By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
The Idolness of Gods
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like that could ever be
I'd say the world was crazy
If I'm just half the man I was
I'd say that's just because
I must have gotten lazy
Lazy
In duty and in love
In beauty wearing off
Beware, be wary of
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
On the ropes against the tide
There's nowhere left to hide
Once you've seen my insides
Broken hope broke open wide
See the knock-out punch your pride
I've got you seats at ringside
Ringside
In duty and in love
In beauty wearing off
Beware, be wary of
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
Oh, what now?
Oh, what now?
No, not now
No, not now
No, not now
No, not now
Nights and tears are falling down
Keep splashing to the ground
Eyelashes getting drowned-drowned
Life's frontiers grew walls around
New pastures can't be found
I'm crashing cars in your town
Your town
In duty and in love
In beauty wearing off
Beware, be wary of
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods
The Idolness of Gods by Echo & the Bunnymen is a song that seems to be introspective and reflective. The opening lines suggest that the singer is grappling with some sort of madness or unbalance within themselves, and they express a level of skepticism that the rest of the world could ever be half as insane as they feel. They go on to describe their own perceived shortcomings, admitting that they may not be as much of a man as they used to be and attributing this potential decline to their own laziness.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Beware, be wary of the Idolness of Gods," suggesting that there is something dangerous about idolizing or idealizing anything, be it a person, an idea, or some sort of divine force. The verses that follow this refrain seem to jump between a few different ideas or moments, including a tense confrontation, a feeling of being trapped or stranded, and a sense of being lost or adrift.
Overall, the song seems to be grappling with some sort of internal turmoil, and the themes of madness, laziness, and idolatry all come together to create a sense of unease and uncertainty about the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
If the world was half as mad as me
The singer is suggesting that if the world was as insane as he is, then he would consider it to be incredibly crazy because he is aware of the extent of his own madness.
Like that could ever be
The singer understands that the world is not as insane as him and that the likelihood of it ever becoming so is slim.
I'd say the world was crazy
The singer believes that the world is not as crazy as he is, yet he still thinks the world is crazy enough to warrant such a label.
If I'm just half the man I was
The singer is allowing for the possibility that he might not be as good as he once was.
I'd say that's just because
The singer thinks that if he isn't as good as he once was, then he must have become lazy.
I must have gotten lazy
The singer is admitting that he has not been putting in the effort he once did.
In duty and in love
This line refers to all aspects of the singer's life, not just his romantic relationships.
In beauty wearing off
The singer is acknowledging that beauty fades over time.
Beware, be wary of
The singer is warning listeners to be cautious of something.
The Idolness of Gods
The phrase refers to blindly following ideals or deities, without rational thought or individuality.
On the ropes against the tide
The singer is in a vulnerable or disadvantaged position.
There's nowhere left to hide
The singer is unable to escape his current situation.
Once you've seen my insides
The singer is revealing his true self or inner workings to someone else.
Broken hope broke open wide
The singer feels like his hope has been destroyed or shattered.
See the knock-out punch your pride
The singer is implying that his actions will lead to someone's defeat or humiliation.
I've got you seats at ringside
The singer is saying that he is the cause of the drama or conflict and that he is providing someone with a front-row seat to witness it.
Nights and tears are falling down
The singer is experiencing emotional turmoil.
Keep splashing to the ground
The singer's tears are falling and hitting the ground.
Eyelashes getting drowned-drowned
The singer's tears are so abundant that they are soaking his or her eyelashes.
Life's frontiers grew walls around
The singer feels restricted or confined by the limitations of life.
New pastures can't be found
The singer is unable to find new opportunities or experiences.
I'm crashing cars in your town
The singer is causing chaos or destruction in someone else's hometown.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ian McCulloch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind