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.
Rescue me
Erasure Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chakra wheels are turning like a love train
I could pray a hundred times
Keep these demons from my mind
Yeh I could pray a thousand times
Stay in your lovin' arms entwined
Drivin' the pain right through to my heart
Oh that I should be ever so lonely
Ridin' the pain like a fool in the dark
We shall blur the lines of definition
Waves of love our only ammunition
Tear my head out from the sound
Throw myself upon the ground
Take me to the burning tree
It has this strange effect on me
Oh that I should be ever so lonely
Drivin' the pain right through to my heart
Oh that I should be ever so lonely
Ridin' the pain like a fool in the dark
Fascination never tasted sweeter
My desire real and soaring freely
You alone can save my soul
You alone are my salvation
You alone can make me whole
Rescue me from condemnation
The lyrics of Erasure’s song Rescue Me paint a picture of a person who is lost and lonely, longing for love and salvation from their pain. The lines, “Love is cast ornately in your heart flame, Chakra wheels are turning like a love train” express the intensity and passionate nature of love, which is all-consuming and transformative. It is the love that keeps the chakra wheels turning, bringing the singer joy and a sense of renewal.
The singer seems to understand that the love they have found is rare and valuable, something that can provide solace and protect them from their demons. The repeated phrase “Oh that I should be ever so lonely, drivin' the pain right through to my heart” suggests that loneliness and suffering are common experiences for the singer, but they have found someone who can rescue them from these negative feelings.
The lines, “We shall blur the lines of definition, Waves of love our only ammunition” imply that their love is powerful and all-encompassing, capable of taking down boundaries and overcoming obstacles. This love becomes the only weapon they have to fight off the darkness within and find peace.
Overall, the song paints a picture of someone who has found their savior in the form of the person they love. They are entranced by the transformative power of love and are willing to lay themselves bare to experience it fully.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is cast ornately in your heart flame
Your heart is filled with love that shines and radiates brilliantly like a flame.
Chakra wheels are turning like a love train
The energy centers within you are aligned and harmonious, spinning like the wheels of a train fuelled by love.
I could pray a hundred times
If I could, I would pray fervently many times over.
Keep these demons from my mind
Please protect me from the negative thoughts that plague my mind.
Yeh I could pray a thousand times
I'd even pray a thousand times to keep these demons at bay.
Stay in your lovin' arms entwined
I want to be held in your loving embrace forever.
Oh that I should be ever so lonely
It's unfortunate that I often feel incredibly lonely.
Drivin' the pain right through to my heart
It hurts so much that I feel like the pain is going straight through my heart.
Ridin' the pain like a fool in the dark
I feel like I'm enduring this pain blindly, without any direction or respite.
We shall blur the lines of definition
Together, we'll break through any boundaries or limitations that define us.
Waves of love our only ammunition
We'll use our love as the only weapon we need against anything that comes our way.
Tear my head out from the sound
I want to distance myself from all the distracting noise around me.
Throw myself upon the ground
I feel so overwhelmed that I need to fall down and take a break.
Take me to the burning tree
Bring me to a place where I can be reborn and renewed, even if the journey is difficult.
It has this strange effect on me
Being in this place has an unusual impact on me, but it's for the better.
Fascination never tasted sweeter
I am completely fascinated and enthralled with whatever is happening right now.
My desire real and soaring freely
My passion and ambitions are genuine and soaring without any limits or constraints.
You alone can save my soul
Only you have the power to save me and make me feel whole again.
You alone are my salvation
I don't need anyone else to rescue me. You are the only one who can.
You alone can make me whole
You are the only person who can repair me and make me feel complete again.
Rescue me from condemnation
Please save me from any judgement or negative consequences I might face.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDY BELL, VINCE CLARKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind