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.
Strange feeling
Marc Almond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hear an angel's voice so clearly
His wings caught in a net
He's crying "Oh please release me"
And his sad and hopeless cry
I answered in the lonely night
Don't be so afraid my angel
I'm with you on your thorny flight
(Russian words)
Strange feeling
Like a celestrial art of love
Like you're flying away
On your white wings
Of a dream
Suddenly I saw from a distance
The sky was calling you away
Oh tell me, my angel did I scare you?
Or maybe it was just the light of day
And the angel's wings unfolded
And like a bullet he flew to the endless sky
In sadness circling round the world forever
He disappeared back into the night
(Russian words)
Strange feeling
Like a celestrial art of love
Like you're flying away
On your white wings
Of a dream
Such a strange feeling
Only your lips will whisper so sadly
This naked night
Will tear us apart
Forever
Such a strange feeling
The lyrics to Marc Almond's song Strange Feeling describe a moonlit night, where the singer hears an angel's voice calling out for help. The angel's wings are caught in a net, and he pleads for someone to release him. The singer offers comfort to the angel and tells him not to be afraid, as he will accompany him on his journey. The lyrics also include some Russian words with unknown translation.
The song seems to describe a feeling of loss or separation, as the angel eventually flies away and disappears into the endless sky, leaving the singer with a sense of emptiness. The lyrics suggest a longing for something that is unattainable, like a celestial art of love or a dream that one cannot hold onto.
Overall, the song portrays a sense of loneliness and detachment, but also offers a message of hope and comfort in the face of adversity. The angel represents a guide or protector, and the singer's willingness to accompany him on his journey suggests a strong bond between the two.
Line by Line Meaning
On this moonlight night
It's a beautiful night with an exceptional feeling due to the moonlight
I hear an angel's voice so clearly
An angel is calling Marc with his voice which he can hear with such clarity
His wings caught in a net
The angel is trapped and helpless with nowhere to go
He's crying "Oh please release me"
The angel is pleading to be set free from his current predicament
And his sad and hopeless cry
The angel's cry is full of sadness, which makes Marc empathetic
I answered in the lonely night
Marc responds to the angel because he feels lonely in the same way
Don't be so afraid my angel
Marc reassures the angel and tries to give him comfort
I'm with you on your thorny flight
Marc wants to accompany the angel on his dangerous journey; he is offering his support
(Russian words)
A phrase in Russian, with no direct English translation
Strange feeling
Marc senses something strange and unusual
Like a celestial art of love
This strange feeling is something divine, a manifestation of celestial love
Like you're flying away
Marc feels like he's flying away, leaving his troubles behind
On your white wings
This flying experience is gentle and smooth, like being carried on soft, feathered wings
Of a dream
It feels like a dream because it's so surreal, and the real world seems far away
Suddenly I saw from a distance
Marc notices something in the distance that he can't quite figure
The sky was calling you away
The sky is beckoning the angel to leave this world and return to his heavenly realm
Oh tell me, my angel did I scare you?
Marc is concerned that he might have frightened the angel in some way
Or maybe it was just the light of day
Marc realizes that the sighting could have been nothing but a trick of the light
And the angel's wings unfolded
The angel prepares to take off and make his journey back to heaven
And like a bullet he flew to the endless sky
The angel takes off at a breakneck speed, flying upwards to infinity
In sadness circling round the world forever
The angel will roam the Earth for all eternity, trapped in sorrow and misery
He disappeared back into the night
The angel is gone, vanished into the darkness of night
(Russian words)
Another phrase in Russian, with no direct English translation
Strange feeling
Marc's strange feeling has returned, stronger than before
Like a celestial art of love
The feeling is palpable, a result of something divine and pure
Like you're flying away
Marc feels like he's flying again, but this time it's forever
On your white wings
He is being carried away by feathered wings
Of a dream
This experience is surrealistic and dreamlike, taking him far away from reality
Such a strange feeling
Marc is experiencing this sensation unlike anything before
Only your lips will whisper so sadly
The lips of his beloved will share the same melancholic emotions which Marc is feeling
This naked night
The journey is happening in the depth of the night, with nothing to protect Marc from the cold and loneliness
Will tear us apart forever
The night will forever separate Marc and his lover
Contributed by Mason F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.