By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
Turquoise Days
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
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The panic will pass
And the smell of the fields
Never lasts
Put your faith in those
Crimson nights
Set sail in those
Turquoise days
Come on over
We got a problem
Come on over
It's not for glory
It's not for honor
Just something
Someone said
It's not for love
It's not for war
Just hands clasped together
It's not for living
It's not for hunger
Just lips locked tight
It's not rebellion
It's not suffering
It's just the way it is
And my pistols packed
And my God goes with me
I fell easy
And I want it
And I need it
And I've got it
It's not for this
It's not for that
It's not any of it
Did you say knowledge?
Did you say prayer?
Did you say anything?
If not for good
If not for better
If not the way it is
Just when the thought occurs
The panic will pass
And the smell of the fields
Never lasts
We'll place our faith in those
Crimson nights
Set sail in those
Turquoise days
Place your faith in those
Crimson nights
Set sail in those
Turquoise days
You've got a problem?
Come on over
You've got a problem?
Come on overNow I think I know just what to say....
The lyrics to Echo & the Bunnymen's song "Turquoise Days" speak to the idea of finding solace and peace amidst chaos and panic. The opening lines suggest that just when one is on the brink of panicking, something within them tells them that things will be okay and that they will pass. The smell of the fields is a metaphor for the simple and natural things in life that bring us joy and peace. The chorus encourages listeners to put their faith in "crimson nights" and "turquoise days," again playing on the idea of finding beauty and tranquility in unexpected places.
The second verse seems to push back against the idea that there is any one reason for doing the things we do. It doesn't have to be for glory or love or war, it can just be because we feel compelled to do it. Hands clasped together suggests a sense of togetherness and unity, while lips locked tight could mean keeping secrets or not saying what needs to be said. The final lines speak to the idea that sometimes we can't explain why we do the things we do, but we just have to trust that it is the way it's meant to be. The final chorus is a call to action, inviting anyone with a problem to come over and find solace in the crimson nights and turquoise days.
Line by Line Meaning
Just when the thought occurs
Right at the moment when you think things will fall apart
The panic will pass
Any fear or dread will soon dissipate
And the smell of the fields
The sweet fragrance of nature
Never lasts
But it is always temporary
Put your faith in those
Trust in the power of
Crimson nights
The passionate and intense moments we experience
Set sail in those
Embrace and explore them fully
We've got a problem
There is an issue we need to address
Come on over
Let's face it together
It's not for glory
We are not seeking fame or recognition
It's not for honor
We are not trying to prove our worth or nobility
Just something
It is simply an element of life
Someone said
Maybe someone else spoke these words before
It's not for love
We are not doing this out of affection or passion
It's not for war
This is not a fight or a battle
Just hands clasped together
It is the coming together of people in harmony and unity
It's not for living
This is not essential for survival
It's not for hunger
It is not about satisfying a physical need
Just lips locked tight
It is a private and intimate moment
It's not rebellion
It is not a revolt against authority or norms
It's not suffering
It is not an experience of pain or hardship
It's just the way it is
This is the natural reality of life
And my pistols packed
I may have some ammunition for the struggle ahead
And my God goes with me
I have faith in a higher power to guide me
I fell easy
I am at peace and content
And I want it
I desire this experience or feeling
And I need it
It is something essential to my well-being
And I've got it
I have attained it successfully
It's not for this
This is not the sole purpose
It's not for that
There is no specific objective
It's not any of it
It is a unique and singular phenomenon
Did you say knowledge?
Perhaps the answer lies in understanding and learning
Did you say prayer?
Maybe we need to petition a higher power for assistance
Did you say anything?
What ideas do you have to solve this problem?
If not for good
If this is not ultimately for the benefit of all
If not for better
If it does not improve the situation
If not the way it is
If it conflicts with reality
We'll place our faith in those
We'll have confidence in
Place your faith in those
Believe in the power of
You've got a problem?
Is there something troubling you?
Now I think I know just what to say....
Perhaps I have the solution to this issue
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, LESLIE PATTINSON, PETE FREITAS, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind