By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
An Eternity Turns
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing can touch you
When you can't even feel
No one you can trust
Cause no one's for real
No one's for real
Father forget us
Or father forgive us
And then calling us sinners
Mixing up the losers
With all of the winners
Tonight, yeah yeah yeah
[Chorus]
Kneeling at the crossroads
All my bridges burning
Down the river my life flows
Took another wrong turning
Knows what she feels
But he's never felt her
Wanted a home
But he needed shelter
Never gonna win
With the hand he dealt her
Aces low, tonight
Yeah yeah yeah
[Chorus]
I will find you¡i know you only want to share my pain
But I've got something weird
Pumping through my veins
Got the type of blood
That can't be changed,
Can't be changed
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Echo & the Bunnymen's An Eternity Turns paint a picture of a feeling of isolation and betrayal. The opening lines mention having no hands on the wheel, indicating a lack of control or power. The songwriter then goes on to say that when you can't even feel, nothing can touch you, which further emphasizes the feeling of detachment. The chorus continues to elaborate on the themes of feeling lost and alone, with the imagery of kneeling at crossroads and bridges burning behind the singer.
The second verse introduces a narrative element to the song, with a woman who knows what she feels but is not understood by her partner. The partner is described as having dealt her a bad hand, with aces low, which could imply that he is not a good partner or has not shown her much support. The theme of being lost and feeling helpless continues throughout the song, with a sense of resignation and acceptance of one's situation, even when it is not ideal.
Overall, An Eternity Turns is a song that beautifully explores the feeling of being lost, alone, and unable to change one's circumstances. The lyrics speak to a feeling of powerlessness and a lack of control, which is relatable to many people who have experienced difficult and trying situations.
Line by Line Meaning
No hands on the wheel
You are out of control and at the mercy of fate.
Nothing can touch you
You feel invincible and untouchable, like you're above it all.
When you can't even feel
You've become numb to your surroundings and your own emotions.
No one you can trust
You don't have anyone who you can rely on or confide in.
Cause no one's for real
You don't trust anyone because you feel like they're all fake or phony.
Father forget us
You feel abandoned and alone, as if God has turned away from you.
Or father forgive us
You feel guilty and remorseful, and seek redemption or forgiveness.
Giving us faith
You've been taught to believe in something, to have faith in something higher than yourself.
And then calling us sinners
You've been made to feel guilty or ashamed of your actions, despite your faith.
Mixing up the losers
You feel like society has turned the tables on you, making winners out of losers and losers out of winners.
With all of the winners
You feel like those who are truly deserving are overlooked or forgotten.
Tonight, yeah yeah yeah
This is happening right now and it's affecting you deeply.
Kneeling at the crossroads
You find yourself at a critical juncture, facing important decisions or choices.
All my bridges burning
You've destroyed all of your options or paths, leaving yourself with no way out.
Down the river my life flows
Your life is moving forward without your control or input, like a current that you can't fight.
Took another wrong turning
You've made another mistake or bad decision, leading you further astray.
Knows what she feels
She is in touch with her emotions and knows what she wants and needs.
But he's never felt her
He doesn't understand her or what she's going through, despite his best efforts.
Wanted a home
She craves stability and security, a place to call her own.
But he needed shelter
He can't provide that for her, instead taking refuge in his own emotional turmoil.
Never gonna win
She feels like she's constantly battling against her own circumstances, unable to come out on top.
With the hand he dealt her
She feels like she's been given a poor hand in life, and is struggling to make the best of it.
Aces low, tonight
Her chances of success or happiness are low in this moment, despite her efforts.
I will find you¡i know you only want to share my pain
She believes that someone will come along who truly understands and supports her, despite the pain she's going through.
But I've got something weird
She has a strange, unusual quality that sets her apart from others.
Pumping through my veins
Her unique quality runs through her very being and personality.
Got the type of blood
She has a distinct and innate quality that shapes who she is and how she approaches life.
That can't be changed
This quality is a fixed part of who she is, and can't be altered or shifted.
Can't be changed
She feels like she's stuck with this quality, for better or worse.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind