Peter John Murphy (born 11 July 1957, near Northampton, England, raised in … Read Full Bio ↴Peter John Murphy (born 11 July 1957, near Northampton, England, raised in Wellingborough, England), is the vocalist of the rock group Bauhaus who later went on to release a number of solo albums, such as Deep and Love Hysteria.

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".

Dream Gone By
Peter Murphy Lyrics

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Let go all the tears of your life
The one you left behind
Let the pain of the dream go by
It's over
The love is calling
I'm searching
You have gone to be free

The love is calling
I'm searching
You have gone to be free
When the light had gone
And the night was over
Yet the feeling will still exist
For you and me

Let go all the tears of your life
The one you left behind
Let the pain of the dream go by it's over
And the feeling still exists
For you and me
You have gone to be free

Let go all the tears of your life
The one you left behind
Let the pain of the dream go by it's over
Oh, and as you fly past the sign
That points to our way
Send your children a whispered song
Then allow yourself away

One two I am you
You are but a show
Three four there's no more
Your red mouth is aglow
Five six no more tricks
Now I'm feeling clean

The secret yeah it moved so fast
Had to dive into mid stream

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Peter Murphy's "Dream Gone By" express the need to let go of pain, sadness, and memories of a past relationship. The song speaks to the idea of moving on, even when it hurts, and finding a way to accept the reality that what once was will never be again. The first verse encourages the listener to release all the tears of their life, to leave behind the pain of a dream that is now over. Though the love remains, the person who the song is about has gone to be free.

The chorus speaks to the ongoing search and yearning for love, despite the circumstances. The love is still calling, and the singer is still searching for it, even though it seems out of reach. The next verse implies that though the light has gone, and the night is over, the feeling between the two people will still exist. The need to let go of the past is revisited in the last verse, and it implies that moving on is not always easy, but ultimately necessary. The final lines of the song express the idea that sometimes secrets can move quickly and without warning, and one must be willing to dive into the unknown to reach the other side.

Line by Line Meaning

Let go all the tears of your life
Release all the pain and sorrow you've accumulated in your life

The one you left behind
The source of your sorrow may be something or someone you have lost

Let the pain of the dream go by
Let go of the pain and disappointment from unfulfilled aspirations

It's over
The difficult times have passed

The love is calling
The power of love is still present

I'm searching
The singer is still seeking a meaningful connection

You have gone to be free
Someone has left to pursue their own personal growth and freedom

When the light had gone
When the bright and positive aspects of life fade away

And the night was over
When the darkness and challenges have come to an end

Yet the feeling will still exist
The emotions and sensations will persist

For you and me
The experience is shared between both the singer and listener