Now, I see how Muslims in the UK are being scapegoated in almost exactly the same way as Jews were in the 30s, so some level of chaos is by no means inconceivable in the coming years. Nothing appears to have been learned by the lessons of the last century, which is extremely ominous. So, the song is about flight.
-- Ian Crause
Summer's Last Sound
Disco Inferno Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The smell of corpses passed them in
Mass graves uncovered, must be abroad - it can′t be here
I can sense your violence, but I still don't understand
How when the past seems dead and you′ve got the future
In the palm of your hand
Run quick through (noble?) streets
Where killers hide
And foreigners get hushed-up trials
And you're waiting for a knock at the door
Which would tell if you spent the next few years
Free from life attacked by petrol bombs
The price of bread went up five pence today
And an immigrant was kicked to death again
And I'm scared for my life for the first time in it
And we′ve known all along that a home can put your life at risk
So I guess we′ll just disperse again
And the (...)s are coming off the land
The easy targets lure them in
(...)
Don't be absurd, it can′t be here
Until we find a place to settle
We'll just keep moving on
We stay in flocks like birds, no one dares to move along
Across a sea of bleached skulls
Chased by death in all its forms
Over mountains, under suns
We shoot to kill, let′s shoot for fun
Across a desert's burning skies, we never stop to sleep or eat
Death always finds us in the end, its (...) shadows (...) weeping
Over hot (...) and plains, a killer wants to see us slain
Over fields of wheat and grain, through the endless, pouring rain
Why can we never find a safe place to land?
And we find ourselves through God′s providing hand
At the close of every day
The song "Summer's Last Sound" by Disco Inferno is a dark and politically charged song that speaks to the violence and turmoil present in society. The opening lyrics illustrate a disturbing scene of gulls coming in off the coast amid the stench of corpses. The mention of mass graves suggests a war or conflict zone, far away from the singer's current location. The lyrics then pivot to explore the tension and unease present in the singer's immediate surroundings. They sense the presence of violence but do not understand it, highlighting the sense of confusion and disorientation during tumultuous times.
The second verse delves deeper into the societal issues that plague the singer's community. They mention killers hiding in the noble streets, possibly alluding to the presence of gangs or organized crime. The lyrics also reference the racism and xenophobia that often accompany societal unrest, with foreign immigrants facing mistreatment and violence. The singer is scared for their life, and the sense of danger is palpable throughout the song. They describe a constant need to flee, a feeling of being chased by death in all its forms. The final lines suggest an exhaustion with this way of life, a desire for a safe place to land but an acceptance that it may never be found.
Overall, "Summer's Last Sound" is a haunting and vivid portrayal of the violence and upheaval that can occur during times of social unrest. The lyrics pack a powerful punch and invite the listener to reflect on the ways in which these issues persist today.
Line by Line Meaning
The gulls are coming in off the coast
Seagulls are migrating from the coast, away from something ominous.
The smell of corpses passed them in
The seagulls are flying over decaying bodies.
Mass graves uncovered, must be abroad - it can′t be here
Large grave sites are being discovered, indicating war or disaster in other countries.
I can sense your violence, but I still don't understand
I can feel the aggression you possess, but I can't comprehend why you're so violent.
How when the past seems dead and you′ve got the future in the palm of your hand
Despite a bleak past, the future looks promising and within reach.
Run quick through (noble?) streets where killers hide
Sprinting through unfamiliar streets which are not safe, even in upper class neighborhoods.
Our fruits get bricks in windows and foreigners get hushed-up trials
Injustices occur like vandalism and biased court systems.
And you're waiting for a knock at the door which would tell if you spent the next few years free from life attacked by petrol bombs
Awaiting news which will determine if you'll survive unharmed or be a victim of a violent attack.
The price of bread went up five pence today and an immigrant was kicked to death again
Minor inconvenience (inflation) and a horrifying tragedy (hate crime) coexist as daily occurrences.
And I'm scared for my life for the first time in it
For the first time in their life, they feel genuine fear for their safety because of the ongoing chaos.
And we′ve known all along that a home can put your life at risk
A residency that's supposed to provide safety turns out to be one of the biggest possible dangers.
So I guess we′ll just disperse again
It seems like the only option is to flee once more.
And the (...)s are coming off the land
Unknown objects are being unearthed from the ground.
The easy targets lure them in (...)
The vulnerable objects attract them and entice them.
Don't be absurd, it can′t be here
Despite trembling evidence, it's hard to accept the reality due to its jarring nature.
Until we find a place to settle we'll just keep moving on
Sustained living is hard to achieve, which means being on the move is a common occurrence.
We stay in flocks like birds, no one dares to move along
Sticking to a group provides a sense of security and keeps the members from harm.
Across a sea of bleached skulls, chased by death in all its forms
Traversing a sea of death, constantly pursued by hazardous circumstances.
Over mountains, under suns, we shoot to kill, let′s shoot for fun
In these dry, unwelcoming terrains, people have weaponized their need for survival, sometimes even leading them to thriving on taking lives.
Across a desert's burning skies, we never stop to sleep or eat
To stay alive in these conditions people accept sleep deprivation and starvation.
Death always finds us in the end, its (...) shadows (...) weeping
Death is inevitable, and it brings sorrow to those who witness it.
Over hot (...) and plains, a killer wants to see us slain
The dangerous conditions attract those with violent tendencies.
Over fields of wheat and grain, through the endless, pouring rain
Trying to survive adverse situations, sometimes which obstruct the very basic necessities like shelter, and with little to no help.
Why can we never find a safe place to land?
Why is lasting security and peace so unattainable for us?
And we find ourselves through God's providing hand At the close of every day
Finding relief in faith, even if it's for just a brief moment at the end of each day.
Writer(s): Robert Whatley, Paul Wilmott, Ian Crause
Contributed by Claire G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@worldbones
If you haven't read the lyrics to this, go do it now. It's like the best poem ever put to music. Ian Crause and the lads were humble geniuses. One of the best bands to ever come out of the UK.
@colonialstraits1069
A few of us were lucky enough to have discovered them in their time. This Yank adamantly proclaims them, best band of the 90s, without a doubt. 20 years ahead of their time, these songs still resonate. As deserving of fame as they were, it only seems fitting that they toiled away in obscurity but considering how awful the musical landscape was, it makes sense. The band name is so completely apt, it hurts to think what the second choice may have been. Perfection.
@dustinerickson7432
Well this was a fabulous band to stumble upon! Listened to "Love Stepping Out" just barely. Going to go through The Five EP's next and likely their whole discography. Not sure why this resonates so much with me, but it does.
@SeanMR72
Amazed to see so many views for this song. This band sold next to nothing when they were around. Its criminal they split up when they were still young due to general disinterest
@Bongydred
True! I remember reading the interview. They werent depressed either, even you would be forgiven for thinking that after listening to the songs :p but, yeah, D.I. are totally underrated and off the rocks!
@kamuinoyume
We all seem to have completely different reasons for discovering this great band, for me it was just that they ranked highly on Rateyourmusic's top Bootleg list. That's how I found Les Rallizes Dénudés as well.
@synthzz9178
Is there live footage of DI? I got into them with Sleight of Hand, this one and a couple of other songs thanks to the old old old audiogalaxy, around 2001 more or less. You would subscribe to groups dedicated to your favorite genres and had a chat/forum dedicated to the genre, the revolution was that when you didn't put your songs on queue, you would automatically listen to songs suggested by other users. Among many useless indie and britpop tracks I discovered some gold.
I think DI appeared at the same time in my dream pop, shoegaze and post rock groups.
@gasparucciox9706
beautiful!!
@honeypower
Everything this band ever did was fantastic, but their string of five EPs are all of such a ridiculously high standand that's it's absolutey criminal how little known they are. And yet throwaway MTV nu metal, screamo and pop punk sells by the buckletoad. Where's the justice? I know it's been said countless times about all sorts of music, but yeah...I hate society.
@HH-wv8sj
being unknown make the music disappear, document all the good things you can so as to send them as time capsule in hope of a better future