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.
The Frost Comes Tomorrow
Marc Almond Lyrics
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The voice in your soul that cried follow (follow)
Told you of treasures of silver and gold
Locked up in an heart that seemed hollow (hollow)
Secretly yearning to open the gate
To escape from your hurt and your sorrow (sorrow)
Painfully learning the cost of experience
You were always in a world of your own
At night leaving out food for the angels (angels)
You tried hard to capture them like little birds
You would keep them in cages forever and ever
Frightened by all that seemed golden and pure causing
All around you hurt and sorrow (sorrow)
Painfully learning the cost of experience
Comes with the frost of tomorrow
Resisting temptaion to unlock your heart
Living all of the time you could borrow (borrow)
Afraid to be free in a world without freedom
A life spent from to shadow to shadow (to shadow)
Once back in time in a white house of dreams
You hid all of your hurt and your sorrow (sorrow)
Painfully learning the cost of experience
Comes with the frost of tomorrow
Though you search all your life for what
Lay in your heart
And the treasure
The pleasure you follow
Painfully learning the cost of experience
Comes with the frost of tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
The cost comes tomorrow
Tomorrow, tomorrow
You're learning tomorrow
Painfully learning the cost of experience
Comes with the frost of tomorrow
The song "The Frost Comes Tomorrow" by Marc Almond is a poignant reflection on the cost of experience in life. The opening lines describe a weary individual who has retreated from the world, guided only by the voice within them that speaks of hidden treasures buried deep within their own heart. The lyrics suggest a sense of isolation and confusion, as the person yearns to be free but fears the consequences of unlocking their heart.
Throughout the song, struggles with pain, sorrow, and fear are expressed. The portrayal of the person leaving food for angels at night serves as a metaphor for their attempt to capture and possess purity and goodness in a world that often seems cruel and cold. The lyrics suggest that this attempt to hold onto what is pure and good only deepens the feeling of isolation and pain.
The refrain, "painfully learning the cost of experience comes with the frost of tomorrow," suggests that no matter how hard we try to hold onto what is good and pure in life, difficult experiences and painful lessons are inevitable. The song ends with a sense of acceptance and resignation, acknowledging that the cost of experience must be paid, even if the price is high.
Overall, "The Frost Comes Tomorrow" is a powerful meditation on the challenges of growing up and learning to navigate a complex and often painful world.
Line by Line Meaning
Weary of life you retired from the world
You were tired of living and disconnected from the world
The voice in your soul that cried follow (follow)
You had an inner voice telling you to follow hidden treasures
Told you of treasures of silver and gold
The treasures you were looking for were materialistic and valuable
Locked up in an heart that seemed hollow (hollow)
You felt empty and had a void inside your heart
Secretly yearning to open the gate
You secretly desired to escape from your pain and suffering
To escape from your hurt and your sorrow (sorrow)
You wanted to run away from your emotional pain and sadness
Painfully learning the cost of experience
You realized that gaining experience comes with a painful cost
Comes with the frost of tomorrow
The consequences of your actions will occur in the future
You were always in a world of your own
You lived in a solitary world of your own
At night leaving out food for the angels (angels)
You had an imaginary world where you believed in angels and cared for them
You tried hard to capture them like little birds
You struggled to hold onto your beliefs and imagination that were precious to you
You would keep them in cages forever and ever
You held onto your beliefs and imagination and didn't want to let them go
Frightened by all that seemed golden and pure causing
You were scared of anything that appeared to be pure and valuable
All around you hurt and sorrow (sorrow)
You saw pain and sadness everywhere around you
Resisting temptation to unlock your heart
You avoided opening up your heart to others
Living all of the time you could borrow (borrow)
You were scared of living life to the fullest and taking risks
Afraid to be free in a world without freedom
You feared being truly free in a world that lacked freedom
A life spent from to shadow to shadow (to shadow)
You lived life as an outsider and avoided the light
Once back in time in a white house of dreams
You reflected on a time in the past when you had hopeful dreams
You hid all of your hurt and your sorrow (sorrow)
You kept your pain and sadness hidden from others
Though you search all your life for what
Despite your lifelong search for...
Lay in your heart
...what you truly desired...
And the treasure
...the treasure you were after...
The pleasure you follow
...the pleasure you followed...
Tomorrow, tomorrow
In the future...
The cost comes tomorrow
...you will have to face the consequences of your actions...
You're learning tomorrow
...which will be a painful but valuable experience...
Lyrics © WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC INC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ALMOND, ANNE HOGAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind