The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
Here In Heaven
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a panoramic view
Of the universe completely surrounding you
And here you cannot buy souvenirs
For you're never going back, never,never!
Basically, I guess it could be worse,
Yes I do suppose it could be worse
Here there are many many sheep
And the people only sleep
And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end
And I don't have many friends
And it's really very clean
And I'm thinking...
Juliet you broke our little pact
Juliet, I'm never coming back
Up here in Heaven without you
I'm here in heaven without you
Up here in heaven without you
It is hell knowing that your health
Will keep you out of here
For many many years
Dear do you often think of me
As you overlook the sea?
Do I qualify as dearly departed or am I
That sucker in the sky,
The fall guy for the first and the last time?
Juliet, I thought we had agreed
Now I know why you let me take the lead
Up here in Heaven without you
I'm here in heaven without you
Up here in heaven without you
It is hell knowing that your health
Will keep you out of here
For many many years
Second thoughts, is that what you had?
Second thoughts, first I broke my back
Second thoughts, as I hit the sea
Second thoughts, for eternity, for eternity, for eternity
Up here in Heaven without you
I'm here in heaven without you
Up here in heaven without you
It is hell knowing that your health
Will keep you out of here
For many many years
The Sparks track "Here In Heaven" is a conceptual piece about life in the afterlife. The song explores how the character in the song, who is deceased and in heaven, observes his surroundings and comes to terms with never being able to go back to the land of the living. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of what heaven might look like, from the panoramic view of the universe and the abundance of sheep to the lack of souvenirs and the clean environment.
In the second verse, the lyrics paint a darker picture of heaven, where the inhabitants only wake up to recount the gory details of how they died. The character also laments his lack of companionship, and his thoughts turn to Juliet, who seems to have broken their pact to enter heaven together. The chorus repeats the phrase "Up here in heaven without you,” highlighting the character's sadness at being apart from his loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Here there are lots of things to do
Heaven is a place where there are many things to do.
And a panoramic view
You get a complete 360-degree view of the universe in Heaven.
Of the universe completely surrounding you
In Heaven, the universe surrounds you completely.
And here you cannot buy souvenirs
In Heaven, you cannot buy souvenirs as there is no going back to Earth.
For you're never going back, never, never!
Once you're in Heaven, you're never going back to Earth.
Basically, I guess it could be worse,
Heaven isn't so bad after all, even though there are some downsides.
Yes I do suppose it could be worse
Despite its drawbacks, Heaven could be worse.
Here there are many many sheep
In Heaven, there are many sheep.
And the people only sleep
The people in Heaven only sleep.
And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end
When they wake up, they tell stories of how they died in a gory and gruesome way.
And I don't have many friends
The singer doesn't have many friends in Heaven.
And it's really very clean
Heaven is a very clean place to be in.
And I'm thinking...
The singer is lost in thought.
Juliet you broke our little pact
The singer addresses a person named Juliet and accuses her of breaking a pact they had.
Juliet, I'm never coming back
The singer tells Juliet that he's never coming back to her.
Up here in Heaven without you
The singer is in Heaven without Juliet.
It is hell knowing that your health
The singer finds it agonizing that Juliet's health won't let her enter Heaven anytime soon.
Will keep you out of here
Juliet's health will keep her out of Heaven.
For many many years
Juliet will be kept out of Heaven for many years.
Dear do you often think of me
The singer asks if Juliet often thinks of him.
As you overlook the sea?
He asks if Juliet is looking over the sea while thinking of him.
Do I qualify as dearly departed or am I
The singer asks if he's considered a beloved deceased or not.
That sucker in the sky,
The singer ponders whether he's a fool to have ended up in Heaven.
The fall guy for the first and the last time?
He wonders if he's the only one who fell for this trick and ended up in Heaven.
Juliet, I thought we had agreed
The singer reminds Juliet that they had agreed on something.
Now I know why you let me take the lead
The singer finally understands why Juliet let him take the lead.
Second thoughts, is that what you had?
The singer asks if Juliet had second thoughts about something.
Second thoughts, first I broke my back
The singer recalls an incident where he broke his back while having second thoughts.
Second thoughts, as I hit the sea
He had second thoughts as he was diving into the sea.
Second thoughts, for eternity, for eternity, for eternity
He's stuck with those thoughts for eternity now that he's in Heaven.
Up here in Heaven without you
The singer is still in Heaven without Juliet.
It is hell knowing that your health
It's excruciating to know that Juliet won't be able to join him in Heaven anytime soon.
Will keep you out of here
Juliet's health is what's keeping her out of Heaven.
For many many years
She'll be kept out of Heaven for a long time.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RON MAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
anahte
Here, there are lots of things to do
And a panoramic view
Of the universe completely surrounding you
And here, you cannot buy souvenirs
You're never going back, never ever
Basically, I guess it could be worse
Yes I do, suppose it could be worse
Here, there are many, many sheep
And the people only sleep
And awake to tell how gory and gruesome was their end
And I don't have many friends
And it's really very clean, and I'm thinking:
"Juliet, you broke our little pact
Juliet, I'm never coming back"
[Chorus]
Up here in heaven without you
I'm here in heaven without you
Up here in heaven without you
It is hell knowing that your health
Will keep you out of here for many, many years
[Verse 2]
Dear, do you often think of me?
As you overlook the sea
Do I qualify as "dearly departed"
Or am I "that sucker in the sky"
The fall guy for the first and the last time
Juliet, I thought we had agreed
Now I know why you let me take the lead
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
Second thoughts, is that what you had?
Second thoughts, first I broke my back
Second thoughts, as I hit the sea
Second thoughts, for eternity
For eternity, for eternity
[Chorus]
Anna Backman
@Jery Ireland I agree with you. His words
"Do I qualify as dearly departed,
Or am I,
that sucker in the sky,
The fall guy
For the first and the last time"
says it all, I guess.
To quote Ron's words for FFS:
"Collaborations don't work" 😂
Anna Backman
This continuing discussion is primary SILLY.
Sparks and Queen ARE and will probably always be two different bands. SOMETIMES two, or more, bands have some similarities.
Both Sparks and Queen started their careers around -70. They both had their break -74.
There is one major difference between their ways in using voices, Sparks builds all songs around Russell's voice, not so many other voices are heard on their albums, and what I understand, not many other band members do back-up vocals.
In Queen however everybody do back-up vocals, and they partly sing in vocal parts as a choir practically on all songs. Not a common thing with Sparks.
Queen always was more of a rockband, rougher. Freddie's voice was rougher than Russell's. Though Freddie sadly past many years ago we will never know if his voice would have kept clear and strong to these days.
Two different bands, for a while, of others, labeled as Glam rock, right or wrong. But took really different turns pretty early.
So PLEASE! Stop this ridiculous argue.
Two great bands. Two great voices. Both bands have made great music. What's the fuzz? It's a matter of taste, nothing else. Nothing more.
So: CUT IT OUT! Seriously.
David Ritter
Didn't realize it at the time, but the 70's was the best decade for music eclecticism. This band exemplifies that. They were great live too.
Anna Backman
"This town aint big enough for the both of" may excuse, this is even better!! The lyrics, the rippling melody and Russell's voice. 🤩🥰
If I have to put together a "Sparks top 10 list" Here in heaven would be one of the first to fit.
The problem is, it would be so much easier to make a "Sparks top 100 list" 😂
Stanisław Turno
any suggestions for the list? I am stuck on 95 ;(
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDbsFqVhPYDnujN_b3h9vUtCOMzM1EV8a
M N
so underrated - brilliant band.... inventive lyrics....blinding riffs and melodies....what more can ya ask for :)
Gusdocs1
One of the greatest albums of all time
Ian Sane
I became an immediate fan when this album came out . I’m now 62 and still listening. And Sparks are having a much deserved banner year with the documentary ‘SparksBrothers’ and their soundtrack/ producers to the film ‘Annette’. Can’t wait to see them live again when they swing by in 2022❤️🙏
Dan Scott
Should of been big like Queen. Gues Russell was not flamboyant enough. Lol
Xavier Quiñones de León
sems recordedm in Lido's Venezia with Tadzio,Von Aschembach,Dirk Bogarde and Luchino Visconti in chorus...in 1912? It aint 1918....Tadzio join the Von Richttofen Squadron and sadly die in a Battle
John Ferguson
Love their 1st album too
John k
this and propaganda too. i can play both albums back to back and i love every track including the B sides 'barbacutie and lost and found' which could both have been A side singles.