By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
Heroin
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
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To capture the beautiful parts of the days
Now He's wearing womens' perfume, now he's feeling alone in a crowded room
Obsession with physical beauty, call it shallow i call it artist's duty
Diet pills and expensive skin creams, I see your melancholy all over my dreams
cdmire it, look at the things it's touched, chronic sadness turns into a crutch
You smell like opium by yves saint Laurent, and I smell like cigarettes and all the things you might want
cnd now he's listening to the velvet underground, and he ain't hearing me though I'm making all sorts of sounds,
He's losing weight he's starving his doctor says he's healthy
He's not spending cash, he's acting cheap and poor but he's wealthy
I guess growing up poor stays with a man his whole life
I guess loving boys never stops people from asking after your wife
Now I'm painting his face, now He's all over the place
cnd I'm staying up too late, for someone who's gotta be up and ready by 8
cnd he's listening to the velvet underground, and he's not listening though I'm making all sorts of sounds
Yeah he's listening to singing nico, and I'm crying begging him please don't go
cnd he's listening to heroin, he's singing along to there she goes again
cnd he's listening to Venus in furs, yeah he's mouthing the lyrics cuz he knows all the words
cnd he's listening to the velvet underground, he ain't listening to me though I'm making all sorts of sounds
Yeah he's listening to singing nico, and I'm crying but he don't know
The lyrics to Echo & the Bunnymen's song "Heroin" paint a vivid picture of a troubled relationship and the singer's frustration in not being heard or understood by their partner. The song explores themes of beauty, obsession, addiction, and the power of music to transport us to different emotional states.
The opening lines suggest that the person being described is an artist who uses various methods to capture the beauty of life through film. However, their focus on physical beauty becomes an obsession, leading to a sense of isolation, even in a crowded room. The reference to women's perfume suggests that they are seeking to change their identity or escape from their reality.
The lyrics also touch on the melancholy of the singer's dreams, where the subject's presence is evident. Beauty and sadness seem to be intertwined, possibly reflecting the internal struggle of the person being described.
The chorus reveals the contrast between the subject's fascination with the music of the Velvet Underground and Nico and the singer's attempts to communicate their own emotions. The person's obsession with these artists becomes a barrier, as they lose touch with their partner's feelings.
The song also delves into the subject's personal struggles, such as weight loss and financial secrecy. The mention of growing up poor and the pressure to conform to societal expectations ("loving boys never stops people from asking after your wife") suggests a complex upbringing and the difficulties of reconciling personal desires with societal norms.
Overall, "Heroin" is a poignant exploration of a relationship in which the singer feels unheard and unseen, while their partner seeks solace in aesthetics and music.
Line by Line Meaning
He shoots on film all sorts of ways, I reckon
He is using various techniques to capture moments on film
To capture the beautiful parts of the days
To preserve the beauty of everyday moments
Now He's wearing womens' perfume, now he's feeling alone in a crowded room
He is experimenting with his identity and feeling isolated even in a crowd
Obsession with physical beauty, call it shallow I call it artist's duty
His focus on aesthetics may be seen as shallow, but he sees it as his artistic responsibility
Diet pills and expensive skin creams, I see your melancholy all over my dreams
He notices the sadness beneath the surface and it haunts his dreams
You smell like opium by yves saint Laurent, and I smell like cigarettes and all the things you might want
While he smells like undesirable things, he finds the scent of the other person intriguing and attractive
And now he's listening to the velvet underground, and he ain't hearing me though I'm making all sorts of sounds
He is engrossed in his own world, not paying attention to the singer despite their efforts
Yeah he's listening to singing Nico, and I'm crying and he don't even know
The artist is emotionally affected by the music while the person they're addressing remains oblivious
He's losing weight he's starving his doctor says he's healthy
Despite losing weight, his doctor assures him of his physical well-being
He's not spending cash, he's acting cheap and poor but he's wealthy
Although he appears to be frugal and lacking money, he actually possesses wealth
I guess growing up poor stays with a man his whole life
The experience of poverty in childhood can have lasting effects on a person
I guess loving boys never stops people from asking after your wife
Society still assumes heteronormativity and often disregards same-sex relationships
Now I'm painting his face, now He's all over the place
The singer is applying makeup on the person, who seems to be emotionally unstable
And I'm staying up too late, for someone who's gotta be up and ready by 8
The singer is sacrificing sleep for someone who has responsibilities in the morning
And he's listening to the velvet underground, and he's not listening though I'm making all sorts of sounds
Even when the singer tries to communicate, the person remains uninterested in their words
Yeah he's listening to singing nico, and I'm crying begging him please don't go
The artist is emotional and pleading with the person to not leave
And he's listening to heroin, he's singing along to there she goes again
He is engaging with music that romanticizes addiction, singing the lyrics with enthusiasm
And he's listening to Venus in furs, yeah he's mouthing the lyrics cuz he knows all the words
He is familiar with the lyrics of the song and passionately lip-syncs along
And he's listening to the velvet underground, he ain't listening to me though I'm making all sorts of sounds
Despite the singer's attempts to communicate, the person remains disconnected and focused on the music
Yeah he's listening to singing nico, and I'm crying but he don't know
The artist is experiencing intense emotions while the person remains unaware
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