Erasure entered the music scene in 1985 with their debut single "Who Needs Love (Like That)". Beginning in late 1986 with the release of their single Sometimes, Erasure established themselves on the British charts; albums such as The Circus, Wild!, Chorus, I Say I Say I Say, Loveboat and Nightbird demonstrated a further diversity of sound.
The album that boosted their career tremendously was The Innocents, which was released in 1988. A Little Respect and Chains of Love both hit the Billboard Top 100. Most people will probably remember Erasure for A Little Respect, which became one of their signature songs.
Clarke formerly was a member of Depeche Mode and later had a successful career with the duo Yazoo (known as Yaz in the US). Later he split with Yazoo partner Alison Moyet and briefly formed The Assembly with producer Eric Radcliffe. After a successful Assembly single ("Never Never"), Clarke released an unsuccessful one-off single with vocalist Paul Quinn ("One Day"). He then placed a blind advertisement in Melody Maker looking for a vocalist for a new musical project. He selected Andy Bell, who was the forty-first to audition (and whose voice would often be compared to Moyet's). From the start, their success was founded upon their songwriting skills. Clarke's talent for writing melodic, catchy pop songs was evident from his years with Depeche Mode and Yazoo. Bell's gifts as a lyricist and melodist added depth and character to Clarke's style (additionally, Bell was openly gay from the beginning, and he reflected this in his lyrics at a time when society as a whole was more ignorant around queer issues than it is today - making Erasure's success all the more phenomenal). As pop craftsmen, the pair's work bears comparison with that of Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Eurythmics, OMD, Alphaville, a-ha, Roxette and other pop songwriters.
Though their productivity and record sales declined beginning in the second half of the 1990s, Erasure scored at least one Top 30 hit with the release of every new album. Few electronic bands have demonstrated the durability of Erasure.
In 2005 Erasure made a comeback with their number one position on the US Dance Chart, eighteen years after their first chart-topper. This success was mirrored in the UK with the debut single from Nightbird ("Breathe") reaching number four in the charts. Erasure also enabled fans to configure and buy their own remixes of the single 'Don't Say You Love Me' through the band website. Each variant of the song was limited to a single download.
2006 saw the release of the album Union Street, which features a collection of previously released Erasure songs that the band have reinterpreted with an acoustic / country & western style. The album is named after the recording studio in Brooklyn where it was recorded.
A new album, Light at the End of the World, was released in 2007.
Fallen Angel
Erasure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had to change my ways
I was so far off with myself
It was the final stage
Almost fell off a cliff
I had to learn to fly
You gotta get 'em
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
There is no man that is an island
Can do it by yourself (by yourself)
Climb down off of your horse
The kingdom to survey
Fall all over the place
I guess I made a mess
You gotta get 'em
You gotta do it
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
You gotta get 'em
You gotta do it
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
The lyrics to Erasure's "Fallen Angel" are a powerful call to action, urging the listener to push themselves to new heights and take control of their own destiny. The song begins with the singer acknowledging their own shortcomings and recognizing the need for change: "I was so fed up with myself, I had to change my ways." The rest of the song is a celebration of that change, with the singer encouraging others to follow their lead and take control of their own lives.
The chorus is an anthem of empowerment, with the repeated phrase "you gotta get 'em, you gotta do it" serving as a rallying cry for anyone who is feeling stuck or helpless. The verses describe various challenges that the singer has faced and overcome, from almost falling off a cliff to walking up the down escalator. The imagery is vivid and powerful, conveying a sense of determination and resilience.
Overall, "Fallen Angel" is a song of hope and inspiration, urging the listener to embrace their own power and take charge of their own life. It is a message that is as relevant today as it was when the song was first released in 1991.
Line by Line Meaning
I was so fed up with myself
I reached a point of being completely unhappy with who I was
I had to change my ways
I needed to make a change in order to be someone I could be happy with
I was so far off with myself
I had lost my way, and was completely disconnected from my true self
It was the final stage
This was a critical, life-changing moment for me
Almost fell off a cliff
I was close to completely falling apart
I had to learn to fly
I needed to figure out how to pick myself up and move forward
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Embrace the highs and lows of life
Walk up the down escalator
Challenge yourself and go against the norm
I've tried all of the things that give me love
I've experimented with different ways to find happiness and fulfillment
Fly like a fallen angel
Find freedom in accepting my flaws and imperfections
Love just like it's second nature
Make something as important as love feel effortless and natural
There is no man that is an island
We are interconnected and need others in our lives
Can do it by yourself (by yourself)
There's only so much we can do alone
Climb down off of your horse
Let go of ego and surrender to humility
The kingdom to survey
Take a step back and see the bigger picture
Fall all over the place
Embrace the inevitable failures and mistakes that come with growth
I guess I made a mess
I've made plenty of mistakes, but they've helped me learn and grow
You gotta get 'em
You need to go after what you want
Do it
Take action and make things happen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andy Bell, Vince Clarke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MÁRCIO GOMES
I was so fed up with myself
I had to change my ways
I was so far off with myself
It was the final stage
Almost fell off a cliff
I had to learn to fly
You gotta get 'em
You gotta do it
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
There is no man that is an island
Can do it by yourself (by yourself)
Climb down off of your horse
The kingdom to survey
Fall all over the place
I guess I made a mess
You gotta get 'em
You gotta do it
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
You gotta get 'em
You gotta do it
You gotta get 'em
Do it
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Ride on top of the roller coaster
Walk up the down escalator
I've tried all of the things that give me love
Fly like a fallen angel
Love just like it's second nature
I've tried all of the things that give me love
erasureinfo
Fallen Angel. Taken from The Neon, out now: http://mute.ffm.to/TheNeon
Miguelito Schwartz
Andy, Vince, Richard, and everyone involved: thank you for another fun video for a great track. Erasure makes it wonderful again and again! 💃🏿❤️💃🏿
Izabel12 Pires
Amos vcs e curto de montão o ERASURE💖😘💃🏿💚💙💛✌🇧🇷
dcny69
@Sean Burns absolutely. Great idea. This is an awful video. I love seeing Andy and Vince. Anyone remember Elevation? Don’t think so.
Blanca Flores
Amo a este dúo Vincent y Andy. Hermoso sonido y canción.Saludos Argentina 2021👍👏😊😷🎵🙋💖
Miguel Velez
My new favorite song from them! This song has such a pop fun beat and love the narrative Heidi N Closet is serving!
Umesh Vaghjiani
I just love so much how Erasure has always thought outside the box. This video is such a vibe and I loved every minute of it! Great job to everyone involved. Super creative!
Brad Hammer
Thank you! #bradhammerproductions
Charles-Alexandre CARTRON
Another good song, video, mood, color, message, love, rainbow of life and respect...yes this is ERASURE 🏳️🌈
Sheryl Weiss
I’m 53 and I feel I’ve grown up with this message thanks to them! So happy to still be hearing their music!