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.
The Death & Resurrection Show
Killing Joke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Assemble different drummers, light up the fire
Put on your masks and animal skins
Illumination, illumination
Listen to the drums
Between each beat, each beat of the drum
Oh beloved mother of liberty
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
And the day will come before the lights go out
Who will you turn to, who will you turn to
Choose the crucifixion or Osiris slain
Recurring themes, time again
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel?s chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection show
Oh beloved mother of liberty, come to me
Everything I'm taught, amounts to not
Everything I learn, the fire shall burn
Notions of myself that I'm not
Whoever I was is now lost
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel?s chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection show
Oh, beloved woman of liberty, come to me
Burn away all my impurities
Hold me in your arms
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel?s chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection show
Oh, beloved woman of liberty
Hold me in your arms
The Death and Resurrection Show by Killing Joke is an intense song that presents powerful and thought-provoking lyrics. The song alludes to human existence as a never-ending cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The opening lines suggest the preparation of a pyre, the assembling of drummers, and the wearing of animal skins and masks. These elements create a vivid image of a ritualistic scene, emphasized by the repetition of the phrase "illumination, illumination." The drums intensify the mood, and the lyrics suggest that between each beat of the drum, one can hear the voice of the "beloved mother of liberty," representing the hope for freedom and deliverance.
The chorus repeats the phrase "burn brightly, burn white heat," suggesting the intensity of emotions and experiences that lead to purification and transformation. The lyrics also suggest that the day will come before the lights go out, referring to the inevitability of death. The choice between "crucifixion or Osiris slain" refers to different beliefs about the afterlife and the idea of rebirth. The song concludes with the repeated plea to the "beloved woman of liberty" to hold the singer in her arms and burn away their impurities.
Line by Line Meaning
Mark out the points, build the pyre
Set up the points and build the structure for the fire
Assemble different drummers, light up the fire
Get different types of drummers together and ignite the fire
Put on your masks and animal skins
Wear your masks and animal skins
Illumination, illumination
Light up everything and make it bright
Listen to the drums
Pay attention to the music
Between each beat, each beat of the drum
During every pause between each drum beat
Oh beloved mother of liberty
Refer to a mother figure who represents freedom
Hold me in your arms
Protect and comfort me
Burn burn, burn brightly
Ignite the fire and make it bright
Burn burn, burn white heat
Make the flame burn hot and brilliantly white
And the day will come before the lights go out
Before the end comes, there will be a day
Who will you turn to, who will you turn to
To whom will you look for support
Choose the crucifixion or Osiris slain
Decide whether to follow the Christian or the Egyptian god
Recurring themes, time again
These are themes that repeat themselves over time
Oh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Those lies told over the centuries were very clever
Ezekiel?s chariots streak across the skies
Refer to a scene from the book of Ezekiel
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
These books were written a long time ago, and we have more knowledge now
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection show
Souls are reborn in a cycle, just like in the show
Oh beloved woman of liberty, come to me
That mother figure who represents freedom, please help me
Burn away all my impurities
Burn away all my flaws and imperfections
Everything I'm taught, amounts to not
Everything I've learned doesn't add up to much
Everything I learn, the fire shall burn
Everything I learn will be burned away by the fire
Notions of myself that I'm not
Ideas about myself that aren't really true
Whoever I was is now lost
I've lost the person I used to be
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: WALKER KEVIN, ANDREW JAMES DALRYMPLE GILL, JEREMY COLEMAN, MARTIN GLOVER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dr Prateek Grover
Mark out the points
Build the pyre
Assemble different drummers
Light up the fire
Put on your masks
And animal skins
Illumination, illumination
Listen to the drums
Between each beat, each beat of the drum
O beloved Mother of Liberty
Hold me in your arms
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
And the day will come
Before the lights go out
Who will you turn to
Who will you turn to
Choose the crucifixion
Or Osiris slain
Recurring themes, time again
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel's chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget
Because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and
Resurrection show
O beloved Mother of Liberty
Come to me
Everything I'm taught, amounts to nought
Everything I learn, the fire shall burn
Notions of myself that when I'm not
Whoever I was is now lost
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel's chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts
Forget because we know
Souls are recycled in
The death and resurrection show
O beloved Women of Liberty
Hold me in your arms
Bounty94
Mark out the points, build the pyre
Assemble different drummers, light up the fire
Put on your masks and animal skins
Illumination, illuminationListen to the drums
Between each beat, each beat of the drum
Oh beloved mother of liberty
Hold me in your armsBurn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heatAnd the day will come before the lights go out
Who will you turn to, who will you turn to
Choose the crucifixion or Osiris slain
Recurring themes, time againIllumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heatOh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiels chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection show
Oh beloved mother of liberty, come to meEverything Im taught, amounts to naught
Everything I learn, the fire shall burn
Notions of myself that Im not
Whoever I was is now lostIllumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heatOh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiels chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection showOh, beloved woman of liberty, come to me
Burn away all my impurities
Hold me in your armsBurn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heatOh, how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiels chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and resurrection showOh, beloved woman of liberty
Hold me in your arms
Chris Bryans
Killing Joke fans!
