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".

The Sweetest Drop
Peter Murphy Lyrics

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Roll yourself away from me
Unveil me from your layers
Lay with me
Let me plunder, no betrayal
Shame cast out
Morning sensual fire aroused
Union upon union
In union we'll flower

Sail naked in our funder
Press towards the burst

Drop the sweetest drop
Give the thunder up
Rocking to the top
Sensor none the shame
Cling no more to shame
Ring me in the morning
Take me, take me, in the rain
Oh come with me, eh come with me
Concur and swallow me
Explode secrete your tender
Let's scream out like the sea

Pull me warm and slender
Concur and swallow me
Explode secrete your tender
Let's scream out like the sea
Union upon union
Drop the sweetest drop

I think about you all day
Calling the sacred first
Rolling sunlit day
Give me what I thirst

Drop the sweetest drop
Give the thunder up
Rocking to the top
Sensor none the shame
Cling no more to shame
Ring me in the morning
Take me, take me in the rain
Oh come with me
Yeah come with me
Concur and swallow me
Explode secrete your tender
Let's scream out like the sea

Roll yourself away
Immortal burn alive
Rocking to the top
Sensor none the shame
Cling no more to shame
Ring me in the morning
Take me, take me, in the rain
Oh come with me, oh! come with me
Concur and swallow me

Explode secrete your tender
Let's scream out like the sea

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Peter Murphy's song "The Sweetest Drop" delve into the intimate and sensual experiences shared by two lovers. The song speaks of the desire to connect with one's partner on a deep level and to unveil oneself completely to them. The lyrics describe a physical union between two people, where they become one with each other as they sail through their passion. The song suggests allowing oneself to be vulnerable with one's lover, to let go of shame and inhibition and to embrace the fullness of the experience. The chorus speaks of dropping the sweetest drop, giving up the thunder, and clinging no more to shame. It encourages the lovers to enjoy the moment and to be fully present with each other, unhindered by any past experiences or fears.

Line by Line Meaning

Roll yourself away from me
Remove yourself from my presence

Unveil me from your layers
Remove any barriers between us

Lay with me
Lie down next to me

Let me plunder, no betrayal
Allow me to explore your body without fear of deceit

Shame cast out
Be free from guilt or embarrassment

Morning sensual fire aroused
Feeling aroused in the morning

Union upon union
A continuous connection between us

In union we'll flower
We will grow and flourish together

Sail naked in our funder
Experience pleasure while stripped of any pretense

Press towards the burst
Move towards climax

Drop the sweetest drop
Ejaculate