in the history of musical representation," after describing her thus: "Galás emerged within the post-modern performance art scene in the seventies...protesting...the treatment of victims of the junta, attitudes towards victims of AIDS...Her pieces are constructed from the ululation of traditional Mediterranean keening...whispers, shrieks, and moans."
In 1994, Galás collaborated with Led Zeppelin bass guitarist John Paul Jones. The resultant record, "The Sporting Life", while containing much of Galás's trademark vocal gymnastics, is probably the closest she has ever come to rock music.
Galás also performs as a blues artist interpreting a wide range of songs into her unique piano and vocal styles. This aspect of her work is perhaps best represented by her 1992 album, "The Singer" where she covered the likes of Willie Dixon, Roy Acuff, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins while accompaning herself on piano. For that album, she also recorded several traditional songs as well as the rarely heard Desmond Carter-penned version of Gloomy Sunday. Many of her selections both within and outside of blues repertoire have sometimes been categorized as 'homicidal love songs'. She also focuses on the death penalty. One program of songs, "Frenzy", has been dedicated to Aileen Wuornos and features the work of Phil Ochs and Hank Williams Sr.
Her latest song cycle is an interpretation of songs by Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich.
Official Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/songsofexile
Vena Cava 3
Diamanda Galás Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost,
But now I'm found,
Was blind,
But now I'm free,
Amazing grace,
That saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost,
But now I'm found,
Was blind,
But now I see.
I dreamed that I was lying,
In the green grass,
And the wind was blowing softly,
And blue was everywhere,
And I saw heads popping out,
Through the green grass,
And it seemed as if they knew me.
Help me dream,
Help me dream.
Help me dream,
Help me dream.
Help me dream,
Help me dream.
Help me dream,
Help me dream.
Help me dream,
Help me dream.
What are you doing,
What are you doing,
I was not sleeping,
I was not sleeping,
Next time just tell me first, alright?
Yes please,
That would be heavenly.
Heaven, heaven, heaven,
Is the only thing is the only thing
That I have to see.
Remember me,
Remember me,
Remember me,
Remember me?
Father shall they glorify my name?
I have glorified it,
And I shall glorify it again.
Remember me?
Take it, that slick viscus.
Take it,
Nice,
Fine,
Loved it this time,
Nice.
Father, save me from this hour,
Heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven.
In heaven, there is no beer,
So let's drink it all right here,
In heaven there's no beer,
So let's drink it all right here,
In heaven there is no beer,
So that's why we drink it all here,
And when we're gone from here,
Our friends will be drinking all our beer.
HEAVEN!
HEAVEN!
HEAVEN!
HEAVEN!
HEAVEN!
At first glance, the lyrics to Diamanda Galás's song "Vena Cava 3" may seem disjointed and random. However, upon closer inspection, the song appears to explore themes of loss, hope, and the afterlife. The majority of the lyrics, which are taken from the traditional hymn "Amazing Grace," describe the feeling of being lost and then being found, and the freedom that comes with that discovery. This section of the song may represent a search for salvation or a new beginning.
The following part of the song depicts a dream in which the singer is lying in a field and seeing heads pop out of the grass around her, seemingly recognizing her. The repetition of "Help me dream" adds an eerie and uncertain element to the dream, as if the singer is unsure if she wants to continue the dream or not. The dream may symbolize death and the afterlife, with the singer unsure of what to expect.
The final section of the song contains a mix of references to beer-drinking and the word "heaven" repeated over and over. This could represent a desire for pleasure and happiness, perhaps even in the afterlife, or a sense of desperation for something to hold onto.
Overall, "Vena Cava 3" is a cryptic and thought-provoking song that deals with themes of life, death, and spirituality.
Line by Line Meaning
Amazing grace,
The beauty and mercy of a higher power is praised.
How sweet the sound,
The comfort provided by this power inspires gratitude.
That saved a wretch like me,
The power helped someone who was in despair.
I once was lost,
At one time, the person didn't have direction in their life.
But now I'm found,
They have now found their way because of the help given to them.
Was blind,
Metaphorically, the person was unable to see the positive in their life.
But now I'm free,
Because of the help given to them, the person is now free from despair.
I dreamed that I was lying,
The person is having a dream and the events are not happening in reality.
In the green grass,
The setting of the dream is in a field of green grass.
And the wind was blowing softly,
The wind is a soft sensation within the dream.
And blue was everywhere,
The color blue is a dominant part of the dream's visuals.
And I saw heads popping out,
Faces were visible emerging from the grass in the dream.
Through the green grass,
The faces were coming from the same field of green grass.
And it seemed as if they knew me.
The faces appeared familiar to the dreamer.
Help me dream,
The singer desires help to continue and influence their dream.
What are you doing,
Someone is confronting the artist, asking what they are doing.
I was not sleeping,
The artist is not physically asleep at this moment.
Next time just tell me first, alright?
The singer would appreciate being informed before being approached.
Yes please,
The singer is agreeing with a request or statement.
That would be heavenly.
The artist would greatly appreciate that and considers it divine.
Remember me,
The artist is pleading to not be forgotten.
Father shall they glorify my name?
A question is posed about whether the position of authority should be revered.
I have glorified it,
The singer has already achieved that recognition.
And I shall glorify it again.
The artist intends to perpetuate that level of reverence or recognition.
Take it, that slick viscus.
A description of a substance or material being given to someone.
Take it,
A command for someone to take something.
Nice,
Approval or satisfaction with something is expressed.
Fine,
Approval or satisfaction with something is expressed.
Loved it this time,
The artist expressed a fondness for something now or previously experienced.
Father, save me from this hour,
This is a prayer or request for assistance.
Heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven, heaven.
The singer is calling out to or focusing on the concept of heaven.
In heaven, there is no beer,
A description of an aspect of heaven is given.
So let's drink it all right here,
An appreciation of beer is expressed and someone is suggesting they should enjoy it now.
So that's why we drink it all here,
The previous statement is rephrased and/or re-emphasized.
And when we're gone from here,
In the future, the singer and their friends will not be present.
Our friends will be drinking all our beer.
Their friends will enjoy the beer left behind.
HEAVEN!
The singer again exclaims or focuses on heaven.
Writer(s): Diamanda Galas
Contributed by Olivia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.