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.
Mother Fist
Marc Almond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seems like I'll never get loved
Got me a hand on this brother of mine
And I'm gonna get me the rub
Turn me the lights down to a purple glow
Put Bessie Smith on the wail
Bring me the five young daughters
And help my ship to set sail
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
I just have to need her
She cries give me the word
When I'm downtown in Barcelona
When I'm pissed or when I'm pissed off
Mother Fist just gives me her tender kiss
And some of her sexy stuff
And I lock my door from the inside
Turn my mind to sweet sweet pain
And I wail just like Yma Sumac
Mother Fist she never complains
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
I just have to need her
She cries give me the word
Now I don't care if I'm in a prison
In confinement solitary
A soldier lost in the legion
Or a sailor out on the sea
A beggar, thief or a rich man
A gunman mercenary
A one legged crook
An Armenian cook
As long as my mother's with me
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
I just have to need her
She cries give me the word
The song "Mother Fist" by Marc Almond is a fascinating insight into the human condition, and the search for love that we all go through. The lyrics start by describing the loneliness that the singer has been feeling for many years, and how they fear they will never find love. However, they have found solace in their hand, which they call their "brother". The singer then asks for the lights to be turned down, and for Bessie Smith to be played on the wail, which is an old-fashioned phonograph. They then ask for "five young daughters" to be brought to them, which is a somewhat ambiguous line but likely refers to five young women who they wish to have sex with.
The chorus of the song is "Mother Fist never gets angry, Mother Fist she never gets bored, I don't have to feed her, I just have to need her, She cries give me the word". Mother Fist is the name that the singer has given to their hand, and the chorus describes their utter dependence on it. The second verse tells us that Mother Fist can provide comfort to the singer regardless of where they are or what situation they find themselves in. Whether they are "downtown in Barcelona" or "a soldier lost in the legion", they are comforted by their hand. They then describe how they lock themselves in their room and turn their mind to "sweet sweet pain", which is likely a reference to masochism. The last lines of the song reveal that the singer doesn't care what situation they are in, as long as they have their hand with them.
Overall, "Mother Fist" is a unique and intriguing song that explores themes of love, loneliness, and self-satisfaction. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous and can be interpreted in different ways, but it's clear that the singer has a deep dependence on their hand and sees it as a sexual and emotional partner. The song has an unusual blend of sexual and spiritual themes, and the chorus is catchy and memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
Well now I've been on my own for many a year
I have been living alone for a long time
Seems like I'll never get loved
It feels like I won't ever find someone to love me
Got me a hand on this brother of mine
I have control over my own life and choices
And I'm gonna get me the rub
I will get what I want
Turn me the lights down to a purple glow
Dim the lights to create a mood
Put Bessie Smith on the wail
Play emotional blues music
Bring me the five young daughters
Provide me with companionship and pleasure
And help my ship to set sail
Let me enjoy my fantasies and desires
Mother Fist never gets angry
My imaginary partner never gets upset
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I can rely on my imaginary partner to always be there for me
I don't have to feed her
I don't need to take care of her physical needs
I just have to need her
All I need to do is desire her presence
She cries give me the word
My imaginary partner is always ready to please me
When I'm downtown in Barcelona
Regardless of where I am or what I'm doing
When I'm pissed or when I'm pissed off
Whether I'm angry or not
Mother Fist just gives me her tender kiss
My imaginary partner provides me with comfort and affection
And some of her sexy stuff
I indulge in sexual fantasies with my imaginary partner
And I lock my door from the inside
I isolate myself from the world
Turn my mind to sweet sweet pain
I embrace emotional and physical pain
And I wail just like Yma Sumac
I express myself through music and song
Mother Fist she never complains
My imaginary partner is always willing and satisfied
Now I don't care if I'm in a prison
I don't mind hardships or difficulties
In confinement solitary
Even if I'm alone or in isolation
A soldier lost in the legion
Regardless of my profession or status
Or a sailor out on the sea
Regardless of where I am in the world
A beggar, thief or a rich man
Regardless of my wealth or poverty
A gunman mercenary
Regardless of my profession or actions
A one legged crook
Regardless of my physical state
An Armenian cook
Regardless of my ethnicity or job
As long as my mother's with me
As long as I have my imaginary partner, I am content
She cries give me the word
My imaginary partner is always ready to please me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ALMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Despina P
Well now I've been on my own for many a year
Seems like I'll never get loved
Got me a hand on this brother of mine
And I'm gonna get me the rub
Turn me the lights down to a purple glow
Put Bessie Smith on the wail
Bring me the five young daughters
And help my ship to set sail
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
I just have to need her
She cries give me the word
When I'm downtown in Barcelona
When I'm pissed or when I'm pissed off
Mother Fist just gives me her tender kiss
And some of her sexy stuff
And I lock my door from the inside
Turn my mind to sweet sweet pain
And I wail just like Yma Sumac
Mother Fist she never complains
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
Despina P
Well now I've been on my own for many a year
Seems like I'll never get loved
Got me a hand on this brother of mine
And I'm gonna get me the rub
Turn me the lights down to a purple glow
Put Bessie Smith on the wail
Bring me the five young daughters
And help my ship to set sail
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
I just have to need her
She cries give me the word
When I'm downtown in Barcelona
When I'm pissed or when I'm pissed off
Mother Fist just gives me her tender kiss
And some of her sexy stuff
And I lock my door from the inside
Turn my mind to sweet sweet pain
And I wail just like Yma Sumac
Mother Fist she never complains
Mother Fist never gets angry
Mother Fist she never gets bored
I don't have to feed her
michealbarone
Beautiful song I have this song and album
Werner Kanapin
Musikalisch gut - anregende Texte - traurig aber wahr
Mayloni Minchew
I will help Marc. Just lay back and I will do all the work. Anything you want.
anklamer
@Gerald Hödl he´s just full of love
Gerald Hödl
okay, he is weird :-)
Susan Byron
He strikes me more as “Omnisexual”, to be honest. Especially back in the day. It seems that “gay” would just be far too limiting for one such as Marc. };->
Gerald Hödl
He's gay....
Vangelis Petridis
yhank you
Barry West
You don't have to understand the words or the true meaning, but popularity can only be judged by the views!