The Serpent & The Dove
Lisa Gerrard Lyrics
Once there was a secret union
A serpent and a dove
Enchanted by their beauty
They found a perfect love
Although the garden was lost to them
They sought a purity
They're shown by the sunlight
A gate into the sea
A home there to be
There they lived beyond all reason
Acquainted by their dreams
But one in true affection
Their souls would be redeemed
The dolphin song
Fell sweetly on their ears
In sacred tears
They called for our saviour
To cast away their fears
They prayed there for years
Once there was a sacred union
A dolphin and a whale
The purity within them
No other could avail
The song incited a peace
Within their frail and gentle ways
They softly embraced us
And sought the souls of sails
They praised us in vain
Once there was a magic union
A beetle and a frog
Their songs were so enchanted
They mystified the fog
Although their singing
Was not the sweetest sound
They called the morning
And bore up a guardianship
On those unborn
Hence, warning
Transcending dreams
There was a frightening union
A sailor and a gun
?
And murdered just for fun
All their laughter
Bore tears to those afraid
They slayed, and dared
That others would seize them
And leave them cold and scared
They wasted
And murdered
They wasted
And orphaned
Contributed by Hailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Lisa Gerrard (born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer who rose to prominence as part of the music group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. In addition to singing, she is an instrumentalist for much of her work, most prolifically using the yangqin (a Chinese hammered dulcimer).
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. Read Full BioLisa Gerrard (born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer who rose to prominence as part of the music group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. In addition to singing, she is an instrumentalist for much of her work, most prolifically using the yangqin (a Chinese hammered dulcimer).
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.
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. Read Full BioLisa Gerrard (born 12 April 1961) is an Australian musician, singer and composer who rose to prominence as part of the music group Dead Can Dance with music partner Brendan Perry. In addition to singing, she is an instrumentalist for much of her work, most prolifically using the yangqin (a Chinese hammered dulcimer).
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.
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Galactic Gifts
Once there was a secret union
A serpent and a dove
Enchanted by their beauty
They found a perfect love
Although the garden was lost to them
They sought a purity
They're shown by the sunlight
A gate into the sea
A home there to be
There they lived beyond all reason
Acquainted by their dreams
But one in true affection
Their souls would be redeemed
The dolphin song
Fell sweetly on their ears
In sacred tears
They called for our saviour
To cast away their fears
They prayed there for years
Once there was a sacred union
A dolphin and a whale
The purity within them
No other could avail
The song incited a peace
Within their frail and gentle ways
They softly embraced us
And sought the souls of sails
They praised us in vain
Once there was a magic union
A beetle and a frog
Their songs were so enchanted
They mystified the fog
Although their singing
Was not the sweetest sound
They called the morning
And bore up a guardianship
On those unborn
Hence, warning
Transcending dreams
There was a frightening union
A sailor and a gun
?
And murdered just for fun
All their laughter
Bore tears to those afraid
They slayed, and dared
That others would seize them
And leave them cold and scared
They wasted
And murdered
They wasted
And orphaned
Galactic Gifts
Once there was a secret union
A serpent and a dove
Enchanted by their beauty
They found a perfect love
Although the garden was lost to them
They sought a purity
They're shown by the sunlight
A gate into the sea
A home there to be
There they lived beyond all reason
Acquainted by their dreams
But one in true affection
Their souls would be redeemed
The dolphin song
Fell sweetly on their ears
In sacred tears
They called for our saviour
To cast away their fears
They prayed there for years
Once there was a sacred union
A dolphin and a whale
The purity within them
No other could avail
The song incited a peace
Within their frail and gentle ways
They softly embraced us
And sought the souls of sails
They praised us in vain
Once there was a magic union
A beetle and a frog
Their songs were so enchanted
They mystified the fog
Although their singing
Was not the sweetest sound
They called the morning
And bore up a guardianship
On those unborn
Hence, warning
Transcending dreams
There was a frightening union
A sailor and a gun
?
And murdered just for fun
All their laughter
Bore tears to those afraid
They slayed, and dared
That others would seize them
And leave them cold and scared
They wasted
And murdered
They wasted
And orphaned
Annastatsea
This song is just beautiful, beyond a song from the soul of beauty and sorrow, and sadness crying for undersatnding of compassion on this warrior planet...Peace and warmth always to you Lisa ~A
pillsburydilldough66
It reminds me of Greek Mythology. Simple but deep stories about metaphors for living in this world and such a good song. I was looking for this song. Thanks for posting so I can share with others. Maybe the people I share this link with, will go buy her album and maybe they will buy some Dead Can Dance albums too. :)
ziraxis
absolutely amazing ! I just LOVE her poems like the secret gardener, black opal, come quietly and this one... I don-t know if she has others to ... but so far I must say: this is .. art !
TJ Malana
This is like the most peaceful and soothing song I have heard. Lisa has a very unique range. I think this is the calmest song she sang.
pillsburydilldough66
This song and this album reminds me of something different from her earlier work. This song reminds me of Dead Can Dance/Mazzy Star/Death In June. I love it. Beautiful music!
oscar armando pinochi
Her voice comes from deep inside the earth and it goes far away in heaven.....
Karen Lm
I'm entranced by this song. Excellent for visual meditation; at least for me. Thank you for posting!
snoutout
Her music transcends genres and even dimensions.
enrico sizzermani
Mytisch verhaal vorm gegeven met gevoel en zang. Prachtig!