Since her career began in 1981, Gerrard has been involved in a wide range of projects. She received a Golden Globe Award for the music score to the film Gladiator, on which she collaborated with Hans Zimmer.
Lisa Gerrard was born on 12 April 1961 in Melbourne, and grew up in the suburb of Prahran with her Irish immigrant parents. She has said that she grew up with "Mediterranean music blaring out of the houses" and that this influenced her music, particularly on later Dead Can Dance albums and in her solo and collaborative works.
Gerrard's first foray into forming bands and creative music-making was in Melbourne's little band scene, an experimental post-punk scene which flourished from 1978 until 1981. It was at one of these little band events that she first met Dead Can Dance co-founder Brendan Perry. Perry recalls, "It never occurred to me that we would one day collaborate musically together because at the time I thought her music was too avant garde. I particularly remember one song that she sang about finding a man in the park and asking her mother if she could bring him home to keep in her wardrobe as she attacked this chinese dulcimer with two bamboo sticks".
Dead Can Dance originally formed as a quartet in 1981 in Melbourne, but in 1982 moved to London with members Gerrard, Brendan Perry and bass player Paul Erikson. Shortly after coming to England, Erikson flew back to Australia, leaving the band as a duo. Dead Can Dance recorded eight albums on the 4AD Records recording label beginning with the self-titled Dead Can Dance LP in 1984. In 2005, the song "Nierika" became part of the opening titles for Mexican television station TV Azteca's soap opera "La Chacala". The band split in 1998, but reunited in 2005 for a world tour. In 2012, the band announced a new world tour to coincide with the release of their new album, Anastasis.
Gerrard possesses the vocal range of a contralto but can also reach upward into the mezzo-soprano range. Her voice has been described as rich, deep, dark, mournful and unique.
Examples of Gerrard's mezzo-soprano range include the songs "The Host of Seraphim", "Elegy", "Space Weaver", "Come This Way" and "One Perfect Sunrise". Gerrard however performs more predominantly in the dramatic contralto range in her other songs, "Sanvean", "Sacrifice", "Largo", "Lament" and "Not Yet".
Gerrard sings many of her songs, such as "Now We Are Free", "Come Tenderness", "Serenity", "The Valley of the Moon", "Tempest", "Pilgrimage of Lost Children", "Coming Home" and "Sanvean" in idioglossia. With respect to such work she has said, "I sing in the language of the Heart. It's an invented language that I've had for a very long time. I believe I started singing in it when I was about 12. Roughly that time. And I believed that I was speaking to God when I sang in that language."
Gerrard was married to Polish graphic design artist and music producer Jacek Tuschewski, with whom she has a daughter (born 1992).
Her nephew Jack Gerrard plays for Cairns post-hardcore act Almost a Square as the drummer and back-up vocalist.
The Maharaja
Lisa Gerrard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haraja comes
He brings the sun
He draws upon
The moon
And all the flowers
Bloom
There he whispers
Onto the air
A grace
So pure and fair
And nature’s voice
Will sing to him
And lift his heart
Upon his wing
To palaces
Of light and gold
The breath of life
Will there unfold
And there are borne
The sacred things
That can’t be touched
Or bound by strings
A soil unbruised
By human pain
He brings the rain
And there he's washed
By heavens tears
And gone are all
His deepest fears
And trust
Will come
Within
The newborn son
The newborn son
The newborn son
The Maharaja is a song by the Australian musician Lisa Gerrard, known for her ethereal and mystical compositions. The song is a tribute to a mythical figure, the Maharaja, who is portrayed as a powerful and benevolent ruler that brings light, life, and renewal to the world. The lyrics describe the Maharaja as a being of extraordinary beauty and grace, who has the ability to draw upon the forces of nature and to bring forth their hidden potential. He is associated with the sun, the moon, and the flowers, which are all imbued with his spirit and his blessings.
The song is rich in symbolism and evocative imagery, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that invites the listener to immerse themselves in a fantasy world. The lyrics suggest that the Maharaja is not only a physical figure, but also a spiritual entity that embodies the highest values of love, wisdom, and compassion. He is able to communicate with nature and to understand its secrets, and he uses his power to heal and to protect the earth.
The chorus of the song speaks of a newborn son, which represents a new beginning and a hope for the future. The phrase "trust will come within the newborn son" suggests that the Maharaja's legacy will live on through the generations, and that his teachings and values will endure. The song is a beautiful and inspiring piece that celebrates the power of imagination and creativity, and the ability of human beings to connect with the divine.
Line by Line Meaning
When the Ma-
As soon as the Maharaja arrives
Haraja comes
He brings goodness and joy
He brings the sun
He brings light and warmth
He draws upon
He gives power to
The moon
The influence of nature
And all the flowers
All the beauty of the world
Bloom
Blossoms and flourishes
There he whispers
The Maharaja speaks softly
Onto the air
His words reach everyone
A grace
A peacefulness
So pure and fair
So serene and pleasant
And nature’s voice
The sounds of the earth
Will sing to him
Will harmonize with him
And lift his heart
And inspire him
Upon his wing
To new heights
To palaces
To wonderful places
Of light and gold
Full of brightness and richness
The breath of life
The essence of existence
Will there unfold
Will manifest completely
And there are born
And there exist
The sacred things
The treasures of life
That can’t be touched
That are unattainable
Or bound by strings
Or limited by anything
A soil unbruised
An unspoiled ground
By human pain
By human damage
He brings the rain
He brings healing and renewal
And there he's washed
And there he's refreshed
By heavens tears
By divine intervention
And gone are all
All prior
His deepest fears
His most profound worries
And trust
And faith
Will come
Will arise
Within
Inside
The newborn son
The new creation
The newborn son
The new creation
The newborn son
The new creation
Contributed by Sebastian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tammy Baker Samuelson
on Mirror Medusa
Does anyone know what she's saying in the song Mirror Medusa?
Becky Evans Davis
on Sleep
so deep in slumber that you shan't know you're wanderin'.
sleep
Becky Evans Davis
on Sleep
my ear attends to you