2) Nice was an Australian indie rock band which formed in 1991. The band was fronted by Randall Lee formerly of The Cannanes and later of Ashtray Boy on vocals and guitar; Susannah Stewart-Lindsay, previously a member of the Adelaide based band, Rewind on the Paranoid Side, on guitar; and Jo Packer on drums. Francesca Bussey, later a member of The Cannanes, was a member of Nice on bass guitar during the recording sessions for their first album, "Nice" (1992), but left during production and was credited only as a guest. Bussey was replaced on bass guitar by Mark King. The band split up in 1994.
Allmusic's Nitsuh Abebe felt that "Nice", which was issued by United States label, Feel Good All Over, showed that "Lee's dark jangle sounds absolutely stunning, and while the record's songwriting isn't as consistent as one might hope, the majority of it works incredibly well, with unconventional time signatures and progressions keeping things from falling into strummy banality". "Dear John", which was the lead track on Nice, was covered by the band Aden. The band's songs "Theme from Nice" and "Circuit Diagram" from their 1993 album, "Apple Pie", were included in the popular 1990s Nickelodeon show "The Adventures of Pete & Pete". Abebe described "Apple Pie" as "a step toward the more varied pop sound" of Lee's future work with Ashtray Boy.
Dawn
Nice Lyrics
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Dawn
Dawn, the innocence and purity of a newborn day
Unspoiled as yet by the tarnished hand of waking man
In its innocence, it knows not of her plan
It stands in awe as the machine starts
She, for dawn is surely a maiden is born and raped
365 times every year since the beginning of time
She, for dawn, is a maiden returns completely innocent
It's as though she smiles on the January red
And at first she cries at the first thrust of summer
Dawn is pregnant with promise and anticipation
And is murdered by the hand of the inevitable
But yet dawn has forgiven us for the sins
Men wrought on he
The lyrics of Nice's song "Dawn" describe the purity and innocence associated with the beginning of a new day, as if it were a newborn baby. The song contrasts this with the tarnished hand of humanity, which has taken its toll on the world. The notion of Dawn being a maiden speaks to the idea of it being violated, with the idea that humanity rapes it 365 times a year since the beginning of time, a reference to the repeated cycle of the days. Despite this, Dawn remains innocent and forgiving, symbolized by the way she smiles on the red of January and cries at the first thrust of summer. Nevertheless, Dawn is eventually murdered by the inevitable passage of time.
The song is a commentary on the dichotomy between the purity of nature and the corruption of humanity. The use of Dawn as a personification of nature lends a poignancy to the song's message, as it highlights the harm that humanity has done to the world. The lyrics suggests that despite this, nature remains forgiving, though ultimately it can't withstand the passage of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Dawn, the innocence and purity of a newborn day
The beginning of day, untainted by human actions, represents purity and innocence.
Unspoiled as yet by the tarnished hand of waking man
The day is untouched, pristine, and not corrupted by human influence.
In its innocence, it knows not of her plan
The dawn is unaware of the events and plans to come as it begins.
It stands in awe as the machine starts
The day is amazed by the natural cycle of machines, such as the sun rising.
She, for dawn is surely a maiden is born and raped 365 times every year since the beginning of time
Dawn is compared to a young, virginal woman who is repeatedly born each day and then defiled by humanity's daily routine.
She, for dawn, is a maiden returns completely innocent
After each day, dawn returns untainted despite the events that occurred in the previous 24 hours.
It's as though she smiles on the January red
The dawn seems to usher in the new year with a joyful, welcoming demeanor.
And at first she cries at the first thrust of summer
The dawn might also feel sorrowful as summer begins, knowing the heat and activity will lead to destruction and chaos.
Dawn is pregnant with promise and anticipation
Each dawn holds the potential for a new beginning filled with hope and excitement for the future.
And is murdered by the hand of the inevitable
Despite its promise, each day inevitably ends, and dawn's innocence is destroyed as a new cycle of human actions start again.
But yet dawn has forgiven us for the sins Men wrought on he
Despite the repetition of human destruction, each dawn returns and forgives humanity for their actions of the previous day.
Contributed by James O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.