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".
Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem
Peter Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sad eyed pearl and drop lips
Glancing pierce through writer man
Spoke hushed and frailing hips
Her old eyes skim in creasing lids
A tear falls as she describes
Approaching death with a yearning heart
With pride and no despise
Hot tears flow as she recounts
Her favorite worded token
Forgive me please for hurting so
Don't go away heartbroken no
Just wise owl tones no velvet lies
Crush her velvet call
Oh Marlene suffer all the fools
Who write you on the wall
And hold your tongue about your life
Or dead hands will change the plot
Will make your loving sound like snakes
Like you were never hot
Hot tears flow as she recounts
Her favorite worded token
Forgive me please for hurting so
Don't go away heartbroken no
My mother loved it so she said
Sad eyed pearl and drop lips yeah
Glancing pierce through writer man
Spoke hushed and frailing lips yeah
Old eyes skim in creasing lids
A tear falls as she describes
Approaching death with a yearning heart
With pride and no despise
Hot tears flow as she recounts
Her favorite worded token
Forgive me please for hurting so
Don't go away heartbroken no
The song "Marlene Dietrich's Favourite Poem" by Peter Murphy seems to be a tribute to an older woman, possibly the singer's mother, who loved a specific poem or piece of literature. The woman describes the poem as having sad-eyed pearls and drooping lips, which are likely metaphors for the beauty and sadness conveyed in the writing. She appreciates the way the piece pierces through the writer's persona and speaks to deeper truths, while also showing vulnerability through "frailing hips." The woman herself is described as having "old eyes" with creasing lids, indicating an aging and possibly sickly state. However, despite approaching death, she seems to have a "yearning heart" filled with pride.
The lyrics also mention Marlene Dietrich, a German actress and singer who was known for her sultry voice and androgynous style. In the song, Dietrich is addressed directly, with the lyrics warning against those who write about her life using "velvet lies" and transforming her story into something unrecognizable. The lines "suffer all the fools who write you on the wall" seem to express frustration with how easily celebrities are objectified and commodified by the media.
Overall, the song seems to be a meditative piece about the power of words and storytelling, and how these things can connect us to one another even in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
My mother loved it so she said
The singer's mother introduced them to this poem and had great affection for it.
Sad eyed pearl and drop lips
The poem describes Marlene Dietrich with an air of sadness and longing.
Glancing pierce through writer man
Marlene's gaze cuts through those who try to write about her.
Spoke hushed and frailing hips
The way Marlene speaks and moves is delicate and uncertain.
Her old eyes skim in creasing lids
Marlene's aging eyes scan the world wearily.
A tear falls as she describes
The singer's mother becomes emotional as she remembers the poem.
Approaching death with a yearning heart
Marlene faces her impending death with a desire for life.
With pride and no despise
Marlene is content with her legacy and holds no grudges.
Hot tears flow as she recounts
The artist's mother becomes emotional as she remembers the poem.
Her favorite worded token
The poem is a cherished possession for the artist's mother.
Forgive me please for hurting so
The poem asks for forgiveness and laments causing pain.
Don't go away heartbroken no
The poem pleads for the listener to not leave feeling hurt.
Just wise owl tones no velvet lies
The poem speaks in wise and honest tones.
Crush her velvet call
The poem warns not to be seduced by Marlene's smooth voice.
Oh Marlene suffer all the fools
The poem acknowledges Marlene's struggles with those who misunderstand her.
Who write you on the wall
The poem refers to those who try to capture Marlene in print.
And hold your tongue about your life
The poem suggests that there are aspects of Marlene's life that should be kept secret.
Or dead hands will change the plot
If Marlene's secrets come out, her story may be twisted by those who seek to profit.
Will make your loving sound like snakes
Those who turn Marlene's story against her will make her love seem sinister.
Like you were never hot
The poem warns that Marlene's legacy may be twisted so much that she is forgotten.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MURPHY, STATHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind