Following the band's dissolution, singer and guitarist Guy Picciotto, guitarist Eddie Janney, and drummer Brendan Canty formed One Last Wish with Embrace alumnus Michael Hampton. The three later joined former Rites bassist Mike Fellows for a quasi-reincarnation of Rites of Spring named Happy Go Licky, releasing an LP/CD of various live concert recordings though never producing any studio work. Picciotto and Canty eventually teamed up with the former Embrace singer Ian MacKaye (owner of the band’s label, Dischord Records) in Fugazi.
Rites of Spring was the band’s self-titled debut album from 1985. Its twelve songs were recorded at Inner Ear Studios in February of 1985, and released on vinyl in June of that year as Dischord Records #16. The album was rereleased on CD and cassette in 1987, with an additional track from the same session, "Other Way Around", as well as the four songs from the Rites' follow-up EP, All Through a Life, Dischord #22. The CD and cassette originally retained the number "16" while the 1991 repress, as well as the 2001 remastered version of the same seventeen songs, were numbered "16CD" and given the new title End on End.
The band are named after Igor Stravinsky's famous ballet composition entitled The Rite of Spring/Le Sacre du printemps. The piece is widely dissonant and the context of the ballet is extremely bleak, revolving around pagan rituals.
Drink Deep
Rites of Spring Lyrics
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And it might not come this way again
I believe in moments, transparent moments
Moments in grace when you've got to stake your faith, yeah
Why do I confine, when all I want is release? I said
It moves outside you, it stays inside you
And it's not something, you know that I could, I could prove
Yes, it's a promise and it's a threat
And it's not something that I'll let you forget
Not just yet, not just yet, yeah
Why do I chase, when all I want is near?
It's not the rule then it's always the case
Good intentions get fractured, good intentions get replaced
So close to reach but so hard to hold
The only chance you get is past your control
It's so hard, it's so hard, yeah
Drink, drink deep
Drink, drink deep
Drink deep, it's just a taste
And it might not come this way again
Time to surrender, yes, we surrender
Of all things in time, all things one place, one place, yeah
The lyrics to Rites of Spring's song "Drink Deep" explore the idea of seizing the moment and fully experiencing life. The line "Drink deep, it's just a taste, and it might not come this way again" encourages the listener to live in the present and not take anything for granted, as opportunities may not present themselves again. The transparent moments mentioned in the lyrics refer to moments of grace where one must take a leap of faith and fully commit to their beliefs. However, the singer also questions why they still confine themselves when all they want is freedom and release.
The second verse delves deeper into the idea of being moved by something intangible and incomprehensible. The singer states that they cannot prove or choose to be moved by these moments, but they are both a promise and a threat that cannot be forgotten. This highlights the unpredictable nature of life and how one must learn to embrace it, even when it's difficult. The chorus repeats the refrain to "drink deep" and surrender to the moment, acknowledging that everything in life eventually comes to an end.
Overall, "Drink Deep" explores the challenges of fully experiencing life and the importance of embracing every moment that comes our way. The lyrics encourage the listener to let go of control and surrender to the present, even if it's just for a fleeting moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Drink deep, it's just a taste, and it might not come this way again,
Seize the moment and enjoy what life has to offer, for opportunities like this might not present themselves again.
I believe in moments, transparent moment, moments in grace when you've got to stake your faith
I trust in moments of clarity, moments when everything falls into place, and I have to take a leap of faith.
(but why do I confine, when all I want is release?)
I question myself why I hold back from experiencing life to the fullest, when all I truly desire is freedom and liberation.
It moves inside you, it stays outside you,
The feeling is both internal and external, affecting both the mind and the body.
And its not something that I could prove,
The sensation cannot be scientifically or methodically demonstrated, it is beyond rational explanation.
Or could chose, to be moved.
One cannot intentionally choose to experience the feeling, it is a spontaneous and involuntary reaction.
Yes its a promise, and its a threat,
The feeling is both a promise of great heights and a threat of great depths, both joy and pain.
And its not something that I'll let you for get,
The experience is unforgettable and forever etched in memory.
Not just yet, not just yet
The memory of the sensation is still fresh and vivid, not fading away anytime soon.
(but why do I chase when all I want is near?)
I question myself why do I go after what I desire when it is already within my reach.
If its not the rule then its always the case,
Exceptions are rare and the norm is usually followed.
Good intentions get fractured, good intentions get replaced,
Despite having good intentions, things can go wrong and we might have to forfeit or adjust our plans.
So close to reach but so hard to hold,
The object of desire seems within reach but is difficult to attain and even harder to maintain.
The only chance you get is past your control, it's so hard, it's so hard.
The only shot you have at experiencing the feeling is beyond your control and it is an arduous task to accomplish.
Time to surrender, sweet surrender of all things in time, all things one place, one place.
Time to let go and submit to the moment, embracing all experiences and accepting everything as it is, in one place, in one time.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Edward Janney, Michael Scott Fellows, Brendan John Canty, Guy Charles Picciotto
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind