By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas. Their next, the critically-acclaimed Heaven Up Here, reached the Top Ten in 1981, as did 1983's Porcupine and '84's Ocean Rain. Singles like "The Killing Moon" (later used in the soundtrack to Donnie Darko, a film whose imagery owed much to the artwork of the band's early records.), "Silver," "Bring on the Dancing Horses," and "The Cutter" helped keep the group in the public eye as they took a brief hiatus in the late 1980s. Their 1987 self-titled LP was a small American hit, their only LP to have significant sales there.
McCulloch quit the band in 1988. De Freitas was killed in a motorcycle accident one year later. The others decided to continue, recruiting Noel Burke to replace McCulloch on vocals in Reverberation (1990), which did not generate much excitement among fans or critics. Burke, Sargeant and Pattinson split after that, but the surviving three fourths of the original band reformed in 1997 and released Evergreen (1997), What are You Going to Do with Your Life? (1999), Flowers (2001) , Siberia (2005), and the latest addition, The Fountain (2009). The group's old audience liked the return to their classic sound, and they also managed to gain a number of new, younger listeners.
Echo and the Bunnymen were managed early on by Bill Drummond, who went on to be a founder member of The KLF.
King Of Kings
Echo & The Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He confessed I was dressed to kill
Saw fear eternal in his eyes
He's seen what happens when the soul dies
[Chorus]
I'm the king of kings
Wearing broken wings
The world so far below
And all I really know
Is that you don't look down
Came alive in the dead of night
Sought salvation in the city lights
One more drink then one drink more
Every hour like the one before
[Chorus]
Don't look down
It's such a long way to fall
Came alive in the dead of night
Sought salvation in the city lights
One more drink then one drink more
Every hour like the one before
You're like me, and I'm like you
Can't see the point in a point of view
All time lows we're hitting the high
Two wrongs tryin' to make it alright
[Chorus]
The song "King of Kings" by Echo & the Bunnymen is a haunting and introspective exploration of the struggles of the human condition. The opening lines describe an encounter between the singer and Jesus on a hill, where Jesus recognizes the singer's penchant for self-destructive behavior. The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm the king of kings, wearing broken wings" to emphasize the singer's sense of grandiosity and entitlement, even as he acknowledges his own brokenness and the precariousness of his position. The haunting refrain "don't look down" echoes the old adage about the dangers of falling from great heights, suggesting that the singer is acutely aware of the risks he takes in pursuing his own desires.
The second verse further emphasizes the singer's search for meaning in a world that often feels hollow and unfulfilling. He seeks salvation in the city lights, perhaps hoping to find some kind of transcendence or connection in the urban chaos around him. But ultimately, he seems trapped in a cycle of repetition and despair, turning to alcohol as a crutch to get through each day. The line "you're like me, and I'm like you/ can't see the point in a point of view" emphasizes the singer's sense of alienation and disconnection from others, even as he recognizes his own shared humanity with those around him.
Overall, "King of Kings" is a powerful and poignant exploration of the human condition, exploring themes of ego, mortality, and the search for meaning. The use of religious imagery and metaphors adds to the sense of weight and gravitas present in the lyrics, making the song a moving and introspective meditation on what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
Met Jesus up on a hill
I had a spiritual experience on a hill, where I met someone who may have been Jesus
He confessed I was dressed to kill
The person I met recognized how I presented myself physically
Saw fear eternal in his eyes
I sensed a deep fear in the person's eyes, one that seems to have been present forever
He's seen what happens when the soul dies
It seems that the person I met had witnessed the death of a soul
Chorus - I'm the king of kings
I consider myself to be the most powerful and dominant figure in the world
Chorus - Wearing broken wings
Despite my perceived power, I am damaged and unable to fly on my own
Chorus - I've lost my crown
I have lost the recognition and admiration that I once had
Chorus - The world so far below
I am so far above everyone else in terms of status and influence
Chorus - And all I really know
Despite everything, the only thing I am certain of is that one should never look down
Came alive in the dead of night
I woke up and became aware during a time when everything is normally quiet and still
Sought salvation in the city lights
I went to the city, perhaps hoping to find some kind of redemption or escape
One more drink then one drink more
I continued drinking, possibly as a way to alleviate pain or numb myself
Every hour like the one before
Every moment seems to be identical to the last, with little if any change or growth
Chorus - you don't look down
I urge others to not focus on their weaknesses or the reality of the world below them
It's such a long way to fall
The distance between where I am and where I could fall to is immense
You're like me, and I'm like you
There is a sense of commonality between myself and others
Can't see the point in a point of view
However, I cannot understand or appreciate other people's perspectives
All time lows we're hitting the high
Our lowest moments can sometimes seem like we are at our best or most powerful
Two wrongs tryin' to make it alright
Two negative actions or people attempting to make something positive or correct
Chorus - You don't look down
The idea of not looking down is repeated, emphasizing its importance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind