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".
Low Room
Peter Murphy Lyrics
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The streets gone wild defeated wild
Sitting in the low room
Where we wind our love loom
Don't why'think it's wrong
That I should get stuck in a room?
The low room Low--room--low--room
I don't know what
What I can do to break the chains
We talk a lot , we break high ground, high ground no shame
Maybe there's no need to fight against the chains
Rations of irrational thirsty for the up
Of secret honey, honey on the lips
Low--room--low--low
Ten!
--3--4--push
You're away tonight as the art on the box cuts
Vivid life in action
Shame and the shock cuts
Stuck in a room frigid and strained
Reflecting interaction repeating refrains
In the low room
Repeating the holy names in the low room
Repeating the holy names in the low room
--low--room
Push
Peter Murphy's song "Low Room" speaks of the emotional isolation and confinement one feels within oneself. The title "Low Room" signifies the emotionally low space a person feels trapped in, despite the surrounding visual chaos on the streets. The first verse describes the singer's lover being away for some time while the city goes wild, and the singer feeling stuck in their own loveless world. The phrase "art on the box cuts" metaphorically refers to the surrounding world's noise and chaos bleeding into the singer's life only through the TV screen, having no substantial impact on their cold heart. The phrase "love loom" may refer to the loom of life, with love being the only substance pouring from its threads.
The second verse expresses the singer's frustration in breaking free from the chains of emotional confinement. The chains may metaphorically represent the fear of opening oneself up to the vulnerability of love. The phrase "we talk a lot, we break high ground, high ground no shame" advocates for verbalizing feelings and pain to accept the situation gracefully, without any shame. The singer mentions being 'irrationally thirsty for the up of secret honey,' the 'secret honey' may represent the love that remains unattainable due to the fear of vulnerability.
Overall, the song's lyrics reflect a sense of inner struggle to accept and come to terms with the situation one has put themselves in, in terms of emotion and love.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been away a while, while the art on the box cuts
You've been gone for some time now, while the images on the TV bring to life harsh realities of the world outside
The streets gone wild defeated wild
The streets outside have become dangerous and overwhelming, leaving people feeling powerless and defeated
Sitting in the low room
The singer is currently sitting in a small, confined space
Where we wind our love loom
This low room is where the artist and their partner spend time together, weaving the fabric of their love
Don't why'think it's wrong
The artist doesn't see anything inherently wrong with spending time in this small room
That I should get stuck in a room?
However, the singer does question why they seem to be stuck in this space
The low room Low--room--low--room 2,3, uh!
The repetition of 'low room' emphasizes the confines of this space and creates a rhythm
I don't know what
The artist expresses their confusion and uncertainty
What I can do to break the chains
They want to break free from some kind of restraint or limitation, but are unsure how to do so
We talk a lot , we break high ground, high ground no shame
The artist and their partner have deep conversations and explore new territory in their love, without any judgment or shame
Maybe there's no need to fight against the chains
Perhaps there is no reason to rebel against constraints, and it is better to accept them
Rations of irrational thirsty for the up
The artist is struggling with an irrational thirst for something more in life
Of secret honey, honey on the lips
This desire feels like a secret sweetness on their lips
Low--room--low--low Ten! --3--4--push
More repetition of 'low room', with a countdown and a command to push, creating a sense of urgency
You're away tonight as the art on the box cuts
The partner is not there at the moment, while the TV continues to display harsh images
Vivid life in action
The images on the TV are vivid and provide a stark contrast to the low room
Shame and the shock cuts
These images provoke feelings of shame and shock
Stuck in a room frigid and strained
The singer feels trapped and uncomfortable in the small space
Reflecting interaction repeating refrains
The singer is reflecting on past conversations and actions, repeating certain patterns
In the low room Repeating the holy names in the low room Repeating the holy names in the low room
The repetition of 'repeating the holy names in the low room' adds a spiritual element, suggesting that perhaps this confinement is a form of meditation or prayer
--low--room Push
The final repetition of 'low room' followed by the command to push creates a sense of release or urgency
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EDDIE BRANCH, PETER ANTHONY BONAS, PETER JOHN MURPHY, TERL TIMOTHY CARDEN BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind