There have been several artists that have used the name Phoenix, the two be… Read Full Bio ↴There have been several artists that have used the name Phoenix, the two best known are an alternative rock band from France and a folk rock band from Romania.

1) Phoenix A Romanian folk rock / rock band, who has experimented across the years with many musical genres, having a rich musical history that can easily be compared to that of the Beatles. Starting with the rock’n’roll of the Beat Generation, they continued enriching their sound with blues influences, jazz, psychedelic, krautrock, culminating with the orientation towards Romanian folk music, which they blended harmoniously with the sound that was popular in the ’70s

Phoenix is one of the most prominent Romanian Rock and Roll bands of the latest decades, and also the first one to take musical inspiration from ancient Romanian folk themes.

Formed in the 1960s, it began by doing covers of Beatles songs. However, they soon had to change their style since the Romanian communist regime disliked any form of western culture. The communist regime suggested that all rock oriented bands should look for inspiration within the Romanian culture. These restrictions made the band’s leader Nicolae Covaci search within the Romanian folklore, which gave them a unique sound.

The beginning

Phoenix was launched in the cosmopolitan city of Timişoara in 1962 by a pair of schoolboys: Nicu Covaci and Béla Kamocsa, under the name of Sfinţii (The Saints). In their first years, together with Florin “Moni” Bordeianu (born 1948), they performed in school contests and at local clubs, covering Western music hits from The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, etc., and they quickly became very popular amongst the youth. In 1965 the Communist authorities demanded that the band stop performing under the name The Saints, because of the religious innuendo that the name carried. Forced to comply, the band took the name Phoenix. Nicu Covaci also changed the composition of the band, around 1963, by adding Claudiu Rotaru, Ioan “Pilu” Ştefanovici (born 1946) and Günther “Spitzly” Reininger (born 1950) to the lineup.

In 1965 they had their first big concert in Bucharest. Their performance brought a collaboration with Cornel Chiriac to record some of their songs. The first songs they recorded were “Ştiu cǎ mǎ iubesti şi tu” (“I Know You Love Me Too”), “Dunăre, Dunăre” (“Danube, Danube”) and “Bun e vinul ghiurghiuliu” (“Good is the Red Wine”). The same year also marked the beginning of their collaboration with Victor Cârcu, who went on to write many of their most famous songs, such as “Vremuri” (“Old Times”), “Şi totuşi ca voi sunt” (“And Yet I Am Like You”), “Nebunul cu ochii închişi” (“Crazy Man with closed eyes”), “Floarea stîncilor” (“Mountain Flower”) and “Canarul” (“Canary”).

In December 1967 Phoenix had their first major series of concerts in many western cities, capped off by two huge concerts in Timişoara. After winning a few prizes in national students’ contests, held at Iaşi the following year, in 1968 they recorded their first EP, Vremuri (Old Times), containing two original songs, Vremuri and Canarul (The Canary), and two covers (Lady Madonna - The Beatles and Friday on my Mind - Easybeats). A second EP would follow one year later, named Floarea stîncilor (The Flower of the Rocks), with all four songs being original compositions. Both albums sport a sound reminiscent of the beat style popular in that era.

They then started working on a rock theater play “Omul 36/80” (The Man 36/80) which won several prizes for originality.

In 1969 Ioan “Pilu” Ştefanovici was replaced by Dorel “Baba” Vintilă Zaharia (born 1943). For the next year the band became more and more popular, frequently visiting Bucharest and being invited in talk shows about music.

In 1970, Moni Bordeianu emigrated to the US, and, for a brief period of time the band suspended its activity, also due to total censorship that followed a protesting speech held by Bordeianu in his last concert. 1970 meant the blues period of the band. The formula used was Nicu Covaci - guitar, Günther “Spitzly” Reininger - piano and voice, Zoltan Covacs - bass guitar and Liviu Butoi - oboe and flute. Phoenix was born again the next year, with Covaci, Josef Kappl, Mircea Baniciu, Costin Petrescu (replaced in 1974 by Ovidiu Lipan, nicknamed “Ţăndărică”) and Valeriu Sepi.

But the Communist officials were not very comfortable with the Western-style music that they were singing, and kept creating them problems. So Phoenix abandoned beat turned to Romanian folklore, pagan rituals, mystic animals and old traditions. In this same year, Phoenix started a collaboration with the Institute of Ethnography and Folklore and the Folklore section of Timişoara University on an ambitious project, a rock poem that combined traditional wooden instruments with modern sounds. During this project the band also started collaborating with Valeriu Sepi (born 1947), who eventually joined the band. The first outcome would be the 1972 LP Cei ce ne-au dat nume (Those Who Gave Us Our Names) - the first LP to be recorded in Romania by a Romanian band. Two years later, Mugur de fluier (Flute Bud) followed. Both albums underwent severe censorship.

In 1973 Phoenix represented Romania at the “Golden harp” festival in Bratislava (Slovakia) and then in the “Disc festival” in Sopot (Poland). Also, they wanted to record a new rock-opera, named “Meşterul Manole”, but the communist officials censored it all, by “losing” the unique book with costume sketches and lyrics given to them for official approval. The result was only a EP with an extract from the opera, Meşterul Manole, uvertură (Meşterul Manole, uverture) and two older songs, Mamă, Mamă (Mother, Mother) and Te întreb pe tine, soare… (I’m asking you, sun…).

On Monday, 19 November 1973, Phoenix held a memorable concert in Bucharest, presenting their new hits “Andri Popa”, “Pavel Chinezu” and “Strunga”, which composed the new disc “Mugur de fluier”. The new songs were still influenced by folklore yet had a new style. This style was the result of the collaboration with new songwriters Andrei Ujică and Şerban Foarţă. Based on those new songs Nicu Covaci created a new show “Introducere la un concert despre muzica veche la români” (“Introduction to a concert about old Romanian music”) in which he introduced violins, flutes, archaic percussion and other traditional instruments. The show was never finished due to a new collaboration with “Cenaclul Flacăra.” This period is considered the peak for Phoenix. Their sound was considered original and powerful and full stadiums were common for their concerts.

Every winter the members of the band would retreat to Mount Semenic and plan their upcoming songs. That winter the show “Zoosophia”, a title that would later change to “Cantafabule”, was created. The show began by “calling” all mythic animals and continued by dedicating a song to each of them, finishing with the Phoenix, the band’s symbol. The year 1975 brought a newcomer to the band, Ovidiu Lipan “Ţăndărică” (born 1953). The “Cantafabule” show was first presented in Timişoara in February 1975. The disc was recorded in a very short time and was published the same year with a misspelling in the title: “Cantofabule.” What followed were two years of almost continuous concerts but also the creation of the soundtrack for the movie “Nemuritorii”.

By this time, the popularity of Phoenix had grown huge; people loved their songs not only for what they were, but also because they contained thinly-veiled allusions to the Communist regime. The band members, especially Nicu Covaci, found themselves increasingly harassed by the Securitate. Covaci married a Dutch woman and left the country in 1976. He returned in 1977, bringing in relief aid for those struck by the powerful earthquake on March 4. After two grandiose concerts in Constanţa and Tulcea, Covaci surprisingly left the country again, this time with all the band members (except Baniciu) hidden inside their Marshall speakers - a huge undertaking, since in Communist Romania it was extremely difficult to obtain approval to travel abroad, and illegal border crossing was punished with imprisonment.

After arriving in Germany, Phoenix disbanded. Kappl and a few others (Erlend Krauser, Ovidiu Lipan) formed a new band, Madhouse and released a not very successful album named From The East. In 1981, Covaci co-opted Neumann and Lipan and English bassist Tom Buggie, who had an amazing technical playing ability, under the name Transsylvania Phoenix (since a band named Phoenix already existed) and released an LP named Transsylvania, containing two old Phoenix songs translated into English to target the Western audience and five new ones. Covaci together with Kappl also released two EPs and one maxi single as Transsylvania-Phoenix.

In 1990 Phoenix made a triumphant comeback to Romania, with a highly emotional concert in their hometown Timişoara, the city that sparked the popular revolt in December 1989 that eventually led to the downfall of the Communist regime. In the following years, Phoenix toured a lot and released a few compilations of their older recordings. Internal frictions, especially between Covaci and Baniciu, were making headlines in the media.

A new album appeared in 2000, the first original album after their 1990 comeback; with the exception of Covaci, the lineup comprised none of the members from the ’70s.

In 2002, the 40th Anniversary of the band brought together almost all former members in a supershow.

At the end of 2005 the band (in its classic gold lineup) released a new album, named Baba Novak.

As of 2010, the band still performs at live events.
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2) Phoenix The French band comprises Thomas Mars (vocals), Deck D'Arcy (bass), Christian Mazzalai (guitar) and Laurent Brancowitz (guitar), who started playing music as kids in a suburb of Versailles during the same cultural period that produced late-'90s bands such as Air,Mellow and Daft Punk. The band's lineup has no permanent drummer or keyboardist.

Phoenix formed in 1999 and started off as the backing band for a remix of Air’s “Kelly Watch the Stars” single. Soon after, Phoenix released their debut album United in 2000. The name "Phoenix" was officially chosen in 1996 when Laurent Brancowitz permanently joined Pheonix after his other band Darlin' disbanded. The other two members of Darlin' (Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo) went on to form Daft Punk.

Phoenix are based in Paris, France and their music has been featured in such films as Shallow Hal and Lost In Translation. In 2006 the band themselves appeared Marie Antoinette, which like Lost In Translation, was directed by Sofia Coppola, Thomas Mars' partner.

The band's fourth album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" was released in 2009. It contains "1901", which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in January 2010. The album won for Best Alternative Album at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Their fifth album, "Bankrupt!" was released in 2013.]
Bankrupt! debuted at #4 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart and a Phoenix world tour was completed over a large part of 2013.
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Aside from these two artists: The following groups also used the name Phoenix, most of which were short lived:
3) Phoenix: A short-lived British hard rock band that consisted of Jim Rodford, Robert Henrit, John Verity of Argent.

4) Phoenix: A UK-based band who play SF/Fantasy inspired rock / filk - both originals and parodies of better known songs.

5) Phoenix: A Classic goa / psychedelic trance project with some tracks released in compilations of 90s.

6) Phoenix: A seven-piece Oklahoma City garage-soul band that released one 45 in 1969 and received great regional success for a couple of years.
Allen Correll (Trumpet)
Larry Rogers (keyboards)
John Proctor (Drums)
Ron Jones (saxophone)
Roger Harrison (Bass)
Randy Stark (Vocals)
Pat Smiley (Guitar)

7) Phoenix: A British glitter band consisting of Alan Yates (vocals) Gerry Shepard (guitar/backing vocals) Pete Phipps (drums/keyboards) and Mike Leander (drums/bass/keyboards). They had one single in April 1975 (Pictures of You / Thrill Me With Your Love) produced by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Baker.

8): Phoenix: Described by fans as "The best cover band you will ever see", this Las Vegas based rock band are sure to get your guests head banging and air guitar-ing whatever the occasion. Line-up consists of Jimmy Crespo (ex-Aerosmith), Tony Davich (ex-Sheena Easton), Jamie Borden, Tommy Paris (ex-Britny Fox, Jillson) and Dan Mccaslin.

The Dawn
Phoenix Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh
when the days just starts to get cold
i dont wanna stand there alone
i wanna be there by your side
wake up every dawn, just you and I
your born in my every song
where nothing could ever go wrong
sometimes i write about your smile

but everytime i write about our life
just like a never ending road
stopped by a broken bridge
Im losing you, losing like mad
Im bruising, bruising my heart
im ruining, ruining myself with the past
Im doing, doing everything that could
breath me back to life
but you fails me everytime
you...
when the night was falling so hard
i didnt want anyone to guard me
and you were there by my side
ran to everywhere, just you and I
Can't believe Im there no more and i see your heart getting torn
but didnt you felt that at my presence your life didnt made no sence
just when the lighters float up high I've also went with it (so far)
I'm losing you, losing like mad
I'm bruising, bruising my heart
I'm ruining, ruining myself with the past
I'm doing, doing everything
that could breath me back to life
but you fails me everytime
you...

ahh.
I'm going, going endless
maybe nowhere but hoping, moving forward
just to find the way back into the love tht can never be erased
the time when you were there
but you are nowhere and there's
nothing left of you and l'm dying
but lm relieved cus your dug deep into my heart
and your face will never ever be gone
just like a never ending road stopped by a broken bridge
Im losing you, losing like mad
Im bruising, bruising my heart
Im ruining, ruining myself with the past
Im doing, doing everything that could breath me back to life but you fails me everytime

fails me everytime
fails me every

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Phoenix's song The Dawn speak to the feelings of loss, heartbreak, and the struggle to move on. The lyrics describe the desire to have someone by your side during the cold and dark days, the memories of a love that once was, while also acknowledging the feeling of being alone and the pain it brings. The singer longs for the love that once was, despite the fact that it has ended. The lyrics highlight the power of memories and the lingering pain of lost love. The song ends with a sense of hope, as the person acknowledges the pain but continues to move forward, looking for a way back into love even when it seems impossible.

