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.
Imagination
Erasure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you see the storm clouds rising
Feeling alone with yourself
As the sun fades away
The memories come to and fro
The trouble is they never want to go
They come never go
It´s just your imagination rolling over the past
It can change your mind completely
It´s just my imagination running wild
And too fast
But I know it won´t defeat me
Look into the eyes of Medusa
And she´ll turn your world to stone
She´ll tear at your eyes and seduce you
And your soul will be gone
The messages and hidden dreams
Of former lives and lovers never seen
A love never seen
It´s just your imagination rolling over the past
It can change your mind completely
It´s just my imagination running wild
And too fast
But I know it won´t defeat me
What do you do with yourself
When your lost on some horizon
Taking a hold on yourself
When you know the timings wrong
It´s just your imagination rolling over the past
It can change your mind completely
It´s just my imagination running wild
And too fast
But I know it won´t defeat me
The lyrics to Erasure's song "Imagination" are reflective and introspective, exploring the power and influence of the imagination over the mind. The first verse describes the experience of feeling alone and watching storm clouds rise, as the memories of the past come to the forefront of the mind but refuse to go away. The chorus emphasizes the theme of the song, suggesting that it is just the imagination rolling over the past and running wild, but that it won't ultimately defeat the singer.
The second verse brings in mythical imagery, invoking the figure of Medusa as a symbol of the power that the imagination can have over the mind. The mention of "hidden dreams" and "former lives and lovers never seen" suggests that the imagination can dredge up memories and ideas that may not have any basis in reality. The final verse returns to the idea of being lost or unsure of oneself, and again emphasizes the power of the imagination to change one's perspective.
Line by Line Meaning
What do you do with yourself
Asking what one does when left with their thoughts
When you see the storm clouds rising
Referring to feeling overwhelmed by negative emotions
Feeling alone with yourself
Feeling isolated internally
As the sun fades away
As positive thoughts and feelings start to dissipate
The memories come to and fro
Memories resurfacing uncontrollably
The trouble is they never want to go
Struggling with not being able to forget painful memories
They come never go
Memory retention and inability to forget them
It´s just your imagination rolling over the past
Understanding that dwelling on past memories is only a mental process
It can change your mind completely
Realizing that mindsets can be altered with different narratives
It´s just my imagination running wild
Acknowledging the overwhelming nature of imaginative thoughts
And too fast
Going too quickly with thoughts and feelings
But I know it won´t defeat me
Refusing to allow negativity and painful memories to overcome oneself
Look into the eyes of Medusa
Referencing the Greek myth and the fear of being paralyzed by fear or negative feeling
And she´ll turn your world to stone
The idea that fear can paralyze and stop you from the ability to move or think past a situation
She´ll tear at your eyes and seduce you
Referencing how tempting it can be to focus only on negative thoughts and succumb to them
And your soul will be gone
The idea that focusing solely on the negative can result in the reduction of life and personal quality
The messages and hidden dreams
Acknowledging the idea of internal monologues of hope and aspirations
Of former lives and lovers never seen
Referencing the idea of a missed life with regret and the idea of 'the one who got away'
A love never seen
Aching for someone one never got to encounter or be with
What do you do with yourself
Reiterating the question of what one does with their thoughts and internal issues
When your lost on some horizon
Feeling directionless and aimless
Taking a hold on yourself
The idea of centralizing oneself and maintaining control
When you know the timing's wrong
Understanding that timing can be crucial in life and not everything can work out as planned
It´s just your imagination rolling over the past
Reiterating the idea that dwelling on past memories is only a mental process
It can change your mind completely
Acknowledging that narratives can change emotional responses and control over thoughts
It´s just my imagination running wild
Reiterating the overwhelming nature of imaginative thoughts
And too fast
Implying the idea of things happening too quickly
But I know it won´t defeat me
Reiterating the idea that negativity and painful memories will not take control
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDY BELL, VINCE CLARKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind