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.
Tenderness Is a Weakness
Marc Almond Lyrics
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Kept herself under lock and key
Just her sorrows for all to see
She would break up and cry for me
Throw her away
Blow the ash from the ashtray
Leave her alone to play
Leave her alone to pray
And now you wonder why
I put out the flame to die
I'll hold on to my mystery
Secrets that make up me
In what's real and fantasy
Tenderness is a weakness
It tears down your fortresses
Makes you easy access
Tenderness is a weakness
It makes you so vulnerable
He was always alone
Told me he liked it best that way
Just a victim of circumstance
Just a loser who'd lost his chance
Truth, love and lies
They were all and the same to him
But he'd never given in
To the ultimate sin
And now you wonder why
I put out the flame in my eyes
I'll hold on to my mystery
Secrets that make up me
In what's real and fantasy
Tenderness is a weakness
It tears down your fortresses
Makes you easy access (and I guess that)
Tenderness is a weakness
It makes you so vulnerable
To that sick dangerous feeling
We all know as love
I cried for you
I even lied for you
I died a thousand times for you
I committed endless crimes for you
I sold my soul to some Devil
To do with what he will
Now I'll lock up my heart
And throw away the key
Love have no part in my destiny
Love have no part in my destiny
And tenderness is a weakness
And tenderness is a weakness
Turns you into a quivering mess (and I guess that)
Tenderness is a weakness
Is a weakness
Tenderness is a weakness
Turns you into a quivering mess (and I guess that)
Tenderness is a weakness
Oh love stay away
Stay away from me
The lyrics to "Tenderness is a Weakness" by Marc Almond & The Willing Sinners portrays two characters who are always lonely and have faced rejection in love. The singer describes the vulnerability and weakness that tenderness brings, as it tears down their emotional walls and makes them susceptible to the hurt that comes with love. The lyrics are packed with deep emotions, as we see the singer agonizing over the consequences of allowing oneself to be vulnerable in love.
The song presents a contrasting view of love, where it is seen as dangerous, sickening, and something to be avoided at all costs. It seems like both characters have been hurt before and have now resolved to keep their hearts locked away, never to be touched by love again. They are willing to commit any crime, and even sell their souls to the devil to avoid the pain that comes with heartbreak.
Overall, the lyrics suggest that the fear of being vulnerable in love can be crippling, and for some people, it is better to avoid love altogether than go through the pain and heartbreak it may bring. It is a powerful message that will resonate with anyone who has faced rejection or heartbreak in love.
Line by Line Meaning
She was always alone
She preferred to be alone
Kept herself under lock and key
She deliberately kept herself guarded
Just her sorrows for all to see
She made it obvious that she was unhappy
She would break up and cry for me
She was emotionally affected by their relationship
Throw her away
The artist wants to end the relationship
Blow the ash from the ashtray
The singer wants to move on
Leave her alone to play
The singer wants to be free
Leave her alone to pray
The artist wants to focus on their own life
And now you wonder why
The artist is addressing someone who is questioning their actions
I put out the flame to die
The artist ended the relationship
I'll hold on to my mystery
The singer chooses not to reveal everything about themselves
Secrets that make up me
The artist has a personal history that has shaped them
In what's real and fantasy
The singer is influenced by both reality and imagination
Tenderness is a weakness
Being vulnerable makes a person weak
It tears down your fortresses
Being vulnerable makes a person's defences less strong
Makes you easy access
Being vulnerable makes a person easier to approach and hurt
It makes you so vulnerable
Being vulnerable is dangerous
He was always alone
He preferred to be alone
Told me he liked it best that way
He was content with being alone
Just a victim of circumstance
His situation was beyond his control
Just a loser who'd lost his chance
He had missed out on opportunities
Truth, love and lies
He had faced both positive and negative experiences
They were all and the same to him
He had become indifferent to the concept of truth and love
But he'd never given in
He had never let himself become vulnerable
To the ultimate sin
Being vulnerable is considered a sin
I cried for you
The singer was emotionally affected by their relationship
I even lied for you
The singer had compromised their honesty for the relationship
I died a thousand times for you
The artist had endured endless pain for the relationship
I committed endless crimes for you
The artist had done immoral things for the relationship
I sold my soul to some Devil
The singer had made a questionable deal for the relationship
To do with what he will
The singer had surrendered control of their life
Now I'll lock up my heart
The artist will not let themselves become vulnerable again
And throw away the key
The artist is committed to not letting anyone in
Love have no part in my destiny
The artist does not want love in their life
Tenderness is a weakness
Being vulnerable makes a person weak
Turns you into a quivering mess
Being vulnerable makes a person unable to handle themselves
And tenderness is a weakness
Being vulnerable is dangerous
Oh love stay away
The singer wants to avoid love
Stay away from me
The singer does not want to be hurt again
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ALMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind