Wakeford founded Sol Invictus in order to pursue his own musical ideas. He was an original member of Crisis and Death In June with Douglas P.. He formed Sol Invictus in 1987, working with Ian Read and Karl Blake. He has been the sole constant of the group, as it continues to bring forth new forms and conceptions.
Wakeford has described Sol Invictus as a "cabaret band from Hell for the fin-de-siècle" and has referred to his work as folk noir. He has said the name "comes from a pre-Christian Rome-based cult. Many of its trappings were taken over by the church. The name means 'the unconquered (or victorious) sun', and it was brought back by the legionnaires returning from Persia. The sun has always been an important symbol and as the cult of Sol Invictus nearly defeated Christianity at one point it seemed a good name to use. I also love the sound of Latin. "
Sol Invictus' imagery and lyrical content, especially initially, was strongly influenced by an antipathy for the modern world and materialism. The band also had considerable interest in Heathen and Mithraist themes, often reflecting an explicit antipathy to Christianity. Wakeford has written from a melancholic position of doomed Romanticism, which laments the loss of beauty, love, and Culture. He sees Americanism as a scourge upon Europe, as expressed with pitch-black humour in his song, "Death of the West" from the album of the same name.
In 2007 Tony Wakeford started working with Israeli producer and musician 'M'. The German label Prophecy will release a new Sol Invictus studio album, 'The Cruelest Month' in 2010.
Do not mix it up with the German band Soul_Invictus!
The silver swan
Sol Invictus Lyrics
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When death approached, unlocked her silent throat,
She leaned her breast against the reedy shore,
She sung her first and last, and sung no more:
Farewell all joys! O death, come close my eyes;
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.
The Silver Swan is a hauntingly beautiful song by Sol Invictus, which speaks about the inevitability of death and the transience of life. The lyrics describe a swan that had never sung during its lifetime, but unlocked its silent throat at the approach of death, to sing one last time before passing away. The swan leans its breast against the reedy shore, as if taking a final rest and then it sings its first and last notes. The song is framed with a farewell to all joys, welcoming death to come and close its eyes. The final lines of the song are a reflection on the transience of life, where the number of foolish people is more than the wise and geese outnumber swans, symbolizing the rarity of true beauty and wisdom.
The song has a melancholic and reflective tone, which is consistent with the themes of death and fleetingness. The lyrics are open to interpretation, especially around the significance of the swan's final song, which could represent the desire for an artistic or creative legacy, or the ultimate acceptance of mortality. The song has gained popularity for its beautiful melody and poetic lyrics, and it has been covered by many artists in different genres.
Line by Line Meaning
The silver swan, who living had no note,
The swan was quiet during its lifetime, not making any sound.
When death approached, unlocked her silent throat,
As death drew near, the swan found its voice and began to sing.
She leaned her breast against the reedy shore,
The swan rested herself against the shoreline.
She sung her first and last, and sung no more:
The swan sang once and only once before it died.
Farewell all joys! O death, come close my eyes;
The swan bids adieu to all joys in life and welcomes death.
More geese than swans now live, more fools than wise.
There are now more inferior creatures than superior ones, and more foolish people than wise ones.
Contributed by Joseph Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.