By 1983, Bauhaus broke up and Murphy went on to new projects not involving Bauhaus members Kevin Haskins, David J, or Daniel Ash. After some brief dabbling with acting and dance - including a slightly odd televised performance to Bauhaus's "Hollow Hills" - he soon formed Dalis Car with Mick Karn, the bass player from Japan.
Murphy's solo career over time became more varied than Bauhaus, ranging from pseudo-pop to haunting ballads that showcased his deep and complex vocals. After the commercial non-start of Dali's Car, Murphy's first solo album was similarly overlooked. Should the World Fail to Fall Apart did spawn several singles, including a cover of Pere Ubu's "Final Solution" that made a minor splash on the club scene.
The followup, Love Hysteria, did much better. It also marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration with songwriter Paul Statham, who co-wrote songs with Murphy until 1995. The resulting singles "All Night Long" and "Indigo Eyes" helped garner a wider following, and the black-and-white video for "All Night Long" entered rotation on MTV.
The pinnacle of Murphy's solo popularity came with the release of Deep. For this album Murphy reinvented himself as somewhat of a rock-god, now sporting hair dyed platinum blonde and performing a much more aggressive alt-rock sound. The single "Cuts You Up" from Deep held on to the top spot on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for longer than any other single before - displacing "So Alive" by his former Bauhaus-bandmates Love and Rockets.
In 2000, Murphy performed his international Just for Love tour, which resulted in the album aLive Just for Love. It is a live recording of the fully uninterrupted set from the El Rey show in Los Angeles on November 30, 2000. During the tour, Murphy chose to perform with only two back-up musicians, Canadian electric violinist Hugh Marsh and Peter DiStefano from Porno for Pyros on guitar, although former Bauhaus bassist David J sometimes joined the trio for an encore. At this point he also contributed to works by noted film composer Harry Gregson-Williams.
Also in 2000, Murphy gave a nod to the North American goth scene, where his solo works and his works with Bauhaus are still very popular, by making a surprise guest appearance at the sixth annual Convergence festival in Seattle, to perform a low-key, acoustic solo set.
In 2004, Murphy signed to yet another new label, Viastar, which was home to several other 1980s pop artists who had moved into more eclectic areas. Despite numerous problems with the label, the album Unshattered was released, showcasing Murphy returning to a more pop sound.
Murphy undertook extensive tours of the U.S.A and Europe to promote 'Unshattered' in 2005, with a live band featuring guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite of The Mission UK and Tricky on guitar, Jeff Schwartoff of Human Waste Project and Professional Murder Music on bass and Justin Bennett of Skinny Puppy on drums. Murphy and the band reconvened in November 2007 for shows in Portugal and Spain, with Nick Lucero replacing Bennett on drums. In May 2008 Murphy recorded a cover of the song "Warm Leatherette" with Trent Reznor and Jeordie White from Nine Inch Nails. This was played live at an intimate studio performance, and the video recording was released on both the official Nine Inch Nails website and YouTube. A full-length album called Ninth was released in 2011, featuring the single "I Spit Roses".
Confessions
Peter Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Distort the painful truth
Present a fear and laugh at you
Leave you lost unsure removed
The must I feel to put it right
Put an end to naive faith
In slick success's avenue..
The vacuum of save face
Direct words can turn lost minds
Towards some monster seed
Lyrics sung from pretty looks
Can on the reader feed
Be strong to check and recognize
The pretty face is all
But being used to sell you songs
That never say it all
The incident meets the senses
The illusions in a mask
The sun of a summer afternoon
Docility rocks the mask
Broken loose from moorings
In a flash the swell had passed
Towards the beach with unabated speed
Confessions of a mask
The lyrics to Peter Murphy's song "Confessions" are a commentary on the music industry's manipulation of the masses through the use of gullibility, fear, and illusions. Murphy hints at a desire to "put it right" by impelling the listener to check and recognize the true intention behind the pretty face and lyrics sung from pretty looks. He warns that direct words can turn lost minds towards some monster seed, while lyrics that leave things unsaid are used to sell songs that never say it all. The song's title suggests that these words are a confession, perhaps from Murphy himself or from someone who has seen through the veil of deceit and is speaking out.
Throughout the song, Murphy employs vivid imagery that highlights the deceptive tactics used by the music industry. He describes the illusions as being like a mask, hiding the true nature of the things around us. The incident meets the senses, but the docility of the masses rocks the mask, keeping them from seeing through the illusion. However, in a flash, the swell breaks loose from the moorings and passes towards the beach with unabated speed. The confession of the mask is that it hides the true nature of what lies beneath, and Murphy implores his listeners to see beyond the mask and recognize the manipulations taking place.
Line by Line Meaning
I could use your gullibility
I have the ability to take advantage of your trust and naivety
Distort the painful truth
I can manipulate the truth to fit my own narrative
Present a fear and laugh at you
I can instill fear in you and find humor in it
Leave you lost unsure removed
I will leave you feeling lost, uncertain, and isolated
The must I feel to put it right
I have a strong sense of duty to correct these wrongs
Put an end to naive faith
I want to end blind trust in false ideals
In slick success's avenue..
False success can lead down a dangerous path
The vacuum of save face
The facade of presenting oneself favorably creates an empty void
Direct words can turn lost minds
Honest and straightforward language can help guide those who are confused
Towards some monster seed
However, this guidance can also be twisted and lead towards something monstrous
Lyrics sung from pretty looks
Musicians and performers may use their appearance and charm to sell their music
Can on the reader feed
This can impact and influence the reader/listener in a significant way
Be strong to check and recognize
It's important to be vigilant and critical of what you're consuming
The pretty face is all
However, appearances can be deceiving and not reveal the whole truth
But being used to sell you songs
These performers may be using their talents to sell you something other than just music
That never say it all
Their songs may not actually convey the full story or message
The incident meets the senses
Our experiences can impact how we perceive the world around us
The illusions in a mask
What we see on the surface may not reflect reality
The sun of a summer afternoon
Even beautiful moments can deceive us and hide the truth
Docility rocks the mask
We may be too passive and accepting, resulting in a false sense of security
Broken loose from moorings
However, we may break free from these illusions and see the truth
In a flash the swell had passed
Once we see the truth, it can be a powerful and transformative moment
Towards the beach with unabated speed
We move forward towards the truth with an unrelenting force
Confessions of a mask
This song is an admission of the false facades we create and the impact they have on us
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HOWARD HUGHES, PETER JOHN MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind