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".
You're So Close
Peter Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can hear the groove
I can hear the words
I can climb the scale
I can ride the curves
I can hit the note
I can beat the beat
I can tap my feet
Say you!
Getting closer
Stop me dreaming
Wanna feel you
You're so close
Ah can't write now
Wanna feel a hit
Ah can't drive now
Wanna phone you
Can't play it very well
But it is what I want
And what I want is what it takes
It could be slick
It could be fake
Can't play it very well
But it is what I want
And what I want is what it takes
It could be slick
It could be fake
Say you!
Can't hear you
You're so close
Wanna feel you
You're so close
Ah can't write now
Wanna feel a hit
Ah can't drive now
Wanna phone you
Say you!
I can hear the groove
I can spell the words
I can climb the scale
I can ride the curves
I can hit the note
I can drop the beat
I can dance and jump
I can tap the feet
Can't play it very well
But it is what I want
And what I want is what it takes
I could be slick
It could be fake
Say you!
Can't hear you
You're so close
Wanna feel you
You're so close
Ah can't write now
Wanna feel a hit
Ah can't write now
Wanna phone you
Getting Closer
Stop me dreaming
Wanna feel you
You're so close
Ah can't write now
Ah wanna feel a hit
Ah can't drive now
The song "You're So Close" by Peter Murphy is about longing for someone who is almost within reach. The verses of the song talk about the singer's confidence in his ability to sync with the music and find his groove, hitting the notes and riding the curves of the melody. He is passionate about wanting to create something and is willing to work at it. However, in the chorus of the song, the singer's energy shifts as he expresses his desire to be close to someone, making it difficult for him to focus on his work.
The repetition of "Say you!" throughout the song is a plea for the person the singer longs for to acknowledge him. Despite his attempts to focus on his art, his mind keeps drifting towards the person that he dearly wants to be close to. The lyrics "Can't play it very well, but it is what I want, and what I want is what it takes, it could be slick, it could be fake" could be interpreted as the singer acknowledging his limitations in his craft but chooses to pursue it anyway because it is what he desires to be doing.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of distraction and restlessness that ensues when romantic passion dominates one's thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
Say you!
Asking the audience to respond
I can hear the groove
The music is resonating with me
I can hear the words
The lyrics are clear and meaningful to me
I can climb the scale
I can hit all the notes in the song's melody
I can ride the curves
I can smoothly transition between notes in the melody
I can hit the note
I can sing on pitch with the melody
I can beat the beat
I can keep time with the rhythm
I can dance the jump
I can physically move with the rhythm
I can tap my feet
I can instinctively move along with the rhythm
Getting closer
I am nearing the end goal
Stop me dreaming
I'm trying to stay grounded in reality
Wanna feel you
I desire to connect with someone or something
You're so close
The person or thing I desire is almost within reach
Ah can't write now
I am currently unable to create or express myself
Wanna feel a hit
I am seeking a moment of inspiration
Ah can't drive now
I am currently unable to progress or move forward
Wanna phone you
I want to connect with someone through technology
Can't play it very well
I am struggling with a particular skill or task
But it is what I want
Despite my struggles, this is what I desire to do
And what I want is what it takes
I am willing to put in the effort to achieve my goal
It could be slick
My outcome or presentation may appear polished
It could be fake
My outcome or presentation may be disingenuous
Can't hear you
I am struggling to perceive the desired connection
You're so close
The desired connection seems almost attainable
Ah wanna feel a hit
I am seeking that impactful moment of inspiration
Wanna phone you
I want to reach out and connect with someone via technology
Getting closer
I am nearing the end goal
Ah can't write now
I am currently unable to create or express myself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL STATHAM, PETER JOHN MURPHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind