By the time of their debut album, 1980's Crocodiles - a moderate UK hit - the drum machine had been replaced by Pete de Freitas.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.
When It All Blows Over
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can we start again?
When we've both grown older
Will you love me then?
Say you'll love me then
You never had to tell me
I already knew
There was only you
It was only ever you
Though every change
As i turned the tide
Through all my games
You were there by my side
When it all blows over
Can we start again
When we've both grown older
Will you love me then?
Say you'll love me then
Will you love me then?
Say you'll love me then
Did you love me then...?
The song "When It All Blows Over" by Echo & the Bunnymen is a melancholic ballad that speaks of the regrets of a failed relationship. The song starts with the question "When it all blows over, can we start again?" which suggests a desire to go back to the beginning and try again. The singer then wonders if the love they once had will still be there when they are older. The chorus repeats the hope that the person will love them then, which can be seen as both a plea and a question.
The second verse suggests that the singer already knew the relationship was over before it officially ended. The last time they were together, there was only each other, but it was too late to save the relationship. The pre-chorus acknowledges the mistakes that were made, but also highlights the unwavering support of the other person throughout the ups and downs. The chorus repeats the same hope and plea of the first chorus, but with a hint of doubt and fear asking "Did you love me then?"
Overall, the song is a heartfelt plea for a second chance at love, tinged with regret and nostalgia. It speaks to the universal experience of looking back on a relationship and wondering what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
When it all blows over
After all the chaos and trouble has passed
Can we start again?
Is it possible for us to reset and begin anew?
When we've both grown older
Later in our lives, when we've matured more
Will you love me then?
Will your feelings for me endure through time?
Say you'll love me then
Please affirm your commitment to me in the future
You never had to tell me
I understood without needing you to tell me explicitly
I already knew
I was already aware of your feelings towards me
The last time you held me
The most recent instance when you embraced me
There was only you
Only you mattered in that moment
It was only ever you
Throughout all of our time together, it has only been you
Though every change
Despite all the fluctuations and transformations
As I turned the tide
As I attempted to make progress and improve our relationship
Through all my games
Despite my mistakes and mind games
You were there by my side
You remained loyal and supportive through it all
Will you love me then?
Will your love continue into the future?
Say you'll love me then
Please promise me your love won't diminish
Did you love me then...?
Did you truly love me during that time, or was it fleeting?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: IAN STEPHEN MCCULLOCH, WILLIAM SERGEANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Erik Freymuth
Underappreciated album