One interesting fact about the song is that it was originally recorded as a demo and later included on the deluxe version of Phoenix's album "Bankrupt!". The track was recorded at Jimi Hendrix's old studio in London.

Another interesting fact is that the song features a sample from Italian composer Ennio Morricone's score for the film "Vergogna Schifosi" (Dirty Angels) in the beginning and end of the track.

The song was used in the soundtrack for the video game FIFA 14, and was also featured in the television series "Suits" and "Pretty Little Liars."

The music video for the song was directed by Antoine Wagner and shows various scenes of people moving through their days while a band of robots plays the song on a rooftop.

Here are the chords for the song as played in the original recording:

Verse: G, C, Am, D
Chorus: G, D, Am, C

Overall, The Dawn is a melancholy song that speaks to the universal experiences of love and loss. The lyrics, coupled with the dreamy instrumentation, create a moving portrayal of the pain and hope that often come hand-in-hand with the end of a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh
Expressing a heartfelt emotion and sets the tone for the rest of the song

when the days just starts to get cold
Referring to the change of seasons which often symbolizes the end of a chapter, a relationship, or a feeling of warmth and comfort

i dont wanna stand there alone
Being afraid to face the upcoming challenges or changes without a loved one or without support

i wanna be there by your side
Expressing the desire to be with a significant other or a loved one during difficult times

wake up every dawn, just you and I
Wishing to experience a new day with someone special, enjoying the sunrise together, and starting the day with optimism

your born in my every song
Having strong feelings and emotions towards someone and channeling them into creative outlets such as music

where nothing could ever go wrong
Feeling that when that special someone is around everything feels right and nothing can bring the mood down

sometimes i write about your smile
Describing the joy and happiness that one feels in the presence of someone special, and wanting to capture those moments in words

but everytime i write about our life
Reflecting on the ups and downs of life with someone special and the emotions associated with those experiences

just like a never ending road
Comparing life to a journey that never truly ends

stopped by a broken bridge
Describing how obstacles and hardships can arise that can put a halt to that journey

Im losing you, losing like mad
Expressing the feeling of losing someone special and the emotions that come along with it

Im bruising, bruising my heart
Feeling the emotional pain and hurt from the loss of someone special

im ruining, ruining myself with the past
Letting the past affect the present and future, leading to self-destructive behavior

Im doing, doing everything that could breath me back to life
Trying to find ways to cope and heal from the loss so that one can move on and live life again

but you fails me everytime
Feeling like every attempt at healing and moving on is fruitless because that special person is no longer there

when the night was falling so hard
Describing a difficult and trying time in life, where everything feels dark and sad

i didnt want anyone to guard me
Preferring independence and not wanting to depend on anyone but oneself during tough times

and you were there by my side
Remembering a time when that special person was there to provide support and comfort during those difficult times

ran to everywhere, just you and I
Reflecting on the good times spent with that special person and the adventures that were had together

Can't believe Im there no more and i see your heart getting torn
Comes to the realization that the relationship is over and that it is causing pain and heartbreak for both parties

but didnt you felt that at my presence your life didnt made no sence
Recalling a time when being around that special person made everything feel right and made sense

just when the lighters float up high I've also went with it (so far)
Feeling a sense of detachment and drifting away from that special person, feeling like they are moving in different directions

I'm going, going endless
Feeling like the journey through life will never end, and that there is always more to discover and experience

maybe nowhere but hoping, moving forward
While uncertain of where the journey may lead, there is hope for the future and the determination to move forward

just to find the way back into the love tht can never be erased
Hoping to find a way back to the love and comfort that was once felt with the special person

the time when you were there
Remembering the good times spent with that special person

but you are nowhere and there's nothing left of you and l'm dying
Feeling like that special person is gone and that everything associated with them is no longer present, causing pain and sadness

but lm relieved cus your dug deep into my heart
Feeling grateful for the memories and experiences shared with that special person, and that they will always hold a special place in one's heart

and your face will never ever be gone
No matter how much time passes or how much life changes, the memories of that special person will never fade completely

fails me everytime
Continuing to feel like every attempt at moving on and healing has failed because that special person is no longer there

Contributed by Kylie Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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