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.
Your Kisses Burn
Marc Almond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here in my heart
Your kisses burn me
Sending sparks
Auras fade
Charisma pales
Your kisses burn
They scorch my soul
Through tempest and storm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
When your kisses burn
Why are my lips like ice?
I'll make a fire
There in your heart
Made not of love
But only hate
And for the fuel
Will be your soul
An inferno
To consume you whole
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep my heart warm
With my touch
I'll freeze your heart
Your kisses burn
The tides will turn
You brand your promise
On my tongue
I'll kill you
With this final fire
And lead you to
Your funeral pyre
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep your/my heart warm
I will take your very soul
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
I will take your very soul
These lyrics are describing a passionate and destructive relationship. The singer is being consumed by the burning passion of their partner's kisses, which are described as scorching their soul. Despite the intense heat, the singer is unable to reciprocate the same level of passion, feeling as though their own lips are like ice. The second half of the song takes a darker turn, with the singer vowing to turn the tables and make their partner's heart freeze with hatred instead of love. They plan to use their partner's soul as fuel for a fire that will consume them completely, ultimately leading them to their own funeral pyre. The final lines imply that the singer will take their partner's soul, suggesting a potentially supernatural or metaphysical element to the song's narrative.
Overall, the lyrics of "Your Kisses Burn" suggest a tumultuous and volatile relationship fueled by intense emotion and passion. The song touches on themes of love, desire, and obsession but also explores the darker side of these feelings, including the potential for destruction and harm.
Line by Line Meaning
You make a fire
Your love creates a spark within me, igniting a flame.
Here in my heart
This fire burns deep within me, in the center of my being.
Your kisses burn me
Your passionate kisses are like flames, causing me to feel intense heat.
Sending sparks
Your kisses are so powerful that they cause sparks to fly between us.
Auras fade
In the presence of your fiery love, other energies around us pale in comparison.
Charisma pales
Even my own charismatic qualities diminish when I am in the presence of your passionate love.
Your kisses burn
Again emphasizing the intense heat and passion of your kisses.
They scorch my soul
Your kisses burn so deeply that it feels like they are scorching my very soul.
And world without end
This intense love and passion will continue forever.
Through tempest and storm
Even in the most trying and difficult circumstances, our love will continue to burn brightly.
Your kisses my fire
Your kisses are the fuel that feeds the fire of my passion and love for you.
Your love keeps me warm
Your love is like a warm blanket that provides comfort and security in the coldest of times.
When your kisses burn
When we embrace so passionately that it feels like we are burning up with desire.
Why are my lips like ice?
Feeling cold and distant towards you, perhaps due to a lack of passion or emotional distance.
I'll make a fire
I will deliberately kindle a flame of passion within myself.
There in your heart
I will direct this passion towards you, igniting a fire in your own heart.
Made not of love
This fire will not be fueled by love or affection, but by hate or revenge.
But only hate
My passion will be directed towards hurting you, not loving you.
And for the fuel
To keep this fire burning, I will use your very soul as kindling.
Will be your soul
Your soul will become the fuel for my wrath.
An inferno
This fire will rage out of control and burn hotter than anything we've felt before.
To consume you whole
My hate and passion will devour you completely.
With my touch
The very act of touching you will have an effect on your heart and soul.
I'll freeze your heart
My actions will cause you to feel cold and distant towards me.
The tides will turn
My plan for revenge will cause a shift in the balance of power between us.
You brand your promise
You make a commitment to me that is marked permanently in my mind.
On my tongue
This promise lingers in my mouth, almost like I can taste it.
I'll kill you
My hate and passion will ultimately lead to your demise.
With this final fire
This will be the last, most intense outburst of my passion before your demise.
And lead you to
My actions will cause you to follow me into...
Your funeral pyre
Your ultimate end, represented by flames consuming your body.
My soul be your fire
My love and passion for you can be the spark that ignites your own feelings of love and desire.
To keep my heart warm
This love and passion helps me to feel secure and comfortable in our relationship.
I will take your very soul
I will take the most important parts of you, leaving you empty or devoid of life.
Your kisses my fire
Once again emphasizing how your kisses fuel my passion and love.
Your love keeps me warm
Your affection and love provides the comfort and warmth that I need in life.
Your kisses my fire
Through this repetition, we are reminded that your kisses are the foundation of our passion and love.
Your love keeps me warm
A final reminder that your love is the comfort that I need to navigate life's difficulties.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ALMOND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ligeia L.
You make a fire
Here in my heart
Your kisses burn me
Sending sparks
Auras fade
Charisma pales
Your kisses burn
They scorch my soul
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
When your kisses burn
Why are my lips like ice?
I'll make a fire
There in your heart
Made not of love
But only hate
And for the fuel
Will be your soul
An inferno
To consume you whole
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep my heart warm
With my touch
I'll freeze your heart
Your kisses burn
The tides will turn
You brand your promise
On my tongue
I'll kill you
With this final fire
And lead you to
Your funeral pyre
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep your/my heart warm
I will take your very soul
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
I will take your very soul
Songwriters: Marc Almond
Charlie Magri
You make a fire
Here in my heart
Your kisses burn me
Sending sparks
Auras fade
Charisma pales
Your kisses burn
They scorch my soul
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
When your kisses burn
Why are my lips like ice?
I'll make a fire
There in your heart
Made not of love
But only hate
And for the fuel
Will be your soul
An inferno
To consume you whole
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep my heart warm
With my touch
I'll freeze your heart
Your kisses burn
The tides will turn
You brand your promise
On my tongue
I'll kill you
With this final fire
And lead you to
Your funeral pyre
And world without end
Through tempest and storm
My soul be your fire
To keep your/my heart warm
I will take your very soul
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
Your kisses my fire
Your love keeps me warm
I will take your very soul
Alex Miranda
This was a perfect duet. Nico took it to a higher level and Mark sounds incredible.
Matthew Beumer
The ultimate goth queen mother to them all her voice sounds like the underworld mother to Patti Smith and Siouxsie. Marc sounds great a great singer a greater song . Majestic!
Tomte Anders
I absolutely agreed! IMHO "Evening of Light" (1969) was the first song of that later invented genre and is still more frightening, heartfreezing
than all things after...❤💚🌹💚❤
Ian Wilkinson
Two unique artists and two unique voices, never to be forgotten.
Фурия Круча
Оба божественны. И Нико, и Марк. И сказочная, совершенная композиция.
Stephen Otoole
It’s such a shame a video was never made for this song - it’s so cinematic - I see Nico snd marc carrying candelabra as they drift round a castle ( reprising la dolce vita )
Tomte Anders
I guess it would have been made if possible. NIKO died soon after the recording in an accident...😢😢😢
Justine Bourke
Two of my favourite artists together 💜💜💜
Eduardo Rivera
GREAT ALBUM! The whole thing is GOOD.
Vinylized
The best!