Hailing from York, Pennsylvania, the group is comprised of Ed Kowalczyk (lead vocals & guitar), Chad Taylor (lead guitar), Patrick Dahlheimer (bass) and Chad Gracey (drums). Since approximately 1999, Live has toured with Ed’s younger brother, Adam Kowalczyk as a rhythm guitarist, and, previously, British keyboardist Michael “Railo” Railton.
Kowalczyk, Taylor, Dahlheimer, and Gracey first came together for a middle-school talent show in the Pennsylvania blue-collar town of York. The group remained together throughout high school, going through a handful of band names and new-wave covers before settling on the moniker Public Affection and recording a self-released cassette of originals, The Death of a Dictionary, in 1989. Frequent trips into New York to play at CBGB helped net the band a deal with Radioactive Records in 1991. With the new name Live, the band entered the studio with former Talking Heads keyboardist Jerry Harrison that year and began recording the EP Four Songs. The single “Operation spirit (the tyranny of tradition)” went to #9 on the Modern Rock chart, and paved the way for the band’s Harrison-produced, full-length debut, 1991’s Mental Jewelry (#73). The album lyrics, penned by Kowalczyk, were heavily inspired by Indian guru Jiddu Krishnamurti.
Fueled by heavy touring (including billing at Woodstock ‘94 and Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD tour) and a string of hit singles (“I Alone”, “All Over You” and the #1 Modern Rock hits “Selling the drama” and “Lightning crashes”), their next album, Throwing Copper, went to #1 in 1994. It is their best-selling, and often most highly regarded by fans and critics, album to date. The band was even asked to perform on Saturday Night Live where they performed their hits “I Alone” and “Selling the Drama” and to this day, they are the only band to receive a standing ovation at the party after the broadcast.[citation needed]
The momentum continued long enough to help 1997’s Secret Samadhi (coproduced by the band and Jay Healey) debut at #1. Deriving its name from a state of Hindu meditation, the album spawned four Modern Rock hit singles, but failed to match its predecessor’s success, with sales topping off at 2 million. The band performed “lakini’s juice” and “Heropsychodreamer” from this album on NBC’s Saturday Night Live.
Harrison came back on board as coproducer for 1999’s The Distance to Here, which debuted at #4 and featured the minor US hit single “The Dolphin’s Cry.”
In September 2001, the more experimental V (originally scheduled to be titled “Ecstatic Fanatic”) was issued to mixed reviews, preceded by “Simple creed” as the first single. However, with the events of 9/11—which occurred a week before V ‘s release—the melancholic “Overcome” began receiving significant airplay, superseding “Simple Creed” and becoming V’s selling point. Unfortunately, Live’s commercial stock—compounded by their petering radio airplay—had fallen further since The Distance to Here, with V merely reaching #22 at home, failing to reach gold status.
Birds of Pray appeared in May 2003, bolstered by the unexpected success of “Heaven”, Live’s first US Hot 100-placing since “The Dolphin’s Cry.” Reaching #28, Birds of Pray ultimately outsold V, although it too received mixed reviews and failed to reach gold status.
In November 2004, Live released Awake: The Best of Live, a career-spanning compilation that included “We deal in dreams”, a previously unreleased song from the Throwing Copper sessions, and a cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line”, as well as Birds of Pray’s “Run Away”, re-imagined with Shelby Lynne on co-lead vocals.
In 2005, Live signed with Sony BMG Music Entertainment’s Epic label, and released a new album entitled Songs From Black Mountain in June 2006, preceded by “The river” as lead single. Thus far, while the album has achieved international success, it has proven Live’s lowest-seller yet domestically, only reaching #52 in the US before quickly disappearing from the charts.
While Live remain only moderately popular in terms of record sales in the United States, much of their current sales come from places in Europe, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Ed Kowalczyk has said that “Holland is the center of the Live universe” [citation needed].
The group made news in January 2006 as three band members (Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and touring rhythm guitar Adam Kowalczyk) and two members of the band’s road crew were on a United Airlines flight when smoke filled the cabin, requiring the pilot to make an emergency landing.
