By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
My Kingdom [
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's blood on my hands and you want me to listen
To brawn and to brain when the truth's in the middle
Born of the grain like all good riddles
B-B-burn the skin off and climb the roof top
Thy will be done
B-B-bite the nose off and make it the most of
You kill when you talk and the enemy weakens
Your words start to walk when you're not even speaking
If my heart is a war its soldiers are bleeding
If my heart is a war its soldiers are dead
B-B-B-burn the skin off and climb the roof top
Thy will be done
B-B-bite the nose off and make it the most of
Your king- kingdom kingdom kingdom
Do do do do do do do, do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do, do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do, do do do do do do do
Do do do do do do do, do do do do do do do
I've lost and I've gained and while I was thinking
You cut off my hands when I wanted to twist
If you know how to dance to Boney Maroney
He's doing the ballet on both of his wrists
B-B-B-burn the skin off and climb the roof top
Thy will be done
B-B-bite the nose off and make it the most of
Your k-k- k- k- k- kingdom, king-k- k- k- k
B-B-B-burn the skin off and climb the roof top
And I will be done
B-B-bite the nose off and make the most of
Your king- kingdom, kingdom, kingdom
(You're a bitter malignous person)
(And the death is well overdue)
(You suck the blood that kills you)
(You kiss the hand that hates you)
(You're a bitter malignous person)
(And your death is well overdue)
(Your sucking bitter pain)
The lyrics of "My Kingdom" by Echo & the Bunnymen describe a state of conflict within oneself, and the turmoil that arises from trying to navigate those conflicting forces. The singer in the song describes chopping and changing, and feeling like there is blood on their hands. They are being told to listen to both brawn and brain, but feel that the truth lies somewhere in between, like a riddle.
The chorus features the repeated phrase "burn the skin off and climb the rooftop, thy will be done," which is a fierce and almost violent rallying cry. The singer seems to be someone who has been hurt or betrayed, and they are fighting against an enemy that weakens them with their words. The second verse introduces the idea of losing and gaining, and parallel images of dancing and cutting. The singer seems to be trying to find their footing in the midst of all this conflict, and is struggling to make sense of it all.
Overall, "My Kingdom" is a song about the messiness of the human experience, and the difficulty of reconciling opposing forces within oneself. It speaks to the human struggle to find meaning in chaos, and the importance of holding on to a sense of agency and purpose even in the face of that chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
I chop and I change and the mystery thickens
My actions are indecisive and confusing, making the situation more complicated than it needs to be.
There's blood on my hands and you want me to listen
I have caused harm, yet you expect me to be receptive to your words.
To brawn and to brain when the truth's in the middle
One should consider both force and intelligence, but the truth lies somewhere in between.
Born of the grain like all good riddles
Like a good puzzle that requires thought, the answer stems from something simple and straightforward.
B-B-burn the skin off and climb the roof top Thy will be done B-B-bite the nose off and make it the most of Your king- kingdom kingdom kingdom
Take extreme actions and assert your dominance to achieve your goals, no matter what the consequences may be.
You kill when you talk and the enemy weakens
Your words hold power and can be lethal to those who oppose you.
Your words start to walk when you're not even speaking
Your reputation precedes you, and the things people say about you can be just as impactful.
If my heart is a war its soldiers are bleeding
I am experiencing emotional pain, which is taking a toll on me just like a soldier may suffer in battle.
If my heart is a war its soldiers are dead
I have endured so much pain and heartache that I am no longer able to feel anything.
I've lost and I've gained and while I was thinking You cut off my hands when I wanted to twist
While I was contemplating my actions, you took advantage of my vulnerability and prevented me from acting as I intended.
If you know how to dance to Boney Maroney He's doing the ballet on both of his wrists
If you can keep up with the fast-paced rhythm, then you will be able to perform impressive feats just like Boney Maroney.
(You're a bitter malignous person)
You are a malicious and resentful individual.
(And the death is well overdue)
Your demise is long overdue.
(You suck the blood that kills you)
You are self-destructive, constantly engaging in behaviors that harm yourself.
(You kiss the hand that hates you)
You continue to show loyalty to those who despise you.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, LESLIE THOMAS PATTINSON, PETER LOUIS VINCENT DE FREITAS, WILLIAM ALFRED SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind