Originally signed to Chris Parry's Fiction Records, the band released Disco Rigido in the late 1980s (distributed in the United States by Atlantic Records), which featured "Welcome To America", "Land of the Free" and "I've Got To Make Sense". Though the album falls solidly into the EBM genre, it contains hints of the experimentation and genre-bending that later recordings would feature (e.g. "Y Tagata en Situ").
A second album, Big Electric Metal Bass Face, built on the foundation laid with Disco Rigido and upped the ante with excursions into funk (listen to "Funkopolis" as well as the live take of "Coming Down"). Contributors to the band at the time included Chris Vrenna and James Woolley, who both served time in Nine Inch Nails during the mid-Nineties.
Marcus and Christie then teamed up with Jane Jensen to form Oxygiene 23, and released an album ("Blue") on Fifth Column Records.
Engine, a 1995 release on WaxTrax!, was a huge jump forward and found critical acclaim for its decimation of genre boundaries. Die Warzau could no longer be simply pigeonholed into the "industrial" category, as their music became more organic, rounder on the edges yet still retaining their trademark knack for insistent rhythm and pure, unrefined electronic noise. "Liberated" and "All Good Girls" became trademark songs for the group. Fellow WaxTrax! act Sister Machine Gun "inherited" an unused song from this period ("Hole In the Ground"), which they included on their Burn album.
Die Warzau as a group then went on hiatus for a number of years, with Marcus and Christie working on other projects--Jim Marcus founded the pure funk group Everplastic while Van Christie worked on Eco-Hed.
By 2005, though, the duo had reconvened and released Convenience (on their Chicago-based Pulseblack Records). A continuation of the path they started on with Engine, songs like "Radiation Babies", "Kleen" and "Linoleum" further blur any genre lines and leave something truly original. More output is expected from the group in 2006, including a collaboration with funk pioneer George Clinton.
Bliss
Die Warzau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Washing my own life
I gave you everything
And I want to know now
Where's gone my bliss
Deny your right
Deny your body
Be all you can
Don't ask don't tell
If it has to sell
We don't think that you are
Our kind of man
I can die for you
Fill out the numbers
Same side as you
And we are legion
Live for you
And do your bidding
Die for you
And lie here bleeding
Moving bloody water
Washing my own life
I gave you everything
And I want to know now
Where's gone my bliss
Hard as life
Hard as stone
In simper if I trusted
I planned
I walked that line
I did my time
Like your nigger
Like your 3/4 man
I can die for you
Fill out the numbers
Same side as you
And we are legion
Live for you
And do your bidding
Die for you
And lie here bleeding
The lyrics to Die Warzau's song, Bliss, are filled with imagery and hard-hitting phrases that make the listener question the meaning behind the words. The lines "Moving bloody water, washing my own life" suggest that the singer is undergoing some sort of cleansing or rebirth, but it's not clear what this might entail. The theme of sacrifice is also prevalent, with lines such as "I can die for you, fill out the numbers" indicating a willingness to do whatever it takes to gain approval or acceptance.
The chorus of the song poses the question, "Where's gone my bliss?" This suggests that the singer was once happy or content, but has lost that feeling somewhere along the way. The verses that follow provide a possible answer to this question, painting a picture of a society that demands conformity and punishes those who don't fit the mold. The lines "Don't ask don't tell, if it has to sell" suggest that people are expected to keep their heads down and not question authority, as long as they're able to make a profit.
Overall, the lyrics to Bliss are thought-provoking and open to interpretation. The themes of sacrifice, conformity, and rebirth are woven throughout the song, but it's up to the listener to decide what they mean in the context of their own life.
Line by Line Meaning
Moving bloody water
The water is tainted with blood, representing the turmoil and chaos in the singer's life.
Washing my own life
The singer's life is being washed away by the bloody water, leaving them feeling lost and uncertain.
I gave you everything
The singer has given everything to someone or something, possibly to their own detriment.
And I want to know now
The artist is seeking answers and clarity about their situation.
Where's gone my bliss
The artist's happiness and contentment have disappeared, and they are seeking to regain it.
Deny your right
The singer is challenging someone to deny their own sense of entitlement and power.
Deny your body
The singer wants someone to reject their physical desires and urges.
We don't think you want to
The artist implies that the other person is not strong enough to resist temptation and make difficult decisions.
Be all you can
The artist wants the other person to strive for self-improvement and reach their full potential.
Don't ask don't tell
The artist is acknowledging a situation where it is easier to avoid asking or telling the truth.
If it has to sell
The singer suggests that some things are only done for the sake of financial gain or popularity.
We don't think that you are
The artist is doubtful about the other person's ability to meet expectations or be successful.
Our kind of man
The singer implies that they have certain standards or expectations, and the other person does not meet them.
I can die for you
The singer is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for someone, even if it means risking their own life.
Fill out the numbers
The singer is willing to be just one of many, rather than standing out or being unique.
Same side as you
The artist is aligning themselves with the other person, indicating loyalty or unity.
And we are legion
The artist and the other person are part of a larger group, sharing similar characteristics or goals.
Live for you
The singer is willing to dedicate their life to serving or pleasing the other person.
And do your bidding
The singer will follow the other person's commands or requests without question.
Die for you
The artist is willing to die for the other person, indicating the depth of their devotion and affection.
And lie here bleeding
The artist is willing to suffer and sacrifice for the other person's sake.
Hard as life
Life is difficult and challenging for the artist.
Hard as stone
The singer is resilient and unyielding, despite the difficulties they face.
In simper if I trusted
The artist implies that they have been betrayed or let down by someone they trusted.
I planned
The singer has a plan or strategy for their life, indicating a sense of purpose or direction.
I walked that line
The singer has stayed on a certain path or course, despite the obstacles they may have encountered.
I did my time
The singer has served their sentence or fulfilled their obligation, possibly in a metaphorical sense.
Like your nigger
The artist is comparing themselves to someone who has been oppressed or marginalized.
Like your 3/4 man
The artist is comparing themselves to someone who is considered less than whole or complete.
Contributed by Madelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.