Slapp Happy was a German/English pop group formed in Germany in 1972 when B… Read Full Bio ↴Slapp Happy was a German/English pop group formed in Germany in 1972 when British keyboardist and avant-garde composer Anthony Moore invited his friend, New York guitarist/artist/cartoonist/poet Peter Blegvad, to come over to Hamburg. Moore had already released several albums of “new music” for Polydor. When Polydor rejected one of his albums outright, he proposed a pop-oriented project instead. Local girl Dagmar Krause, a former member of the folk-rock group City Preachers, was recruited as vocalist and Slapp Happy was born.

Their early sound was a quirky, cabaret-inflected pop-rock with witty, literate lyrics from Blegvad. Their first two albums featured members of Faust in the backing band, although the second was later re-recorded with session musicians for Virgin records.

By 1975, they had been interleaved with the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, a union that produced two important works: a theatrical, Kurt Weill-esque set of songs entitled Desperate Straights and a much more daunting and avant-garde set entitled In Praise Of Learning.

The band has had fitful reunions ever since, sometimes just for the odd single, but often for major projects (the 1991 television opera Camera and the 1998 studio album Ça Va, for example).

Krause, Moore and Blegvad reformed Slapp Happy again in November 2016 to perform with Faust at the Week-End festival in Cologne, Germany. The two groups also played on 10–11 February 2017 at Cafe Oto in London. On 24 February 2017 Slapp Happy (without Faust) performed at Mt. Rainer Hall, Shibuya in Tokyo. In September 2017, Slapp Happy and Faust played at the 10th Rock in Opposition festival in Carmaux, France. They made a final appearance in November 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

Slow Moon's Rose
Slapp Happy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now that the slow moons rose
On a silver trellis grows,
Where arctic rivers froze,
Now that the ocean is frozen in motion,
Snow morning comes.
And the birds on the wing
Have nothing left to sing
Blown in blue glass like a schooner held fast on the ice.

Besides that river where I picked, the slow moons rose -
I watched the evening wither with a jewel at the end of my nose.

Tell-tale snails leave their trails,
Running from hunters' black blunderbuss under the sun.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Slapp Happy's song Slow Moon's Rose appear to evoke a dreamlike and somewhat surrealistic atmosphere. The slow moon rising on a silver trellis symbolizes a moment of transition and transformation, as arctic rivers freeze and the ocean is brought to a standstill. The imagery of snow morning evokes a sense of quiet and stillness, as if the world is holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

The birds on the wing have nothing left to sing, suggesting a sense of resignation or silence in the face of this frozen landscape. The image of a schooner held fast on the ice adds to the feeling of being trapped or immobilized, as if the world outside is no longer accessible. The reference to picking near the river where the slow moons rose is a reminder of the fleeting beauty of nature that is both fragile and precious. The jewel at the end of the singer's nose suggests a sense of wonder and enchantment, as if even in the midst of this frozen world, there is still something magical and alluring to be found.

The final line of the song, 'Tell-tale snails leave their trails, running from hunters' black blunderbuss under the sun' adds a note of danger and urgency to the lyrics. The image of snails leaving their trails suggests a sense of urgency or haste, as if even the smallest creatures are aware of the need to flee. The reference to hunters' black blunderbuss under the sun suggests a sense of violence and power, as if the natural world is under threat from outside forces.

Overall, the lyrics to Slow Moon's Rose suggest a sense of unease and uncertainty in the face of profound changes in the natural world. The imagery evokes a dreamlike and magical atmosphere, but also a sense of urgency and danger lurking just beneath the surface.

Line by Line Meaning

Now that the slow moons rose
With the ascent of the slow moons, symbolically marking the end of a phase or cycle, a new chapter commences.

On a silver trellis grows,
A beautiful and delicate growth has emerged on a trellis, perhaps depicting the blossoming of new life or opportunity.

Where arctic rivers froze,
Referencing a cold and frozen environment, where the liveliness typical of a river has slowed or ceased, representing stagnation or lifelessness.

Now that the ocean is frozen in motion,
Even the usually tumultuous and active ocean has ceased movement, conveying a pause or interruption in life's flow.

Snow morning comes.
A fresh day begins, marked by the appearance of snow.

And the birds on the wing
Birds, normally free to fly, are restricted or have nothing to do due to the surrounding environment, free time has lead to stagnation.

Have nothing left to sing
The birds are devoid of inspiration or content for their usual activities, further showcasing lifelessness brought on by stagnation.

Blown in blue glass like a schooner held fast on the ice.
A visual depiction of a frozen and stationary environment where a blue glass-like material has enveloped the area, holding structures, like a boat on ice, in place.

Besides that river where I picked, the slow moons rose -
The artist highlights the location where they witnessed the slow moon rise, signaling the end of a cycle, perhaps implying a personal transformation or realization.

I watched the evening wither with a jewel at the end of my nose.
The evening time symbolically withers or ends, with the individual witnessing this decline up close, perhaps showcasing personal change or loss. The jewel on their nose is an opaque reference to them being under the influence of romantic love.

Tell-tale snails leave their trails,
Snails, whose trails often indicate activity or purpose, are leaving behind evidence of their movement.

Running from hunters' black blunderbuss under the sun.
The snails are fleeing from an unknown danger, where the hunter and their weapon are not seen but their presence is indicated.

Contributed by Colton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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