The first Spiritualized release was a space rock-esque cover of Any Way That You Want Me in 1990, a record which heralded the official split of Spacemen 3 following contractual wrangles over the band's name. Of the final Spacemen 3 line up, bassist Will Carruthers, drummer Jonny Mattock and session guitarist Mark Refoy joined Pierce in the first phase of Spiritualized (for the debut LP, Lazer Guided Melodies), alongside his then girlfriend Kate Radley. None of the original line up remains - Carruthers tried for a solo career, Mattock played for a spell in The Breeders (and later Lupine Howl), Refoy formed Slipstream(his replacement was John Coxon) and Radley married Richard Ashcroft of The Verve. A later cohort of Spiritualized backing musicians - Sean Cook, Damon Reece and Michael Mooney - formed Lupine Howl following summary dismissal by Pierce.
Sax player Ray 'Moonshake' Dickaty was added to the lineup in 1997, and Gregg Hale (guitar) also augmented the band in 1997 and 1998.
Retaining only keyboardist Thighpaulsandra (keyboards)a replacement for Kate Radley, Jason Pierce then debuted a new (and current) line up of Spiritualized, introducing classical percussionist Tom Edwards and former Julian Cope string arranger Martin Schellard on bass guitar. Completing the new Spiritualized line-up were guitarist Doggen of Brain Donor and the Julian Cope band, and drummer Kevin 'Kevlar' Bales who is also ex-Julian Cope band. Ray Dickaty departed in 2003, quitting to play in the free-jazz Solar Fire Trio. The remaining line-up finished recording the album Songs In A&E in Nottingham and London.
The musical style of Spiritualized can perhaps be best described as psychedelic rock, especially earlier albums like Lazer Guided Melodies and Pure Phase, which also incorporated elements of the shoegazing style made popular by influential 1991 album Loveless. The landmark Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space showed influences from African-American gospel and blues beginning to creep in, and wall of sound influences from Phil Spector and Brian Wilson began to predominate, which came to a head on Let It Come Down. Amazing Grace favoured a more stripped down sound with the gospel, blues, and soul influences heavier than ever.
For several years (ending in or about 1999), Spiritualized were the only active artist signed to Dedicated Records, a British independent label which had, by then, been acquired by Spiritualized's then-label, Arista Records.
On 15 June 1997, Spiritualized became the last band to play at Factory Records' Manchester nightclub The Haçienda.
After several years of work and Pierce's serious illness in July 2005,the album, Songs in A&E was released on 26 May 2008 in the UK, and on 27 May 2008 in the US. The first single from the 18-track album was "Soul On Fire". The release was backed by an Electric Mainlines UK tour which began in May. Pierce has also scored Harmony Korine's 2008 film Mister Lonely.
In October and December 2009 the band performed 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series.
After more than two years in the making, while Pierce was undergoing experimental chemotherapy for a liver disease, and including a year long period of mixing, Sweet Heart Sweet Light was released in April 2012, on Double Six Records. The band had already played some of this new material over the past 3 years but not much else was known about the content of the album. The album cover, an octagon surrounding the word "Huh?" on a plain white background, is a reference to the working title of the album. In an interview regarding the new release it was revealed that the album would "embrace" more poppy songs compared to previous albums. In the same interview, Jason Pierce also said that the album was partly inspired by the experiences of performing Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space live in its entirety.
Soul On Fire
Spiritualized Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shot through with starlight
And all the angels singing
Just about got it right
Cut through the silver
And goodness did heaven know
I don't know where we?re going
Baby, set my soul on fire.
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to take you higher.
Baby, never should say never.
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
Sweetheart, may not be easy
But we're trying hard to hold on
Trying to make it better
Sweetheart, got so much freedom
But freedom is just another word
When you've no-one left to hurt.
and i said
Baby, set my soul on fire.
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to take you higher.
Baby, never should say never.
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
Baby, set my soul on fire.
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to take you higher.
Baby, never should say never.
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to stay forever.
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
The lyrics of Spiritualized’s “Soul On Fire” are powerful and evocative. The song talks about the power of love and the need to hold on tightly to the people we cherish. The first verse paints a picture of a person born on a “black day” but infused with starlight and surrounded by singing angels. The second verse talks about the unknown future and the desire to hold on tight to the person you love. The chorus repeats the desire to have one’s soul set on fire and to never let go of the person that makes one feel this way.
The song is clearly about the powerful, transformative nature of love. It acknowledges that love can be difficult and that freedom can be a double-edged sword. It asks us to hold on to what is truly precious and meaningful in our lives, and to never let go. The imagery in the song is powerful, and it touches on themes of spirituality, hope, and human connection.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was written and composed by Jason Pierce, the founder of Spiritualized. Pierce wrote the song in the early 2000s, during a period of intense personal turmoil. He has said that the song was meant to be a message of hope and resilience, and that it reflects his own struggles with addiction and existential despair. Another interesting fact is that the song’s music video was directed by Harmony Korine, the filmmaker behind controversial movies like Kids and Spring Breakers. The video features a group of people driving through the desert in a convertible, while psychedelic visuals flash on-screen.
Line by Line Meaning
You were born on a black day
You were born on a day that was dark and difficult
Shot through with starlight
Even in darkness, there was some light shining through
And all the angels singing
There was something special and significant about your birth
Just about got it right
Everything was almost perfect, but not quite
Cut through the silver
Breaking through something that was shiny and attractive, but not necessarily genuine
And goodness did heaven know
Even if we don't know where we're going or why, there is some greater force watching over us
I don't know where we’re going
Uncertainty and lack of direction in life
But darling bless your soul
Regardless of the challenges we face, we still have a kind, beautiful soul
Baby, set my soul on fire.
Let's ignite a passionate, powerful connection between us
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to take you higher.
I want to embrace you completely and elevate our love to new heights
Baby, never should say never.
We should never limit our possibilities or give up on each other
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
I feel intensely alive and wild with love, and I never want to lose that feeling or you
Sweetheart, may not be easy
We may face challenges and difficulties in our relationship
But we're trying hard to hold on
We're making every effort to stay together and overcome obstacles
Trying to make it better
We're striving to improve ourselves, our connection, and our circumstances
Sweetheart, got so much freedom
We have a lot of choices and opportunities available to us
But freedom is just another word
Freedom alone does not guarantee happiness or fulfillment
When you've no-one left to hurt.
When we are alone and isolated, our freedom may lose its meaning
I've got two little arms to hold on tight and I want to stay forever.
I want to cherish and protect our love for as long as possible
I've got a hurricane inside my veins and I want to stay forever.
My love for you is powerful and all-consuming, and I never want to let it go
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: J. SPACEMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shuanchen1840
"looking" got here too. listening to the song and thinking about the story between Patrick and Kevin, my eyes burst into tears
@gumshew2007
Yes it was and I’ve watched it several times
@ROWZ353
This is the song I played at my granda who had terminal cancer’s funeral - I thought it was very fitting for the moment. What an amazing song with so much meaning and Interpretation.I love this song and it represents my granda’s life amazingly.
@scottskidmore3214
Bless your heart Rowan
@benthatcher1772
Sending love Rowan x
@ladyevenstar22
came "looking" for this song ;) kevin and patrick set my shipper heart on fire!
@ranggakd
Patrick and Kevin ending tho 😩
@JRenee2792
But freedom is just another word when you've no one left to hurt...
@scottskidmore3214
Jason Pierce brings me everytime
@mamaspapas8330
what a tv show could do.... THIS MY JAM.... found a clapper!!!!!!!!