I am working with the band on a new official book that will tell the story of Killing Joke in the words of fans. As TDaRS video has well over a million views, it seems as good a place as any to ask for your recollections.
How did you discover the band's music and become a Gatherer? Was it by listening to a Peel session? Watching them Jaz-less on Top of the Pops with Empire Song (or later on with Love Like Blood/Millennium/Pandemonium)? Or by seeing them on stage – where they can compare in power and intensity with pretty much any other British group of the past half-century?
All of these recollections can be bound up in your memories of seeing the band live – where, when, who you went with, together with what you remember of watching them pulverise the crowds night after night. Did you get to meet the band? Did you survive the experience intact?
Let's face it, the experience of seeing Killing Joke tends to lodge in the headspace for a great many reasons. Every memory, however slight, helps us paint a picture for our people’s history of Killing Joke. And we hope to spring a few surprises in the book as well.
If you would like to be part of this new book, please email your story to the author: chris.bryans@@t
Dr Prateek Grover
Mark out the points
Build the pyre
Assemble different drummers
Light up the fire
Put on your masks
And animal skins
Illumination, illumination
Listen to the drums
Between each beat, each beat of the drum
O beloved Mother of Liberty
Hold me in your arms
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
And the day will come
Before the lights go out
Who will you turn to
Who will you turn to
Choose the crucifixion
Or Osiris slain
Recurring themes, time again
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel's chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts forget
Because we know
Souls are recycled in the death and
Resurrection show
O beloved Mother of Liberty
Come to me
Everything I'm taught, amounts to nought
Everything I learn, the fire shall burn
Notions of myself that when I'm not
Whoever I was is now lost
Illumination, illumination
Burn burn, burn brightly
Burn burn, burn white heat
Oh how ingenious the centuries of lies
Ezekiel's chariots streak across the skies
Holy books and history texts
Forget because we know
Souls are recycled in
The death and resurrection show
O beloved Women of Liberty
Hold me in your arms
Munetáni Máshiro
Many thanks
Áron Ujvárosi
Dude
Tuna No crust
Reminds me of what Alex Jones said. The republican officials have a place where they stand around a burning wooden statue (I can’t remember what) pretty sketchy you can only imagine what going on. The “oh beloved woman of liberty, come to me” only makes it seem sketchier
kurt rossiter
Thank you
river tam
@Tuna No crust The Owl at Bohemian Grove
Victoria Gray
Thank you Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck for introducing me to this song! Love it!
Chris Waddell
I just saw the footage of them covering this song, when I saw the title my jaw hit the floor.
They did a pretty decent job but I had to wonder how many in the audience even knew Killing Joke existed!
Awesome they've got fantastic taste!
Lynn Lynn
I was wondering how I missed this song when I was little. Then when I heard the words about the fire, I thought about buring anything left from the C. Depp is burning brightly, while she has been left in the ashes of her own making. She! Deserves! It! All!
SilverWolf85
Need for Speed: Underground 2. Try Most Wanted too (for some good songs)!