Rapture
Siouxsie & The Banshees Lyrics


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O pull on the rein and haul me in
Back to the start where eyes first blink to see
A flowing mane a cut-glass limb
And they're falling soaring so rhythmically
O pull on the rein and haul me in back to the start
Rebirthed in ecstacy with cherubim and seraphim
When I was falling soaring so rhythmically
Falling soaring falling for you so completely
The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic entangled in a web of curling vapour thread
Encaptured by forces unseen
Enraptured an eclipse intoxicating
Strangely not inside strangely not outside
Drowning in the middle of an eerie transition
And I don't know your name
Never been alive yet I haven't died
I hover disembodied in a semi-wakened haze
Floating far above the cloud
Sinking far below the ground
Only my senses remain
The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic entangled in a web of iridescent curling vapour thread
Floating far above the cloud
Sinking far below the ground
No form only my senses remain
Wondering if I dare to say your name
Wondrous thoughts embalmed avow you came
By the crescent disc rising amethyst
How can love remain the same unchanged?
Moonlight plays upon this sunken brow
Midnight ink bleeds wet mercurial clouds
By the crescent disc rising amethyst
Somnambulist unharnessed storms the plough




By the crescent disc rising amethyst
How can love remain the same unchained?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Siouxsie's "The Rapture" evoke a dreamlike state of in-betweenness, where the singer seems to be oscillating between life and death, between reality and illusion, and between self and other. The song opens with the image of a horse being reined in, suggesting a return to the beginning or to a sense of control over one's journey. The lyrics also refer to a "flowing mane" and "cut-glass limbs," which could be metaphors for grace, beauty, and fragility. The singer then speaks of a rebirth into "ecstasy with cherubim and seraphim," invoking religious imagery and perhaps suggesting a departure from mundane existence into a realm of divine transcendence.


As the song progresses, the singer describes being "encaptured by forces unseen" and feeling disconnected from their body and name. The lyrics are rich in sensory details that evoke a disorienting and hypnotic atmosphere, with references to blues, greens, and violets; to mystic and majestic entanglement in vaporous threads; and to sinking and floating above and below the ground. The chorus repeats the words "The Rapture unfurling blues and greens" and "The Rapture a swirling violet stream," creating a sense of a surreal, otherworldly experience.


In the last verse, the singer wonders if they dare to say the beloved's name and alludes to the moon and the stars as symbols of change and continuity. The final lines "How can love remain the same unchained?" suggest a yearning for love that transcends boundaries and identities, that persists even amid the flux of existence.


Line by Line Meaning

O pull on the rein and haul me in
Asking someone to take control and guide me back to the beginning of something.


Back to the start where eyes first blink to see
Going back to the beginning of a journey when everything is still new and exciting.


A flowing mane a cut-glass limb
Describing something or someone with beautiful and elegant physical characteristics.


And they're falling soaring so rhythmically
Imagining a mesmerizing and beautiful dance that involves both falling and soaring movements.


Rebirthed in ecstacy with cherubim and seraphim
Being reborn into something new, surrounded by joyful and heavenly creatures.


When I was falling soaring so rhythmically
Recalling a time when I was moved in such an enchanting way.


Falling soaring falling for you so completely
Falling deeply in love with someone and feeling completely enamored by them.


The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
Feeling overcome with joy and awe at the wonder of the world around me.


The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Experiencing something that is both wild and beautiful.


Mystic majestic entangled in a web of curling vapour thread
Being absorbed into a mystical experience that seems both magical and intangible.


Encaptured by forces unseen
Being helplessly seized by something that cannot be perceived.


Enraptured an eclipse intoxicating
Being completely captivated and swept away by an overwhelming experience.


Strangely not inside strangely not outside
Feeling disconnected from the reality around me in a way that is both foreign and unsettling.


Drowning in the middle of an eerie transition
Feeling overwhelmed and confused during a time of great change and transformation.


And I don't know your name
Feeling lost and uncertain about someone or something that is important to me.


Never been alive yet I haven't died
Experiencing a sense of existence that blurs the lines between life and death.


I hover disembodied in a semi-wakened haze
Feeling disconnected from my body and mind, not fully awake or fully present.


Floating far above the cloud
Feeling removed from the grounded realities of the world, as if in a dreamlike state.


Sinking far below the ground
Feeling overwhelmed and consumed by emotions that weigh me down and pull me under.


Only my senses remain
Feeling unencumbered and purely experiencing the sensations around me.


Wondering if I dare to say your name
Feeling unsure about expressing my feelings for someone, questioning whether it's the right thing to do.


Wondrous thoughts embalmed avow you came
Feeling entranced and spellbound by the idea of someone's arrival in my life.


By the crescent disc rising amethyst
Describing a beautiful, otherworldly moment in time.


How can love remain the same unchanged?
Questioning how love can remain so powerful and constant, despite the inevitable changes that life brings.


Moonlight plays upon this sunken brow
Painting a picture of a peaceful, nocturnal moment in which the world seems still and serene.


Midnight ink bleeds wet mercurial clouds
Imagining a surreal, fantastical night sky.


Somnambulist unharnessed storms the plough
Describing a sleepwalker moving through the world in a way that feels both unstoppable and uncontrolled.


How can love remain the same unchained?
Questioning how love can remain so powerful and constant, despite the inevitable disruptions and trials of life.




Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management, Cloud9
Written by: BUDGIE, MARTIN JOHN MCCARRICK, SIOUXSIE SIOUX, STEVEN SEVERIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@mannyenviado137

"The Rapture"

Oh pull on the rein
And haul me in
Back to the start where eyes first blink to see
A flowing mane
A cut-glass limb
And they're falling soaring so rhythmically

Oh pull on the rein
And haul me in back to the start
Rebirthed in ecstasy with cherubim and seraphim
When I was falling soaring so rhythmically
Falling soaring
Falling for you so completely

The Rapture
Unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture
A swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic
Entangled in a web of curling vapour thread
Encaptured by forces unseen
Enraptured an eclipse intoxicating
Strangely not inside strangely not outside
Drowning in the middle of an eerie transition
And I don't know your name
Never been alive - yet I haven't died
I hover disembodied in a semi-wakened haze

Floating far above the cloud
Sinking far below the ground
Only my senses remain

The Rapture
Unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture
A swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic
Entangled in a web of iridescent curling vapour thread
Floating far above the cloud
Sinking far below the ground
No form - only my senses remain

Wondering if I dare to say your name
Wondrous thoughts embalmed avow you came
By the crescent disc rising amethyst
How Can LOVE Remain The Same Unchanged?
Moonlight plays upon this sunken brow
Midnight ink bleeds wet mercurial clouds
By the crescent disc rising amethyst
Somnambulist unharnessed storms the plow
By the crescent disc rising amethyst
How can love remain the same unchained?





"



@haveagreatday8248

The thing about the British is that they speak such Beautiful English.
Elizabeth Fraser makes love to Siouxsie Head over Heals Through the Blue Bell Knoll ...it must be ..
Heaven or Las Vegas.

Why does beauty make tears?

This music most people wouldn't cross the street to spit at.

Are they doomed evil to their core?

Who am I to judge?
It does seem that way.
It's never too late.
Here I sit alone so far from home. I live in Mexico born in Oakland.
I wish I could share this with someone.
Oh shiiiii this is Tony's favorite band.
So....everything but the girl.

Tony's always cruising for girl's.

Just when I thought here I go down the drain......

Now I'm like Fuck that virus I got 9 cats I never get sick no pathetic microb could possibly survive in this environment plus "We" never sleep at night. Vampire? I hope not but I will say this I have Never had a Cavity. Can't be a Vampire with Cavities in your teeth.
Oh poor Baby Dracula has a toothache. Do some coke numb that tooth.
No that would never happen like that.

It's supposed to weaken your immune system it does for some. For others it fucks the shit out of anything n everything that it comes in contact with.

We are not equal.



@SeeYourStar

+ILAN2187 I don't find it sad, but so beautiful indeed, but feel whatever you feel! :) To me this is speaking of "spiritual rapture". I love this part "Rebirthed in ecstasy with cherubim and seraphim
When I was falling soaring so rhythmically
Falling soaring falling for you so completely 

The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic entangled in a web of curling vapour thread
Encaptured by forces unseen
Enraptured an eclipse intoxicating
Strangely not inside strangely not outside
Drowning in the middle of an eerie transition
And I don't know your name
Never been alive yet I haven't died
I hover disembodied in a semi-wakened haze "



@clugosi

Oh, pull on the rein and haul me in
Back to the start where eyes first blink to see
A flowing mane a cut-glass limb
And they're falling soaring so rhythmically
Oh, pull on the rein and haul me in back to the start
Rebirthed in ecstasy with cherubim and seraphic
When I was falling soaring so rhythmically
Falling soaring falling for you so completely
The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic entangled
In a web of curling vapor thread

Encaptured by forces unseen
Enraptured an eclipse intoxicating
Strangely not inside strangely not outside
Drowning in the middle of an eerie transition
And I don't know your name
Never been alive yet I haven't died
I hover disembodied in a semi-wakened haze
Floating far above the cloud, sinking far below the ground
Only my senses remain
The Rapture unfurling blues and greens
The Rapture a swirling violet stream
Mystic majestic entangled
In a web of iridescent curling vapor thread
Floating far above the cloud, sinking far below the ground
No form only my senses remain
Wondering if I dare to say your name
Wondrous thoughts embalmed a vow you came
By the crescent disc rising Amethyst
How can love remain the same unchanged?
Moonlight plays upon this sunken brow
Midnight ink bleeds wet mercurial clouds
By the crescent disc rising Amethyst
Somnambulist unharnessed storms the plough
By the crescent disc rising Amethyst
How can love remain the same unchained?



All comments from YouTube:

@dirkdiggler1563

I had an opportunity to witness a performance at a club named “Bomb Factory” in Dallas, TX. Siouxsie sung most of the usual songs and the crowd was digging it! But then the opening chords to this song began to play and everyone in the place became silent, simply looking at the band with a confused wonderment. The song was played to perfection! Instruments were in tune and the vocals outstanding! The crowd applauded with gusto upon completion of the song. It was beyond awesome!

@paintedbird

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing that story.

@dirkdiggler1563

paintedbird, thanks for the feedback. That particular concert was truly unique and unforgettable. A performance that many in attendance will surely never forget it. I haven’t.

@lechiffre4213

I was at that show as well. All in all, an amazing performance.

@Popiastral

thank you, its was for sure a real wonderful time merci avec amour

@paintedbird5084

I was there. the tornado that ripped through fort worth..... she came on stage and said hello storm troopers...

3 More Replies...

@robertkelley5144

So majestic. Each section is so perfect. It is their Swan Song masterpiece.

@kolos2006

This song saved my life so many times...But then,so did most of the Banshees' songs!

@louistulloch1159

Kolos Farkhasiu How so?

@kolos2006

From depression. Giving me strength(and reason) to go on.

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