After the departure of Gish (who would later join Bark Psychosis) the three-piece Disco Inferno recorded the single 'Entertainment' with producer Charlie McIntosh. Their first album, Open Doors, Closed Windows, was released in 1991 on Che and received positive reviews, although most mentioned the heavy influence of late 1970s post punk bands, particularly Joy Division and Wire (In fact Disco Inferno's manager, Michael Collins, had previously managed Wire during their 70's incarnation). 'Entertainment', 'Open Doors, Closed Windows' and the 'Science' EP would later be collected on the album In Debt.
In 1992 the band released Summer's Last Sound, widely regarded as the first in a run of classic Disco Inferno EPs which saw the band's increasing use of samples. The band's use of sampling combined with traditional instruments - particularly Wilmott's bass - continued on the EPs A Rock To Cling To and The Last Dance and reached its peak on their second album D.I. Go Pop. After the full-on assault of D.I. Go Pop the band opted for restraint on the beautiful Second Language EP which also had a new-found optimism in Crause's lyrics.
Their final single, 'It's A Kid's World', sampled the distinctive drumbeat from Iggy Pop's Lust for Life and added in a series of old children's TV themes to good effect, but despite critical acclaim the band attracted little commercial success and split before their final album Technicolour was released in 1996.
From the Devil to the Deep Blue Sea
Disco Inferno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The strength will soon be leaving me.
Our ships have sunk or run aground,
And only sharks now swim around.
Smashed and battered by the waves,
Support their hope of being saved.
And every passing ship to chance,
Salvation in a passing glance.
I may need dreams from time to time,
But dreams aren't keeping me alive.
My dreams have torn my life in two--
Now I just need a rock to cling to.
I'm often closer than I think,
Yet my grip is far too weak.
I grab a box and swim away,
Time and time and time again.
But not for me this time I guess
And then the next and then the next.
Is my fear of crashing waves
Greater than my fear of being saved?
I may need dreams from time to time,
But dreams aren't keeping me alive.
My dreams have torn my life in two
Now I just need a rock to cling to.
The lyrics to "From the Devil to the Deep Blue Sea" by Disco Inferno describe a person who is stranded at sea and fighting for survival. The opening lines paint a grim picture of the person losing their strength and the fact that the ships around them have sunk or run aground. The only living creatures around are the sharks, which adds an element of danger to the situation. The person is battered by waves and is hoping to be saved by any passing ship, but it seems unlikely.
The lyrics then take a turn when the person realizes that they cannot rely on their dreams to keep them alive. Dreaming may have helped them cope so far, but they need something tangible to hold onto. The repeated reference to needing a "rock to cling to" suggests that the person needs a solid, dependable thing to help them survive. Despite being close to salvation, the person's fear of the crashing waves may be greater than their fear of not being saved.
The lyrics are a powerful metaphor for the struggles we all face in life. We all have moments where we feel adrift and alone, fighting for survival against the waves of circumstance. We may feel like we need something intangible to hold onto, like our dreams, but ultimately it is something concrete that will help us. We need to find that rock to cling to in order to keep us from sinking.
Line by Line Meaning
Drifting further out to sea,
I am getting farther and farther away from safety and land.
The strength will soon be leaving me.
I am losing my physical and emotional strength.
Our ships have sunk or run aground,
All of our methods of transportation have failed us.
And only sharks now swim around.
Dangerous predators are the only creatures present in this area.
Smashed and battered by the waves,
The force of the water is causing me harm.
Support their hope of being saved.
Others are trying to stay positive and remain hopeful for rescue.
And every passing ship to chance,
We hope for any vessel that may come by.
Salvation in a passing glance.
We believe that someone else will provide us with safety.
I may need dreams from time to time,
Having hope and imagination can be helpful.
But dreams aren't keeping me alive.
Reality and practicality are more important right now.
My dreams have torn my life in two--
My unrealistic expectations have caused chaos in my life.
Now I just need a rock to cling to.
I need something tangible and reliable to hold onto.
I'm often closer than I think,
A solution or escape may be nearer than I realize.
Yet my grip is far too weak.
I am unable to hold onto things tightly enough.
I grab a box and swim away,
I have attempted to use objects as a means of survival.
Time and time and time again.
I have tried this method repeatedly without success.
But not for me this time I guess
This attempt has also failed.
And then the next and then the next.
I will continue to try different methods.
Is my fear of crashing waves
Am I more afraid of the danger I am currently facing?
Greater than my fear of being saved?
Or am I more afraid of the unknown that comes with being rescued?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ian Crause, Paul Wilmott, Robert Whatley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@samschofield2824
This is so much more subdued that something like mogwai or something.
@LaTomb3
FIRST