In October 1978, McCulloch founded Echo & the Bunnymen with Will Sergeant (guitar), Les Pattinson (bass), and a drum machine (allegedly named Echo), making their live début at Eric's in November that year. In October 1979 the Bunnymen exchanged the drum machine for Pete de Freitas on drums. With their line up solidified, the Bunnymen played in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing their critically praised debut album, Crocodiles in 1980, and the heavier, bass driven, Heaven up Here in 1981. They released their third album Porcupine in 1983 with the lead single "The Cutter" finishing in the Top 10 of the UK Charts. Ocean Rain followed in 1984.
In 1988, McCulloch left the group to pursue a solo career under the impression the Bunnymen would be laid to rest, if only temporarily. When the remaining Bunnymen continued using the name with new singer Noel Burke, the split became permanent with McCulloch referring to the band as "Echo & the Bogusmen".
In 1990, McCulloch released the album Candleland which reflected a more mature outlook on the world, owing to the recent deaths of McCulloch's father and his friend Pete de Freitas. The album peaked at number 18 in the UK Charts. It yielded two Modern Rock Tracks hits, "Proud To Fall" (No. 1 for 4 weeks) and "Faith and Healing." His album Mysterio was released in 1992, but the public's interest in the former Bunnyman was waning and it sold less than its predecessor. Shortly after, McCulloch left the public eye to devote more time to his family.
McCulloch rekindled his relationship with Will Sergeant, leading to the formation of Electrafixion in 1994. The band released the album Burned which peaked at number 38 in the UK and included the top-30 hit "Sister Pain." The band soon found themselves performing set lists composed of half Electrafixion songs and half Echo & the Bunnymen songs.
In 1997, Echo & the Bunnymen reformed and released the album Evergreen to positive reviews and chart success. Evergreen made the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and the single "Nothing Lasts Forever reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart.[12] The reformed Bunnymen have since recorded several further albums, the most recent being Meteorites[/abum] which was released in 2014.
Lift Me Up
Ian McCulloch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ma, ma, ma they've come for me
Ma, ma, mother come to use
So fa, fa, father come for me
Fa, fa, fa they've come for me
Fa, fa, father come to me
So near, nearly here
Loves' tears, no fears
So far, there they are
Our stars really are
Burnt stars, our stars
Lift me up, lift me up
To a place, I've never known
Lift me up, lift me up
I can't make this on my own, can't make this on my own
So close, last posts
Almost, new ghosts, new ghosts, last posts
Sun rays, young days
Sons raised, fins days, done days
Ma ma mother come for me
Ma ma ma they've come for me
Fa fa Either conic to me
Lift me up, lift me up
To a place, I've never known
Lift me up, yeah lift me up
I can't make this on my own, can't make this on my own
And when time runs out of space
And when space runs out of time
Let me find the one true place I call mine
And when stars run out of sky
And when sky rum out.of stars
Let me know that you and I.. really are
Lift me up, lift me up, lift use up
Lift use up, lift me up, lift me up now
Yeah lift me up, lift me up, lift use up
Lift me up. lift me up, lift use up
Lift me up. lift use up, lift me up
The lyrics of Ian McCulloch's song "Lift Me Up" are a call for help to both the singer's mother and father. The repetition of "ma, ma, mother" and "fa, fa, father" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's desperation and need for support. The singer is asking to be lifted up to a place he has never known, implying that he is lost and uncertain of his future.
The verses that follow describe the passing of time and the inevitability of change. The singer mentions "new years" and "new ghosts," suggesting a desire to move on from the past and start fresh. The imagery of "sun rays" and "young days" imply a sense of nostalgia and longing for simpler times.
The final verse is somewhat cryptic, with the lyrics "And when time runs out of space / And when space runs out of time / Let me find the one true place I call mine / And when stars run out of sky / And when sky runs out of stars / Let me know that you and I.. really are." The singer seems to be pondering the concept of eternity and searching for a sense of belonging that transcends time and space.
Overall, "Lift Me Up" is a poignant plea for help and a search for meaning in a chaotic and uncertain world.
Line by Line Meaning
Ma, ma, mother come for me
The singer is calling out to their mother for help
Ma, ma, ma they've come for me
The singer feels like they are being pursued
Ma, ma, mother come to use
The singer wants their mother to come use her strength to help them
So fa, fa, father come for me
The artist also calls out to their father for help
Fa, fa, fa they've come for me
The artist feels like they are being pursued, just as they did with their mother
Fa, fa, father come to me
The singer wants their father to come help
So near, nearly here
The singer feels like help is almost within reach
Loves' tears, no fears
The artist is hopeful that love will conquer any fears they have about their situation
New years, new years
The artist is hopeful for a fresh start
So far, there they are
The artist sees their pursuers in the distance
Our stars really are
The singer reflects on their own strengths and talents
Burnt stars, our stars
The artist may feel like their talents have been diminished or tarnished
Lift me up, lift me up
The singer asks for help to be lifted up
To a place, I've never known
The singer seeks a new and better situation
I can't make this on my own, can't make this on my own
The singer acknowledges they need help to succeed
Almost, new ghosts, new ghosts, last posts
The artist may be haunted by the past, but looks towards new beginnings
Sun rays, young days
The artist reflects on better and possibly simpler times
Sons raised, fins days, done days
The singer may feel like they have accomplished much, but also things are coming to an end
And when time runs out of space
The singer has thoughts of the end of their time
And when space runs out of time
The artist reflects on mortality
Let me find the one true place I call mine
The artist hopes to achieve a sense of security or belonging
And when stars run out of sky
The artist's thought process leans towards existentialism
And when sky rum out.of stars
The singer shares their fears that their life may end before they can find true happiness
Let me know that you and I.. really are
The artist finds comfort in the thought of someone else being there with them through it all
Lift use up, lift me up, lift me up now
The singer continues to ask for help to be lifted up
Lift me up. lift use up, lift me up
The singer repeats their request for help
Contributed by Colton M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lorraine Poulin
Amazing track
Turn Up The Volume
He's still the best !!!
cath salazar
U betcha!.........👍
cath salazar
Great song love it & Mac tys!...... 👍🔥❤️🇺🇸🙏🥵
cath salazar
Ty’s for sharing! Love it & u Mac! 🇺🇸👍❤️🔥
crazy69 defiant one
let me know u and I really are.....lift me up . ...