On season 5 of American Idol, finalist Chris Daughtry was accused of performing Live’s rendition of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” and calling it his own. This angered some Live fans, but one week later Daughtry acknowledged it was not his own rendition, even saying Live was one of his favorite bands. In May 2006, Live appeared on The Howard Stern Show and addressed this issue.
On May 24, 2006, the band and Chris Daughtry performed “Mystery” on the season finale of American Idol, and on June 7, a new version of “Mystery” was released on the Friends of Live website featuring Chris Daughtry on guest vocals.
The members of Live announced in June 2009 that the band would be taking a two-year hiatus as they work on other projects. On November 30, 2009, guitarist Chad Taylor confirmed that the hiatus of the band was most likely a permanent rift. See the Wikipedia page for more. During the first European tour of the new band of Taylor, Gracey and Dahlheimer (The Gracious Few), Taylor commented both on stage and in post-show discussions that he believes Live may still come back together, though he also stated that the chances of Kowalczyk joining them in this effort may be very small. In an exclusive blogpost[1] on website The Comet, Taylor confirmed that the remaining members of the band would be working on new material for Live in Nashville early July 2011.
The band returned from their nearly three-year hiatus on March 12, 2012, with Chris Shinn, formerly of Unified Theory, as their new lead singer. The new line-up performed before an invited audience at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center in York. The band performed as a six-piece with The Gracious Few's Sean Hennesy on guitar and Alexander Lefever on keyboards
[1]: http://thecomet.com/posts/exclusive_blog_chad_taylor_talks_the_gracious_few_and_live
There's another band with the same name:
2. Live was a 70s-era Progressive Rock group from Germany. Formed in 1971, the outfit appeared to be a strangely named band indeed.
In October 1972 their guitarist Martin Knaden went to Curly Curve. Throughout their history only one member has remained, the multi-talented keyboards and flute player Norbert Aufmhof. Although in existence for a decade Live never got to record a proper studio album, or gain a contract, which surely they should have. Maybe the band name was a bit of a jinx?!
Their earlier history was originally just documented by a single. Only more recently did an LP surface collecting 1974 recordings. Quite obviously a collection of rehearsal session tapes, the LP reveals a band with promise albeit rather grottily recorded with often barely understandable muffled lyrics in English. Musically, there are nods to early Satin Whale and Jane, but with lots of classical touches, notably Grieg and Bach, and a penchant to meander rather nicely during the instrumentals.
Based on the ROCK OFFERS track "Sea Fever", they had blossomed and changed focus somewhat, as a much more sophisticated symphonic progressive of the Pancake and Jane type, typical of the mid/late-1970's.
In all, during their history, three different versions of Live existed, but eventually the band split in 1976. A full history of the band is included in the GEVELSBERG CD, which documents other oddments, sessions, and a live recording!
The Sanctity Of Dreams
Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ride a Harley through the heart of danger
Pick up a pen and fight a war for the right to dream
I was seventeen
Give up my house, sleep for nights on concrete
Meditate with all the bums on Vine Street
No more running, no more hiding in the house of the dead
I believe in the sanctity of dreams
No more running from these masqueraders
I believe that society will never dream like me
I dream of loving, of the empty graveyard
I dream of Vegas and the transcendental wildcard
A place where no one waits to die before they go into the light
And just the blind have sight
I follow nothing but the compass of my instinct
No matter where it leads, I know it will take me to the brink
And leave me there by myself and all alone with my dreams
Can you hear my scream?
