They began as Sharks as early as 1979 when high school friends Richard Black (considered to be the man from whom Guns N' Roses' front man Axl Rose stole most of his stage moves!) and Spencer Sercombe joined forces. The lineup for the Sharks changed regularly, with vocalist Black and guitarist Sercombe being the only staples. The Sharks released an independent album called Altar Ego in 1982.
By 1985 the Sharks had developed into Shark Island with a line-up of Michael Guy (guitar), Tom Rucci (bass) and Walt Woodward (drums). The band released an album of demos independently before being signed to Epic records. Shortly after, they had two songs included on the Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure soundtrack. In 1990 the band went from a five-piece down to four, when Black and Sercombe recruited a new band of Chris Heilmann (bass) and Greg Ellis (drums). The band were ready to set the world on fire with their first major label album, Law Of The Order. It contained killer singles such as "Paris Calling" and "Bad For Each Other", but went completely unnoticed by the record buying public.
In 1991 Black and Sercombe joined the one-off super group Contraband before heading back to Shark Island. New songs were recorded in 1992, but never released, and the band just faded away. Sercombe ended up joining the Riverdogs with Vivian Campbell (ex of Dio and now Def Leppard fame), and Heilmann played with Quireboys vocalist Spike in Spike's Soul Thing and Black worked with Jake E. Lee in the short-lived Bourgeois Pigs. In 2005 the band reunited with new drummer Glen Sobel and re-recorded some of their unreleased songs for the Gathering Of The Faithful album. In 2019, another album, Bloodline was released as well as a live album, Day Of The Dead: Alive in Zagreb.
Life Goes On
Shark Island Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come and sit beside me in the underworld
Where the light is never shown
You know I love you girl
But I think I’m learning what it really means
To be all alone
I want to see you happy
That needs to find the pain and face it
Looking out from all the darkness I have known
I could be the masked face of something evil
And you wouldn’t even know
Don’t leave it up to me
To come and warm you when you’re cold
Cuz I don’t want to let you down when the fire burns low
We may not be here tomorrow
And only fear the sorrow
It’s dead and gone
As Life goes on
Dreaming of another way
Come on baby we can go the distance
If we ignore the power play
Come on, get ready
The road is long but the streets are calling out to us
Were getting out, out, out
I’m getting out of living in this meat house for another day
Gonna blow routine to pieces
Fighting it tooth and nail
Get me though the longest day
To find the truth and realize that the walls just don’t last
Giving in is lonely
Living as an only child
Learning how to rule the world in a world gone wild
Wishing you could change it
Got a feel that something’s missing
Let it out, let it out
Work and play and the matters of the day
Now I’m sitting on your bed oh have I said enough?
All that’s left to do is please
All the times you rescued me
Lock the door and I can face it
Lonely , lonely, lonely
Are we all lonely
Yes we are lonely
The song "Life Goes On" by Shark Island is a complex yet poignant look at life and its struggles. The opening lines, "Oh my little angel baby, come and sit beside me in the underworld, where the light is never shown," set the tone for the song, which is introspective and contemplative. The lyrics reflect on the existential struggles of the singer, who is coming to terms with life in the midst of darkness and uncertainty. He acknowledges his love for his partner and the hardship of being alone, which is something he is learning to handle.
The chorus, "Wishing you could change it, got a feel that something's missing, let it out, let it out" echoes the psychological turmoil of the singer, who is grappling with the unknown. The verses, "Dreaming of another way, come on baby, we can go the distance, if we ignore the power play, come on, get ready, the road is long but the streets are calling out to us, we're getting out, out, out" reflect the determination of the singer to face his challenges head-on and overcome them.
The song is a powerful testament to the human spirit and our ability to keep moving forward in life despite its challenges. It is an insightful and evocative piece that makes use of powerful metaphorical imagery to convey its message.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my little angel baby
Addressing a loved one in terms of endearment
Come and sit beside me in the underworld
Invitation to someone to be with them through tough times
Where the light is never shown
A reference to the struggles or pain that they're dealing with
You know I love you girl
A reassurance of their love and devotion towards the person addressed in line 1
But I think I’m learning what it really means
Acknowledging that they're going through a process of learning and becoming more self-aware
To be all alone
Reflecting on the feeling of loneliness or isolation
I want to see you happy
Expressing a desire for the other person's happiness
But you got to understand the part of me
Asking the other person to be understanding towards them and their struggles
That needs to find the pain and face it
Acknowledging that they need to confront their struggles rather than run away from them
Looking out from all the darkness I have known
Reflecting on their past experiences and struggles
I could be the masked face of something evil
Acknowledging that they could appear to be someone they're not due to their struggles
And you wouldn’t even know
Suggesting that the person addressed might not be fully aware of the struggles they're going through
Don’t leave it up to me
Feeling unequipped to help the other person through their struggles
To come and warm you when you’re cold
Assuming responsibility for the other person's well-being
Cuz I don’t want to let you down when the fire burns low
Expressing a fear of not being able to meet the expectations of the other person
We may not be here tomorrow
Emphasizing the fleeting nature of life
And only fear the sorrow
Feeling fearful of the pain and sadness that comes along with life
It’s dead and gone
Acknowledging that the pain and sorrow of the past can't be undone
As Life goes on
Emphasizing the inevitability of life carrying on despite the struggles
Dreaming of another way
Longing for a different, better reality
Come on baby we can go the distance
Expressing optimism and a willingness to face challenges with the other person
If we ignore the power play
Suggesting that to achieve their goals they need to avoid power struggles and instead focus on their own path
Come on, get ready
Encouraging the other person to prepare themselves for the journey ahead
The road is long but the streets are calling out to us
Feeling that they have a long journey ahead of them, but there are signs of hope along the way
Were getting out, out, out
Emphasizing their desire to break free from their struggles and move forward
I’m getting out of living in this meat house for another day
Finding the strength to go on despite the feeling of being trapped or limited by their physical body
Gonna blow routine to pieces
Breaking free from monotony and pushing themselves beyond their limits
Fighting it tooth and nail
Emphasizing their determination to overcome their struggles no matter what
Get me though the longest day
Asking for strength and support to endure difficult times
To find the truth and realize that the walls just don’t last
Searching for the path to truth and realizing that the obstacles in their way are temporary
Giving in is lonely
Feeling that giving up on their goals or dreams would be a lonely and unfulfilling path
Living as an only child
Feeling alone or isolated even in the midst of others
Learning how to rule the world in a world gone wild
Learning to navigate the challenges of life to achieve their goals despite the chaos around them
Wishing you could change it
Desiring change and a better reality for themselves and others
Got a feel that something’s missing
Feeling unfulfilled despite their accomplishments or progress
Let it out, let it out
Encouraging the other person to express their feelings and emotions
Work and play and the matters of the day
Acknowledging the demands and routines of daily life
Now I’m sitting on your bed oh have I said enough?
Reflecting on how much they've shared and wondering if there's anything more to say
All that’s left to do is please
Feeling a need to please others despite their own feelings or needs
All the times you rescued me
Acknowledging the role of the person addressed in supporting them through their struggles
Lock the door and I can face it
Seeking solitude and privacy to confront their struggles
Lonely , lonely, lonely
Reflecting on the feeling of loneliness that pervades their life and their struggles
Are we all lonely
Questioning if everyone is struggling with the same feelings of loneliness and isolation
Yes we are lonely
Affirming their feeling that loneliness is a universal struggle for all humans
Contributed by Lucas J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.