There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Harem Scarem is a R… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:

1) Harem Scarem is a Rock band hailing from Ontario, Canada, formed in 1987. They renamed themselves Rubber in 1999 and released two albums under that name. In 2001, they went back to the Harem Scarem name. In the Summer of 2007 they announced they "will officially break-up after one more studio album." They would reform in 2013 and has released four more albums since then.

2) Harem Scarem emerged from Melbourne's mid-80's indie scene, but, it could be argued, were closer in sound to classic Australian blues-rock from a decade before (Dingoes, Coloured Balls, Chain, Rose Tattoo etc.). Their sound was infused with a heady mix of punk spirit and Stax soul that also made them contemporaries of the likes of The Gun Club and the Beasts Of Bourbon.

Harem Scarem first appeared on the Melbourne Psychobilly compilation “Asleep at the Wheel”. They soon developed (via the “Dogman” EP and some key line-up changes) into a powerhouse live act, where Christopher Marshall's extraordinary, passionate vocals combined with Charlie Marshall's stonesy guitar.

With the classic line-up of the Marshall brothers, Barry Palmer (guitar), Glen Sheldon (bass), Peter Jones (drums) and Chris Wilson (harmonica & sax), the band went into the studio with producer John Archer (Hunters & Collectors) and emerged with this, their masterful 1986 album: Pilgrim's Progress (now re-issued by Aztec Music http://www.aztecmusic.net/)

3) Harem Scarem is a Scottish contemporary folk band http://www.haremscaremscotland.co.uk who have collaborated with Will Oldham AKA 'Bonnie Prince Billy'

Rise & Fall
Harem Scarem Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now forever after
Is once upon a time
And today's disaster
Ain't too hard to find

Well there's always something
To live in fear about
Rise and the fall

We aim and we miss

It's always do or die
Rise and the fall
Creating the myth
We're all living a lie

I am the one creating the myth
We're all living a lie
You can feed the mass
Unforgivable lies

And they'll still follow
Blind leading the blind

Overall Meaning

In "Rise & Fall" by Harem Scarem, the lyrics touch on the concept of time and the illusion of control. The first two lines, "Now forever after is once upon a time, and today's disaster ain't too hard to find" suggest that time is fleeting and what we see as eternal is nothing but a farce. The song then turns to the idea that there's always something to be fearful of and that we aim and miss more often than we'd like. The repetition of "Rise and the fall" drives home the point that life is full of ups and downs, and we're sometimes powerless to prevent it. The idea that we're creating our own myths and living a lie is an introspective one, making us question our choices and the consequences of them. The last lines, "You can feed the mass unforgivable lies, and they'll still follow, blind leading the blind" imply that we're all susceptible to misinformation and manipulation, but it's up to us to question what we're told.

Overall, "Rise & Fall" is a complex song that explores the human condition and the inevitability of change. It also touches on themes of power and control, as well as the importance of critical thinking and questioning the narratives we're fed. The melody and instrumentation of the song reflect the themes, with dynamic shifts and a sense of urgency.

Line by Line Meaning

Now forever after
The idea of a perfect future is merely a story

Is once upon a time
A fairy tale that will never truly happen

And today's disaster
Present-day problems are not hard to find

Ain't too hard to find
It's easy to see the flaws in our society

Well there's always something
There will always be issues in the world

To live in fear about
Something to constantly dread and be afraid of

Rise and the fall
Life is full of ups and downs

We aim and we miss
We try for something, but still fall short

It's always do or die
Every situation requires a life or death decision

Creating the myth
We, as individuals, are responsible for fabricating a false reality

We're all living a lie
We all perpetuate this false reality