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.
End on End
Rites of Spring Lyrics
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When nothing changed 'cause nothing ever began
Restless movement in an empty room
Gathering shadows of a darkened blue
And oh - it feels so strange - when it comes again
Cycles of end on end, edges begin to blend, time following time, a pattern becomes defined
I had a feeling from end to end
Tried to catch it before it started again
But inside I didn't have the breath
And oh - it feels so strange - when it comes again
But I've got it now
I've got the rhythm down
Cycles of end on end
But if one wave stops, another begins
End on end on end on end on end on end on end on
End on end on end on end on end on end on end on
End
on end on end on end on end on end on end on
End on end on end on end on end on end on end on
Rites of Spring's song "End on End" is a reflection on cycles of repetition that seem to never end, leaving the singer feeling stranded and detached from their environment. The opening lines "I've had days of end on end, when nothing changed 'cause nothing ever began" paints a picture of stagnancy and emptiness. The singer is disheartened by the passage of time and the repetitiveness of their daily routine. They are trapped in an unending loop, where each day passes like the one before it. The image of "restless movement in an empty room" reflects a sense of anxiety and restlessness. The shadows gathering in the darkened room compound the sense of isolation the singer is feeling.
The repetition in the song's lyrics carries a sense of inevitability, as the singer observes the patterns of their life becoming more and more defined. The line "Cycles of end on end, edges begin to blend, time following time, a pattern becomes defined" highlights the singer's resignation to their situation. They have come to accept that their life is trapped in a cycle of repetition and that they cannot escape their current situation.
However, as the song progresses, the singer finds a sense of empowerment in the repetition. They embrace the rhythm of their life, and the song's final lines "But if one wave stops, another begins" suggests a newfound acceptance of repetition as an integral part of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I've had days of end on end
There were days that felt like an endless repetition of the same thing.
When nothing changed 'cause nothing ever began
These days were characterized by a sense of stagnation, as nothing new ever seemed to happen.
Restless movement in an empty room
Despite this sense of stagnation, there was still an underlying feeling of restlessness and unease.
Gathering shadows of a darkened blue
This restlessness was accompanied by a sense of darkness or melancholy.
And oh - it feels so strange - when it comes again
The author is familiar with this feeling, even when it is unexpected.
Cycles of end on end, edges begin to blend, time following time, a pattern becomes defined
These periods of repetition and stagnation start to blend together, becoming a predictable and defined pattern.
I had a feeling from end to end
The author had a pervasive feeling that lasted throughout the endless days.
Tried to catch it before it started again
The author attempted to break the cycle and prevent the sense of repetition from returning.
Pushed it away to force a laugh
To cope with this feeling, the author resorted to humor to try to ignore or distract from it.
But inside I didn't have the breath
Despite attempts to ignore it, the feeling remained present and took a toll on the author emotionally.
But I've got it now
The author has come to a realization or understanding of the feeling.
I've got the rhythm down
The author has come to recognize and understand the pattern and cycle of these endless days.
But if one wave stops, another begins
Even if the sense of repetition breaks, there is always another cycle waiting to begin.
End on end on end on end on end on end on end on
The repetition is emphasized and reinforced through the repetition of the phrase.
End on end on end on end on end on end on end on
The repetition is emphasized and reinforced through the repetition of the phrase.
End
The repetition ends, but the feeling remains.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
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