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".
Seesaw Sway
Peter Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I plundered the sky
I'm a winder of words
And you free to pry
She's luning at the Moon
I've been looking her way
For twenty-three summers now
CHORUS
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(As I plunder the sky) in a seesaw sway
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(Out there)
The luna the better (the luna the better)
i'm a crater uplifter (i'm a crater uplifter)
I talk from a dream (I talk from a dream)
It's our seesaw sway
CHORUS
Oh, what's the matter with this?
It all rests with you
i'm not a linger for the bitter
Pills, coin or gold
No killdrill river
Nor young or fey
I'm a seer of goodness things
In our seesaw sway
CHORUS
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
CHORUS
In our seesaw sway
The lyrics of Peter Murphy’s song Seesaw Sway are quite enigmatic and open to interpretation. The opening lines “I failed to see into your eyes, as I plundered the sky” suggest that the singer is preoccupied with something else, something that prevents him from looking someone else in the eye. The imagery of “plundering the sky” suggests a search for something unattainable or perhaps an escape from reality. The singer explains that he is a “winder of words” which could suggest that he is a poet or someone who uses language in a creative way. The line “and you free to pry” suggests that the other person is curious about him but he is not interested in sharing everything with them.
The chorus uses the refrain “in a seesaw sway” which suggests a lack of stability and balance. The line “the luna the better” is a play on words as “luna” is the Latin word for moon, and is used to describe something that is related to the moon. Thus, the line could be interpreted as a reference to lunacy, with the singer implying that he is attracted to unstable and chaotic things. He describes himself as a “crater uplifter” which could suggest that he is someone who tries to uplift others who are struggling. The line “it’s our seesaw sway” suggests that the singer and the other person are in this unstable state together.
The last verse suggests that the singer is not motivated by material things such as “bitter pills, coin or gold”. He describes himself as a “seer of goodness things” which suggests that he is optimistic and sees good in the world. The repeated use of the word “seesaw” in the final chorus reinforces the theme of instability and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I failed to se into your eyes
I couldn't see through your eyes to understand how you felt
As I plundered the sky
While I was searching for answers in the vastness of the sky
I'm a winder of words
I'm someone who spins words into poetry or stories
And you free to pry
And you have the freedom to ask me anything about myself
She's luning at the Moon
She's gazing at the Moon
I've been looking her way
I've been admiring her from a distance
For twenty-three summers now
For twenty-three years
In a seesaw sway
In a back-and-forth, up-and-down pattern
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
The world out there is constantly changing, like a seesaw
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
The world out there is constantly changing, like a seesaw
(As I plunder the sky) in a seesaw sway
While I search for answers in the ever-changing world outside
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
The world out there is constantly changing, like a seesaw
(Out there)
Out there in the world
The luna the better (the luna the better)
The more she looks at the Moon, the better
i'm a crater uplifter (i'm a crater uplifter)
I'm someone who brings up the good in others
I talk from a dream (I talk from a dream)
I speak from my heart or imagination
It's our seesaw sway
It's our way of balancing each other out
Oh, what's the matter with this?
What's the problem with this situation?
It all rests with you
It's all up to you to decide
i'm not a linger for the bitter
I don't dwell on negative things
Pills, coin or gold
Material possessions or quick fixes won't solve everything
No killdrill river
No violent or destructive behavior
Nor young or fey
I'm not naive or silly
I'm a seer of goodness things
I see the good in people and situations
In our seesaw sway
We balance each other out in our own back-and-forth way
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
Seesaw
A back-and-forth, up-and-down movement
In our seesaw sway
In our own back-and-forth, up-and-down way of balancing each other out
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
4RENTCHILE 4RENTCHILE
I failed to see into your eyes
As I plundered the sky
I'm a winder of words
And you free to pry
She's luning at the Moon
I've been looking her way
For twenty-three summers now
In a seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(As I plunder the sky) in a seesaw sway
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(Out there)
The luna the better (the luna the better)
I'm a crater uplifter (I'm a crater uplifter)
I talk from a dream (I talk from a dream)
It's our seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
Oh, what's the matter with this?
It all rests with you
I'm not a linger for the bitter
Pills, coin or gold
No killdrill river
Nor young or fey
I'm a seer of goodness things
In our seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
[CHORUS]
In our seesaw sway
Mark M
"Seesaw Sway"
I failed to see into your eyes
As I plundered the sky
I'm a winder of words
And you free to pry
She's luning at the Moon
I've been looking her way
For twenty-three summers now
In a seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(As I plunder the sky) in a seesaw sway
(Out there it's a seesaw) in a seesaw sway
(Out there)
The luna the better (the luna the better)
I'm a crater uplifter (I'm a crater uplifter)
I talk from a dream (I talk from a dream)
It's our seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
Oh, what's the matter with this?
It all rests with you
I'm not a linger for the bitter
Pills, coin or gold
No kill drill river
Nor young or fey
I'm a seer of goodness things
In our seesaw sway
[CHORUS]
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
Seesaw
[CHORUS]
In our seesaw sway
Mustardgas203
Dude is righteously humorous in spirit. I drank bourbon with him 5 years ago at an after party. Real good people. It was like hanging out with the Beatles for me.
Barbara Helene
I'm so jealous I'm spitting bullets!!! LOL
amy white
He gives great hugs.... Softest leather in existence
Silverlise
still one of the best voices IN THE WORLD
01Aleph
Yes indeed !
Sarah Navarro Duncan
Yes!!
Scott Romans
This Kat has been around since the 80's..and still continues to reinvent himself...his voice and lyrics are amazing!!!
T E
I agree, and it feels he's become a hidden gem.
Dirk Diggler
Since the 70s, actually.
Scott Romans
@Dirk Diggler not sure about the 70’s..I know I use to to drop acid to Bauhaus,and all those other experimental retro trippy bands back in the early 80’s. Lol.