Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in … Read Full Bio ↴Killing Joke is an English post-punk group which formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England. Founding members Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards) and Geordie Walker (guitars) have been the only constant members, with Geordie having died on the 26th of November 2023 in Prague following a stroke 2 days earlier.

A key influence on industrial rock, their early music was described by critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and John Dougan as well as industrial metal and "quasi-metal, dancing to a tune of doom and gloom," which gradually evolved over the years, incorporating elements of electronic music, synth-pop, gothic rock, and alternative rock, though always emphasizing Coleman's "savagely strident vocals."

Finding modest commercial success, Killing Joke have influenced many later bands, such as Nirvana, Ministry, Amen, Lamb of God, Nine Inch Nails, Napalm Death, Amebix, Big Black, Godflesh, Tool, Prong, Metallica, Primus, Jane's Addiction, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Faith No More, Blacklist, Shihad and Korn, all of whom have at some point cited some debt of gratitude to Killing Joke.

Absent Friends
Killing Joke Lyrics

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I remember the sun beating down
Across my back
The taste of olives and pleasures that
You taught me
And we broke bread and then we drank
Cheap white wine
Memories of happiness frozen for all time

I hear you crying in my heart
Absent friends shall live by love
Remember places of my past
Absent friends shall live by love
And the dead shall live again
Absent friends shall live by
Love, love, love, love

And I remember laughing so much we cried
You knew my every thought, there was
Nothing I could hide
We celebrated moons we marveled at
The night sky
With flute and drum and pen we were
Grateful for our lives
I hear you crying in my heart
Absent friends shall live by love
Remember places of my past
Absent friends shall live by love
And the dead shall live again
Absent friends shall live by
Love, love, love, love

I hear you crying in my heart
Absent friends shall live by love
Remember places of my past
Absent friends shall live by love
And the dead shall live again

Absent friends shall live by
Love, love, love, love

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Absent Friends" by Killing Joke are a poignant and emotional reflection on the memories of a past friendship. The opening lines describe a moment in time where the sun beat down on the singer's back and they tasted olives, a pleasure learned from the friend who taught them so much. The imagery is one of happiness and enjoyment, and the memories of that time feel frozen in time. Later in the song, the lyrics describe laughter and the sense of being understood completely by the friend.

However, it becomes clear that this friendship is now a thing of the past. The repeated refrain of "Absent friends shall live by love" is a message of love and remembrance for the friend who was once so important in the singer's life. The line "And the dead shall live again" suggests a belief in life beyond death and that even though the friend may be gone, their spirit will live on through the love they shared.

Overall, the message of the song is one of nostalgia and appreciation for past friendships. The lyrics are beautifully written and convey a sense of loss and longing, but also a deep love and respect for the memories of that friendship.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember the sun beating down
I recall a time in the past when the sun was shining so bright and hot that I could feel its rays on my skin.

Across my back
The sun was shining on my back and I could feel its warmth there.

The taste of olives and pleasures that you taught me
I remember the flavor of olives, a pleasure that you showed me and introduced me to.

And we broke bread and then we drank cheap white wine
We had a meal together, breaking bread, and then we drank inexpensive white wine.

Memories of happiness frozen for all time
These memories of a happy time are preserved forever.

I hear you crying in my heart
Though you are not physically present, I feel your emotional pain and sadness.

Absent friends shall live by love
Even though our friends may be gone, we can keep them alive in our hearts by continuing to love them.

Remember places of my past
I reminisce about the locations and settings from my past.

And the dead shall live again
The people we've lost will come alive again through our memories and love.

And I remember laughing so much we cried
I recall a time when we laughed so hard that it brought us to tears.

You knew my every thought, there was nothing I could hide
You were so close to me that you understood all of my thoughts and emotions, and I couldn't keep anything from you.

We celebrated moons we marveled at the night sky
We rejoiced in each new moon we saw and were filled with wonder at the beauty of the night sky.

With flute and drum and pen we were grateful for our lives
We felt grateful and expressed it through music and writing.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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