Allen and Halliwell spent time in the USA with extended stays in New York and Louisiana in 1987. These stays led to a new vision of rock and roll. Soon they brought on Martyn Barker, another ex-Shrieker, to play drums and Dominic Miller to play guitar. Miller had spent time in the band World Party (and now is with Sting.). To round out the band, they recruited Walter Wray to be their lead singer.
Shortly after King Swamp's self-titled album release in May 1989, the press had much to say- Music Week called the album "a throbbing blast of molten rock from a band with London sass" ; Sounds noted that the album had "startling gravity....towering and volatile, and alive with primal energy"; and RAW judged it as "a blistering, caustic rock 'n' roll album.....King Swamp swathe into the jungle with the arrogance and certanty of missionaries" .
King Swamp's first single, "Is This Love?", reached number 21 on Billboard's Album Rock chart.
The band released two albums and nine singles & promo Cds before disbanding in 1991.
Wray later produced a solo album with Dominic Miller in 1993, who later went on to play with Sting.
King Swamp's albums:
King Swamp - self titled debut album
released in 1989
Tracks:
Is This Love?
Blown Away
Man Behind The Gun
Original Man
Widders Dump
Year Zero
The Mirror
Motherlode
Louisiana Bride
The Sacrament
Wiseblood - the second album
released in 1990
Tracks:
Wiseblood
One Step Over The Line
Floating World
Walk The Knife
Can't Be Satisfied
Nightfall Over Eden
Walk On Gilded Splinters
Some Kind Of Love
Kiss The Sun
Wiseblood (original mix)
Walk the Knife
King Swamp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And men,
The shadow stalks the
Fields again,
The broken glass, the
Broken hand,
The broken song of the
Wedding band,
Yesterday,
You lose your focus,
Fade away,
Faithless as the ocean
Change,
You left me standing in
The rain.
She says...
Why,
Is this my life,
Why, Is this my life,
To walk the knife?
Awoken by the mission
Bell,
They're burning books
In the cathedral,
The night is black, the
Sky is red,
Rain comes crying
Around your head,
Pick up the pen and
You take up the fight,
Throwing yourself
Against the wall of
The night,
Preacher told me 'bout
Peace and love,
Now he's looking at me
Down the barrel of a
Gun.
Why,
Is this my life,
Why,
Is this my life,
Why,
Is this my life,
To walk the knife?
And every star that
Falls
Is a soul waiting to be
Born,
But if love is for the
Bleeding heart
And work is for the
Poor,
Tell me who will build
The house,
Who will welcome you
At the door?
Twilight falls of gods
And men,
The shadow stalks the
Fields again,
Innocence dies on a
City street,
Lies broken like a doll
Underneath the feet,
Hold my head and you
Lift me up
With the bitterness of
Your empty cup,
Shine like a blade, let
Me know where you
Are
With your eyes full of
Diamonds from the
Evening star.
Why,
Is this my life,
Why,
Is this my life,
Why,
Is this my life,
To walk the knife?
"Walk the Knife" by King Swamp is a hauntingly powerful song with dark themes of loss, betrayal, and confusion. The opening lines describe the fall of both gods and men, with a shadow stalking the fields, indicating a sense of impending doom. The use of broken imagery, such as broken glass, hand, and song of the wedding band, suggests a deep sense of loss and fragmentation. The singer's faithlessness in the face of change and their eventual abandonment in standing in the rain is confounding and pitiful.
The lyrics shift to describe a mission bell awakening the singer to the burning of books in a cathedral, with the night black and the sky red. The following lines paint a somber picture of rain falling around a person's head. The theme of fighting against the wall of the night is one of struggle and desperation. The preacher's hypocrisy is highlighted, having once preached about peace and love but now aiming a gun at the singer, revealing a lack of faith in their teachings.
The chorus echoes the repeated question of "Why? Is this my life?" with reference to walking the knife. The metaphor suggests feelings of constant danger and precariousness. The final verses speak of the loss of innocence on city streets and the bitterness of a mostly empty cup. The use of diamond imagery from the evening star evokes a sense of hope and aspiration.
Line by Line Meaning
Twilight falls of gods
The end of an era where the divine beings lose their power and influence.
And men,
And the start of a new era where humans continue to exist.
The shadow stalks the fields again,
The dark and menacing presence that signifies danger has returned.
The broken glass, the broken hand,
The physical and emotional pain that has resulted from a broken relationship.
The broken song of the wedding band,
The shattered hopes and dreams of a union that was supposed to last forever.
Treacherous as yesterday,
The memories of betrayal and hurt that continue to haunt the present.
You lose your focus, fade away,
The overwhelming feeling of sadness and loss that causes one to lose their sense of purpose.
Faithless as the ocean change,
The constant and unpredictable changes that occur in life, leaving one feeling helpless and alone.
You left me standing in the rain.
The feeling of abandonment and rejection that one experiences.
She says...
The beginning of a conversation where the artist seeks answers from another person.
Why,
The question that is being asked in search of understanding.
Is this my life,
The inquiry into whether the current existence is what was expected or desired.
To walk the knife?
The difficult and treacherous path that one must tread to survive.
Awoken by the mission bell,
The disturbing wake-up call that forces one to pay attention to the reality of the situation.
They're burning books in the cathedral,
A symbolic destruction of knowledge and education that threatens the foundations of society.
The night is black, the sky is red,
The world seems to be consumed by darkness and chaos.
Rain comes crying around your head,
The tears that fall from the sky mirror the pain that one is experiencing.
Pick up the pen and you take up the fight,
The symbol of the pen as a weapon against those who seek to oppress or harm others.
Throwing yourself against the wall of the night,
The struggle against the unknown and the unseen forces that seem to be working against one's interests.
Preacher told me 'bout peace and love,
The promises of hope and happiness that were once believed in.
Now he's looking at me down the barrel of a gun.
The realization that those in power can easily become one's oppressors and enemies.
And every star that falls
The belief that every person has the potential to contribute to society.
Is a soul waiting to be born,
The belief in the endless opportunities for growth and reinvention that exist for humans.
But if love is for the bleeding heart
The idea that romantic love requires vulnerability and may result in pain.
And work is for the poor,
The idea that some people are forced to work simply for survival, rather than personal fulfillment.
Tell me who will build the house,
The challenge to society to address the inequalities and injustices that prevent people from living their best lives.
Who will welcome you at the door?
The question of what kind of world one wants to live in and what kind of people they want to surround themselves with.
Innocence dies on a city street,
The loss of innocence and goodness in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving.
Lies broken like a doll underneath the feet,
The sense of helplessness and vulnerability that one feels in the face of tragedy.
Hold my head and you lift me up
The support and kindness that one receives from loved ones during trying times.
With the bitterness of your empty cup,
The acknowledgement that those who help others may also be carrying their own emotional burdens.
Shine like a blade, let me know where you are
The demand for clarity and truth from others.
With your eyes full of diamonds from the evening star.
The beauty and magic that exists in the world, even during difficult times.
Why,
The question that persists even after all these experiences and reflections.
Is this my life,
The search for meaning and purpose in one's existence.
To walk the knife?
The acknowledgement that life is full of challenges and obstacles, and that one must be willing to face these challenges in order to survive.
Contributed by Ella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.