Roxy Music became a successful act in Europe and Australia during the 1970s. This success began with their self-titled debut studio album in 1972. The band pioneered more musically sophisticated elements of glam rock while significantly influencing early English punk music, and provided a model for many new wave acts while innovating elements of electronic composition. The group also conveyed their distinctive brand of visual and musical sophistication with their focus on glamorous fashions. Ferry and co-founding member Eno have had influential solo careers. Eno became one of the most significant British record producers of the late 20th century. Rolling Stone originally ranked Roxy Music No. 98 on their greatest artists list ("The Immortals – The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time"), but dropped the group from the list when they updated it in 2011.
Roxy Music's final studio album was Avalon (1982), which was certified Platinum in the United States. In 2005, the band began recording what would have become their ninth studio album—and their first album with Eno since 1973 (he wrote two songs for it and also played keyboards). However, Ferry eventually announced that the material from these sessions would instead be released as a Ferry solo studio album, with Eno playing on "a couple of tracks", and that he believed the group would never again produce a record as Roxy Music. The album was released in 2010 as the Ferry solo studio album Olympia. It featured contributions from Eno, Manzanera, and Mackay (amongst many other session players).
In 2011, Roxy Music played a series of 40th-anniversary shows, but went inactive as a performing entity following the concerts. In 2019, Roxy Music were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2022, Roxy Music reformed for a tour to mark the 50th anniversary of their debut studio album.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_Music
Studio albums
Roxy Music (1972)
For Your Pleasure (1973)
Stranded (1973)
Country Life (1974)
Siren (1975)
Manifesto (1979)
Flesh and Blood (1980)
Avalon (1982)
Bitter
Roxy Music Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To shower dry cordials within
Too late to leap the chocolate gate
Pale fountains fizzing forth pink gin
While destiny begins to fly
The farmyard chorus sings its wake
Upstanding anthem to the sky
Too soon to realise their fate
I knew the sign you flew around
Up in the air so high above me
Never needed to look down
I never thought I'd be a rover
I didn't even look around
But now I know you've found another
So will someone please find me
Give now the host his claret cup
And watch Madeira's farewell drink
Note his reaction acid sharp
Should make the cognoscenti think
The lyrics to Roxy Music's song "Bitter" are rich with imagery and metaphors, creating a dream-like landscape where things are not as they seem. The first stanza opens with the image of a "crimson chord cascade," perhaps the sunset, or the falling of blood, both of which suggest an ending. This is followed by the use of "dry cordials," which is an oxymoron, as cordials are sweet liqueurs. This suggests a false sense of comfort or satisfaction.
The second line, "Too late to leap the chocolate gate," evokes the image of a fairy tale or Alice in Wonderland, but the use of the word "leap" suggests a sense of struggle or desperation. The "pale fountains fizzing forth pink gin" might represent the effervescence of life, but it also implies a sense of excess and intoxication. The line "While destiny begins to fly" indicates that something significant is happening, and the "farmyard chorus" that "sings its wake" suggests that it is a natural event, something that happens regardless of human intervention. The anthem to the sky is "upstanding," but also too soon to realize its fate. Perhaps we are being told that fate is indifferent to our desires or actions.
The second stanza shifts to personal narrative, as the singer addresses a "you" as "the raven of October," perhaps a symbolic reference to death. The singer "knew the sign you flew around," suggesting that the arrival of death was something that had been long anticipated. The image of flying "up in the air so high above me," conveys a sense of power and transcendence, but also a feeling of detachment from the world below. The singer notes that "never needed to look down," a line that suggests an assumption of invulnerability or lack of concern for others.
The last two lines of this stanza make a surprising turn as the singer reveals that they "never thought [they'd] be a rover" and that they "didn't even look around." This is a revelation of regret, perhaps suggesting that the singer has missed something important in their life. The final line, "So will someone please find me," is a plea for help or connection, a recognition of the singer's isolation and vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
At last the crimson chord cascade
Finally, the deep red sound falls like a waterfall
To shower dry cordials within
It releases a wave of strong emotions that had been suppressed before
Too late to leap the chocolate gate
It's too late to change the past and the opportunities missed
Pale fountains fizzing forth pink gin
Effervescent and bubbly, but with a hint of regret and melancholy
While destiny begins to fly
Fate has started to unfold and reveal its course
The farmyard chorus sings its wake
The animals start to awaken and announce the start of a new day
Upstanding anthem to the sky
A joyful song of gratitude and appreciation to the heavens
Too soon to realise their fate
They don't know that in the end they'll be taken for granted
You were the raven of October
You were the omen that foretold a change of seasons
I knew the sign you flew around
I recognized your message and what it meant
Up in the air so high above me
You were out of reach, beyond my understanding
Never needed to look down
You were confident and self-assured, never second-guessing yourself
I never thought I'd be a rover
I never saw myself as a wanderer or a traveler
I didn't even look around
I was so focused on myself that I missed the signs of change around me
But now I know you've found another
But now I realize that you have moved on and found happiness elsewhere
So will someone please find me
So I ask for help and companionship to ease my loneliness
Give now the host his claret cup
Offer the host his well-deserved reward and acknowledge his success
And watch Madeira's farewell drink
Observe the last sip of wine before the end of the celebration
Note his reaction acid sharp
Notice his sour expression and bitter disappointment
Should make the cognoscenti think
This should serve as a lesson for those who are knowledgeable and discerning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRYAN FERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TV EYE
Well this is such a sad affair
I've opened up my heart
So many times
But now it's closed
Oh my dear every salted tear
It wrings bittersweet applause
But when the show's in full swing
Every once in a while
High stepping chorus lines
Mean I'm forgetting
Mein lullaby Liebchen
How rich in contrast love can be
Sometimes I'm quite amused
To see it twist and turn
To taste both sweet and dry
These vintage years
Lovers you consume, my friend
As others their wine
Nein, das ist nicht das Ende der Welt
Gestrandet an Leben und Kunst
Und das Spiel geht weiter
Wie man weiß
Noch viele schönste... Wiedersehn
And now, as you turn to leave
You try to force a smile
As if to compensate
Then you break down and cry
Chantal Verville
What an absolute masterpiece, this song is so dark and beautiful! I'm 48 years old, and I really appreciate what Roxy Music did, their music will never fade away in my mind.
Joseph Babin
John Gustafson's bass line is what makes this song. Absolutely amazing and dynamic!!!
Robert Atherley
I love songs where the bass provides the melody and the guitar is just a backdrop.
Mark Hooper
I love this song. There’s a real feel of Kurt Weil about it. Marvellous.
TV EYE
Well this is such a sad affair
I've opened up my heart
So many times
But now it's closed
Oh my dear every salted tear
It wrings bittersweet applause
But when the show's in full swing
Every once in a while
High stepping chorus lines
Mean I'm forgetting
Mein lullaby Liebchen
How rich in contrast love can be
Sometimes I'm quite amused
To see it twist and turn
To taste both sweet and dry
These vintage years
Lovers you consume, my friend
As others their wine
Nein, das ist nicht das Ende der Welt
Gestrandet an Leben und Kunst
Und das Spiel geht weiter
Wie man weiß
Noch viele schönste... Wiedersehn
And now, as you turn to leave
You try to force a smile
As if to compensate
Then you break down and cry
brian cox
Love the guitar work on this track
2HB2HB
Love it.
Be Bop
Such class from an underrated album. Love the Kurt Weill bit! All very menacing and Nazi.
Puto Cracker
Indeed. My favorite part of the track
brian cox
What a heavy guitar riff brilliant