Marc Almond has had a long and varied career spanning circa 40 years. During this time, after a career with Soft Cell and Marc and the Mambas, he has collaborated with an extremely wide range of artists including Antony and The Johnsons, Jools Holland, Siouxsie Sioux, Nick Cave, P.J. Proby, Nico, Kelli Ali of the Sneaker Pimps, Neal X (on the albums Fantastic Star and Open All Night), Marie France, Agnes Bernelle, Lydia Lunch, Gene Pitney on the #1 UK single "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart", Foetus (a.k.a. J. G. Thirlwell), Jimmy Somerville of The Communards and Bronski Beat, Psychic TV, Coil, Sally Timms of Mekons, King Roc, John Cale and David Johansen of The New York Dolls and German band Rosenstolz.
Almond initially shot to fame in the early 1980s as one half of synth duo Soft Cell, whose combination of drama and peep show sleaze set to an electronic beat gave them hits such as "Tainted Love" (UK #1), "Bedsitter" (UK #3), "Torch" (UK #2), "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" (UK #3), "Soul Inside" (UK # 16), "What?" (UK #3) and the club hit "Memorabilia". They were first spotted by David Oddie, boss of Wakefield based Ambergris Records in a Bradford club, who passed his enthusiasm onto Dead Good Records in Lincoln, famous for their Hicks From The Sticks compilation, who in turn approached Polygram, the newly formed amalgam of Polydor and Phonogram. Although Soft Cell disbanded in 1984 just before the release of fourth album, This Last Night In Sodom, the duo reunited in 2001 for live shows and in 2002 released a new album entitled Cruelty Without Beauty, from which the single "The Night" (UK #39) was taken.
His biggest UK hits as a solo artist have been cover versions; the aforementioned 1989 number one duet with Gene Pitney and another near chart-topper in 1991 with David McWilliams' "The Days of Pearly Spencer", which peaked at #4. In 1985, he duetted with Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat on a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love (Medley)" and it hit #3. The highest UK positions his self-penned singles have reached so far have been "Stories of Johnny" (#23 in 1985), "Tears Run Rings" (#28 in 1988) and "Adored and Explored" (#25 in 1995).
Almond's work runs the gamut from electronica and dance music to French chanson, traditional piano ballads, and Russian romance songs, as exhibited on his 2003 album Heart on Snow. Influences include David Bowie, a childhood hero of his, as well as early 1960s Northern Soul and disco. Other major influences have been Scott Walker from Walker Brothers and Jacques Brel, 12 of whose songs Almond reworked in English for his 1989 album Jacques. Almond's own lyrics are a creative expression of what he sees and are not to be confused with his own life. He also operates a record label, Blue Star Music, on which he has released many of his solo and collaborative records in the UK.
Almond currently lives in the Bermondsey area of south east London. In his autobiography he describes previously living in Earl's Court, in a converted church in Fulham and most memorably in Soho's Berwick Street, where he lived in a flat overlooking the Raymond Revuebar.
Lights
Marc Almond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Taking in the sights and pleasures
Sometimes it feels so good to be alive
From theatre to bar
From cabaret to car
I forget to cry
Forget the reasons why
City lights
In my head
Blue and red
In my eyes
Make me spin
Help forget the pain I'm in
Lights
City lights
Make me dream
Of other nights
In my eyes
Make me spin
Helps me forget everything
Out in the lights
Disco tears
Chandeliers
Laser beams
And broken dreams
Out in the lights
Disco tears
Chandeliers
Laser beams
And broken dreams
Kicking up my step
Even when it's rainy weather
Sometimes it's even good
To feel the rain
As a night club calls me in
I let go of everything
I forget the past
The past's not gonna last
Lights
Flashing lights
In my head
Blue and red
In my eyes
Make me spin
Help forget the pain I'm in
Lights
Flashing lights
Make me dream
Of other nights
Laser beams
Mirror ball
Help me to forget it all
Glitter on my pillow
And a longing in my heart
When the night is over
Wishing I was in your arms
Though it's just imagination
That plays tricks of the mind
When I'm out in the lights
I leave all my tears behind
Behind
I leave all my tears behind
I leave all my tears behind
Out in the lights
I leave all my tears behind
Out in the lights
Out in the lights
Lights
City lights
In my head
Blue and red
In my eyes
Make me spin
Help forget the pain I'm in
Lights
Flashing lights
Make me dream
Of other nights
In my eyes
Make me spin
Help me forget everything
I'm dancing through my tears
I'm dancing while I cry
Out in the lights
I leave all my tears behind
Mirrors in my eyes
Dazzle in my mind
Blinded by the mirror ball
I can forget it all
Stars are in the sky
Colours pass me by
When the spotlight's on
All my troubles gone
The song "Lights" by Marc Almond combines different themes such as the city nightlife, disco, and broken dreams. The songwriter describes walking down the street and enjoying the city's sights and pleasures, forgetting about the reasons why he might cry. He mentions going to a night club where the lights, the laser beams, and the disco tears and chandeliers make him forget the pain he is in. The chorus repeats the words "Lights, City lights" and "Flashing lights," which seem to symbolize not only the nighttime city lights but also the distractions of the disco and that help him forget about his troubles.
The second verse continues with the theme of the nightclub and how it calls him in, making him forget about his past and any tears he may have shed. The bridge features a longing in his heart and how he wishes he was in someone's arms, although it seems to be just his imagination. As the chorus repeats and fades out, he is dancing through his tears, seemingly content in the nightclub, where all his troubles are gone.
The lyrics of the song "Lights" seem to suggest that the nightlife, with all its distractions, can help us forget about our problems, at least temporarily. The bright lights, disco tears, and chandeliers can create a different atmosphere than our daily lives, allowing us to dream and forget our troubles. However, it is ultimately just a temporary relief, and we must eventually face the problems we left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking down the street
I start on a leisurely walk
Taking in the sights and pleasures
I am experiencing the joys of the city
Sometimes it feels so good to be alive
I appreciate being alive
From theatre to bar
I transition to different places
From cabaret to car
I change from a place of entertainment to a mode of transportation
I forget to cry
I am happy and not crying
Forget the reasons why
I am not worrying about anything that would make me cry
Lights
Seeing bright lights in entertainment areas
City lights
the glittering urban environment
In my head
Mental perception of the environment around me
Blue and red
Colors of the neon lights
In my eyes
perception of the author
Make me spin
I'm entertained by the sight
Help forget the pain I'm in
Forgetting the pain and troubles in my life
Make me dream
transporting into another time, space, or world
Of other nights
Reminiscing about other fun times
Make me spin
keeping the author entertained by the environment
Helps me forget everything
Relieves the author of his mental pain
Disco tears
Crying in a disco environment
Chandeliers
A fancy hanging light, often in a ballroom
Laser beams
Laser lights at a concert or entertainment venue
And broken dreams
Feelings of disappointment or sadness
Kicking up my step
The author is energetically walking or strutting
Even when it's rainy weather
Even though the weather is rainy and gloomy
Sometimes it's even good
The author enjoys it
To feel the rain
the author really likes feeling the rain
As a night club calls me in
The author enters a night club environment
I let go of everything
I stop worrying
I forget the past
The author is trying to ignore the past
The past's not gonna last
the past is over and done with
Flashing lights
Lights changing regularly or quickly
Mirror ball
A ball-shaped mirror used to reflect bright lights back to the environment
Glitter on my pillow
Figurative glitter is on my pillow, i.e., happiness
And a longing in my heart
A deep yearning for someone or something
When the night is over
The night's entertainment has ended
Wishing I was in your arms
The author yearns to be held
Though it's just imagination
thinking it is unreal but wishing it was real
That plays tricks of the mind
Imagination deceives the mind
I leave all my tears behind
the author is happy and leaving behind all the troubles
Dancing while I cry
Dancing even though the author is crying
Out in the lights
In an environment of entertainment and bright lights
Mirrors in my eyes
Enlightening the dark that surrounds the author
Dazzle in my mind
Mind is full of dazzling images
Blinded by the mirror ball
the author can't see anything
I can forget it all
The author can forget about everything that is troubling him
Stars are in the sky
The night sky is full of stars
Colours pass me by
Various colors like neon pass by the author while walking at night
When the spotlight's on
when the author is the center of attention
All my troubles gone
Author can forget all his troubles while dancing in the spotlight
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind