Becker, a laboratory technician, had played in a covers band before buying and experimenting with a Wasp synthesizer (he released a solo cassette-album in June 1980 and a second a year later). Bates, a hospital worker, had previously been a member of Reluctant Stereotypes, and released a cassette of experimental electronic music in January 1980. Shortly afterwards they met and together they formed Eyeless in Gaza, both contributing vocals and several instruments. The band name is a reference to the novel Eyeless in Gaza by Aldous Huxley. Bates has said he chose the name "for the sound of it... I was reading the Huxley book when I met Pete... It sounded perfectly nice." But Bates has also acknowledged an allusion to the "biblical myth" of Samson, saying, "I feel attracted by religion. I feel that people don't pay enough attention to the spiritual side of their life; it is a very interesting side of the human psychism and it fascinates me."
After a self-released single, they signed to Cherry Red Records, releasing debut album Photographs as Memories in February 1981. After three further albums for Cherry Red and an album for Norwegian label Uniton, they added Aztec Camera drummer Dave Ruffy for single Welcome Now (1985), recruiting former Sinatras/In Embrace drummer Joby Palmer for the next album, Back from the Rains.
The group then went on hiatus after Becker married and relocated to Spain, with Bates concentrating on solo work. They reunited in 1990 to collaborate with Anne Clark on her album The Law Is an Anagram of Wealth. In 1991 Bates formed Hungry I with former Primitives drummer Steve Dullahan.
They returned in 1993 with singer Elizabeth S for the Fabulous Library album and continued as a duo since. Bates also recorded between 1994 and 1998 with M.J. Harris (Napalm Death/Scorn) under the name Drift, and in the early 2000s with keyboardist Alan Trench in Twelve Thousand Days. He has also continued to release solo material. In 2012, Martyn Bates and Peter Becker appeared on Right North, the eleventh album, a double digipack, of the international collective 48 Cameras.
http://www.eyelessingaza.com
Welcome Now
Eyeless in Gaza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I felt such sadness there, I felt such surprise...
If you were only smiling with eyes so fair,
Taking this feeling, holding it dear...
And I want you to try it,
I really do care to stop all your sighing
And welcome you in here
We are this moment,
So, let the lovely night take you
Welcome you where sorry runs quiet...
Come out from this longing
For glad and searching eyes call out a welcome now
To raise you so high...
The lyrics to Eyeless in Gaza's song "Welcome Now" depict a person who is longing for someone's affection, looking into their eyes and feeling sadness and surprise. The singer of the song wishes for the person to stop sighing and to let them in, to be welcomed warmly. The lyrics speak about the present moment and how it should be enjoyed instead of dwelling on regretful thoughts. The person is urged to let go of their longing and embrace the welcoming eyes that call out to them, as they will be lifted up high.
The lyrics are a message of hope and encouragement, urging the listener to let go of their insecurities and embrace the opportunities around them. The singer's desire to care for the person and to provide comfort is demonstrated through the repetition of the line "welcome you in here". It is a simple message, yet it is effective in conveying the importance of cherishing the present moment and realizing that there is always a chance for a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
I started out longing, looking in your eyes...
At the beginning, I felt a strong desire while looking into your eyes...
I felt such sadness there, I felt such surprise...
I experienced a mixture of emotions including sorrow and astonishment when seeing what was in your eyes.
If you were only smiling with eyes so fair, Taking this feeling, holding it dear...
If only your beautiful eyes would smile, then I could cherish the emotions that they evoke.
And I want you to try it, I really do care to stop all your sighing And welcome you in here
I want you to make an effort to smile and feel happy so that I can welcome you into my life.
We are this moment, So, let the lovely night take you, Welcome you where sorry runs quiet...
We should live in the present moment and allow the pleasant evening to envelop us. We can find peace in this place where regret is silent.
Come out from this longing, For glad and searching eyes call out a welcome now, To raise you so high...
Stop longing and embrace the joy that life has to offer. Look for happiness, and it will find you, lifting you up to great heights.
Contributed by Julian J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
steve armstrong
Holy shet. ...took me 30 years to find this song! I'm crying right now. the search is over. and this song is as great as I recalled it the first time I heard it in the philippines.
jun wye
This song makes me cry.
Feywer Folevado
Love this so much ðŸ˜ðŸ’— New Wave forever! 😄 The first 10 seconds sold me on the vinyl lol
Wally Salem
This a great tune that deserves more attention
ELXOSE80
Thanks for sharing this outstanding song. *10*/Fav
Synthetic Sentiment
Seems like many people agree with me that they should've been absolutely massive in the 80s. I only really learned of them in the last year or so and they're kind of my new favorite old band (although they have some stiff competition from Cleaners From Venus). I love the fact that, if you get into their discography, they are definitely not a one-trick pony...that is, they have songs that are acapella, songs that are just acoustic guitar and vocal, songs with drums, songs with no drums, etc... It really feels like they did whatever they felt was right for that particular song, no matter how "extreme" it might seem. But they also had lots of songs that sound like a full band and with great melodies and hooks.
Synthetic Sentiment
Actually, I just remembered I had a cassette of theirs several years ago but I was kind of in a weird place in my life. I went a bit nomadic for a while and have just rediscovered them in the last year.
alvinpatacsil
Wow... I've been searching for this song for a very long long long time. Only die hard wvers would remember this. Thanks for the post.
Dimitris Theodoridis
This song was too good for the masses to appreciate, so it didn't chart. It's not the song that failed, it's the masses.
ClvrSwine
As if you were some special person, set apart. You aren't part of the masses. You are some kind of different, unique super-human that can't be bothered with anything popular. You have an ear and a taste that knows cool.