I believe in the sanctity of dreams
No more running from these masqueraders
I believe that society will never dream like me
Never dream like me
Society will never dream like me
Never dream like me
Ooh ooh ooh
I believe in the sanctity of dreams
No more running from these masqueraders
I believe that society will never dream like me
Oh-oh
I believe in the sanctity of dreams
No more running from these masqueraders
I believe that society will never dream like me
Never dream like me
Society
Society will never dream like me
Society
Society
Society will never dream like me
The lyrics of The Sanctity Of Dreams by Live explore the theme of chasing your dreams and the uniqueness of an individual's dreams. The opening lines of the song, "Paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa, Ride a Harley through the heart of danger," convey the idea of breaking societal norms and daring to be different. The lyricist further emphasizes the point in the line "Pick up a pen and fight a war for the right to dream". These lines collectively suggest that a dreamer needs to be bold and courageous to pursue their dreams.
The second verse of the song portrays the struggles of chasing one's dreams, including sacrificing comfort and financial security. "Give up my house, sleep for nights on concrete, Meditate with all the bums on Vine Street" indicates that one must be willing to give up almost everything to pursue something that they believe in. The verse also talks about the power of dreams and the hope it can bring to one's life when the lyricist says, "I dream of loving, of the empty graveyard, I dream of Vegas and the transcendental wildcard." The song's chorus is repetitive and ends with the line, "I believe that society will never dream like me," reinforcing the idea that the songwriter's dreams are unique.
Overall, The Sanctity Of Dreams is an anthem for dreamers who are willing to fight for their goals and aspirations even when society may not fully comprehend them. The song encourages listeners to embrace their dreams and pursue them wholeheartedly, regardless of the hardships they may face along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Paint a moustache on the Mona Lisa
Taking risks, making bold moves, and defying convention to bring more creativity into the world
Ride a Harley through the heart of danger
Feeling fearless and living life to the fullest, even in situations that may seem precarious or uncertain
Pick up a pen and fight a war for the right to dream
Striving to overcome obstacles and naysayers who may try to stifle one's aspirations or discourage one from pursuing their passions
I was seventeen
Reflecting on a time in their life when they were full of optimism and idealism, unjaded by the harsh realities of the world
Give up my house, sleep for nights on concrete
Making personal sacrifices and enduring hardships to pursue their dreams, even if it means giving up material comforts
Meditate with all the bums on Vine Street
Finding common ground with people from all walks of life, even those who are typically marginalized or overlooked by society
No more running, no more hiding in the house of the dead
Breaking free from apathy and complacency, and refusing to let their dreams die
I think I'll grow some dreads
Embracing a more unconventional, counter-culture lifestyle that rejects societal norms and expectations
I believe in the sanctity of dreams
Valuing the importance and sacredness of one's aspirations, and honoring them as a crucial part of one's sense of self
No more running from these masqueraders
Refusing to let others dictate one's path or pretend to be something they're not
I believe that society will never dream like me
Recognizing that one's unique perspective and vision may be at odds with the status quo, but remaining steadfast in their commitment to their dreams nonetheless
I dream of loving, of the empty graveyard
Imagining a life full of love, despite the inevitability of death and loss
I dream of Vegas and the transcendental wildcard
Yearning for adventure and excitement, and seeking out experiences that push the limits of the ordinary
A place where no one waits to die before they go into the light
Imagining a world where people live life on their own terms, free from the constraints imposed by societal expectations or norms
And just the blind have sight
Finding beauty and meaning in things that may be overlooked or invisible to those who only see the world in a conventional way
I follow nothing but the compass of my instinct
Trusting one's own intuition and inner guidance, even when it leads down an unconventional or uncertain path
No matter where it leads, I know it will take me to the brink
Accepting the risks and challenges that come with pursuing one's dreams, and being ready to face them head-on
And leave me there by myself and all alone with my dreams
Acknowledging that the pursuit of one's dreams can be a solitary and isolating experience, but still valuing it as a journey worth taking
Can you hear my scream?
Feeling a sense of frustration or desperation at times when the pursuit of one's dreams feels especially difficult or overwhelming
Society
Highlighting the contrast between one's own unique vision and the constraints and expectations imposed by society more broadly
Society will never dream like me
Reasserting the belief that one's perspective and aspirations are unique, valuable, and worth fighting for
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHAD ALAN GRACEY, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind