Marginally associated with the no wave scene at first, their original sound was slow and extremely heavy, with live performances that were often so brutal and physical that in a number of instances certain audience members were made ill, police were called and venues were shut down. This early physical sound is possibly best heard on the live album Public Castration Is A Good idea.
Their initial style shifted a little by the time Swans released seminal twin albums Greed and Holy Money. The music had sped up, at times being even more punishing than their earlier output. Drum machines and samples were slightly more prominent. Michael Gira was joined vocally by Jarboe which gave the band a broader sonic range. Tracks featuring Jarboe were often quieter, even pretty, acting as counterpoint to the more harrowing themes on the albums. Over time, this style would come to dominate Swans' output, although they somehow seem to have been able to make a strummed acoustic guitar seem as brutal as their earlier amped-up assaults. The lush instrumentation of their albums from the late 1980s and the 1990's anticipated the birth of post-rock.
Swans eventually broke up in 1997; Gira went on to release some solo work, later forming the band The Angels Of Light, who continue many of the themes and styles found in (later) Swans. Jarboe releases solo work and frequently works with other bands and artists; recently she released an album with Neurosis, a group clearly heavily influenced by Swans.
The influence of Swans upon the music world is profound. Across their 15 years of existence, the various styles they explored gave birth to grindcore (Napalm Death, Nasum) modern "cinematic" post-rock (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mono), and atmospheric sludge metal (Isis, Neurosis).
In January 2010, Michael Gira reactivated Swans and released a new album, My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky on September 2010, and the band simultaneously embarked on a world tour scheduled to last eighteen months. The band had been chosen by Portishead to perform at the ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festivals that they curated in July 2011 at London's Alexandra Palace and in September 2011 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
On August 28, 2012, Swans released The Seer, a double-album running almost 2 hours in length. Frontman Michael Gira described the album as taking "30 years to make. It's the culmination of every previous Swans album as well as any other music I've ever made, been involved in or imagined. But it's unfinished, like the songs themselves. It's one frame in a reel. The frames blur, blend and will eventually fade." Describing the songwriting process, Gira said, "The songs began on an acoustic guitar, then were fleshed out with (invaluable) help from my friends, then were further tortured and seduced in the studio, and now they await further cannibalism and force-feeding as we prepare to perform some of them live, at which point they'll mutate further, endlessly, or perhaps be discarded for a while."
On May 12, 2014, Swans released their thirteenth LP, To Be Kind. Produced by Michael Gira and recorded by John Congleton. It received positive reception from critics which made the group continue to make more albums that have also have received positive reviews.
It was announced on July 22, 2015, that the band was releasing their fourteenth studio album, titled The Glowing Man. The album was released on June 17, 2016.
After The Glowing Man released, the band took a hiatus lasting nearly a year in 2017 and ending in 2018. The band released their fifteenth studio LP Leaving Meaning the next year. The same year, a documentary about Swans was released titled “Where Does A Body End?”.
In March 2021, Michael Gira released a tracklist of an upcoming Swans album, titled The Beggar. It was released on June 23, 2023.
Blind
Swans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some people live their life, with a violence that's pure and clean
But I saw a man cry once, down on his knees
In the corner of a darkened cell, and his pain meant nothing to me
But I was younger then young men never die
When I walked out in the sun, I was strong, clear-minded and blind
Please don't ask me questions, it'd just be misunderstood
And if you could step inside me you'd feel what hatred brings
And if you saw with my eyes, you'd see what self-deception means
I was younger once, and I created a lie
And though my body was strong, I was self-diluted, confident, and blind
Now show some pity, for the weak of will
Because when we're drinking, we can never be filled
Show some understanding for a lonely fool
Because when I'm drinking, I am out of control
Well I was never young, nothing has transpired
And when I look in the mirror, I feel dead, I feel cold, I am blind
I am blind
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I am blind
I am blind
The Swans' song Blind is a melancholic and introspective examination of the singer's own personal struggles with violence, self-deception and alcoholism. The first stanza sees the singer reflect on the various ways people react to and endure the violence of life. He acknowledges that he once witnessed a man cry in pain and despair, but it failed to move him in any way, showing a level of emotional detachment. However, he also acknowledges his youthfulness and confidence at the time. In the second stanza, the singer pleads with others not to pray for him or ask him questions. He admits to feeling great hatred and self-delusion and suggests that if others could see through his eyes, they would understand what he means. He speaks of youth and how he once created a lie, leaving his body strong but his mind deluded.
The third and final stanza, the singer shows some empathy for the weak-willed and lonely individuals, for whom drinking is a refuge but ultimately becomes an addiction. He reflects on his own life, feeling dead and blind, speaking both metaphorically and literally. Overall, the song seems to express a sense of disillusionment with the world, oneself and the coping mechanisms we use to deal with our problems. It's a sad lament about the realization that, despite our efforts, we are never fully in control of our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Now some of us are weak and some endure
Some people are stronger than others and able to withstand more challenges.
Some people live their life, with a violence that's pure and clean
Some individuals live with a passion and intensity that is pure and powerful.
But I saw a man cry once, down on his knees
I witnessed a man in great pain and despair.
In the corner of a darkened cell, and his pain meant nothing to me
However, I was emotionally detached and unable to empathize with his suffering.
But I was younger then young men never die
I was younger and naive, invincible and immortal in my mind.
When I walked out in the sun, I was strong, clear-minded and blind
I felt confident and powerful, yet ignorant and unaware of the true nature of reality.
Now don't say a prayer for anyone, it doesn't do any good
Praying for others does not necessarily change their situation or provide help.
Please don't ask me questions, it'd just be misunderstood
Asking me questions would not lead to better understanding or clarity.
And if you could step inside me you'd feel what hatred brings
If you could experience my perspective, you would understand the negative impact of hate.
And if you saw with my eyes, you'd see what self-deception means
Seeing the world through my eyes would reveal the extent of my self-delusion.
I was younger once, and I created a lie
In the past, I fabricated a falsehood and believed it to be true.
And though my body was strong, I was self-diluted, confident, and blind
Despite feeling physically capable, I was deluded, arrogant, and ignorant.
Now show some pity, for the weak of will
Display compassion for those who struggle with self-control and decision making.
Because when we're drinking, we can never be filled
Alcohol consumption can lead to an insatiable desire for more, never achieving satisfaction.
Show some understanding for a lonely fool
Exhibit empathy for someone who feels alone and foolish.
Because when I'm drinking, I am out of control
When I consume alcohol, I am unable to regulate my actions and behavior.
Well I was never young, nothing has transpired
I have never truly experienced youth or personal growth.
And when I look in the mirror, I feel dead, I feel cold, I am blind
Looking at myself in the mirror, I feel lifeless, isolated, and ignorant to my true self.
I am blind
I lack understanding and awareness of reality.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I am blind
I am still struggling with self-awareness and growth.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JON LORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vozitisemora
Now some of us are weak
And some endure
And some people live their life
In violence that’s pure and clean
But I saw a man cry once
Down on his knees
In the corner of a darkened cell
And his pain meant nothing to me
But I was younger then
And young men never die
When I walked out in the sun
I was strong, clear-minded and blind
I don’t say a prayer for anyone
It doesn’t do any good
Please don’t ask me questions
They’d just be misunderstood
And if you could step inside me
You'd feel what hatred brings
And if you saw with my eyes
You'd see what self-deception means
I was younger once
And I created a lie
And though my body was strong
I was self-deluded, confident and blind
Now show some pity
For weak of will
Because when we’re drinking
We can never be filled
Show some understanding
For the lonely fool
Because when I’m drinking
I’m out of control
I was never young
Nothing has transpired
But when I look in the mirror
I feel dead, I feel cold, I am blind
I am blind, mmm
I am blind, mmm
I am blind, mmm
Mmm
you'r welcome :D
@ScisaacFisaac
Ever have a song that "feels" like your stumbled-through childhood and current self all at once?
It's like the neighborhood where you grew up is the music embodied: vast and old and terrifying and more than your young self could ever hope to comprehend. Yet you still feel fondly when revisiting, like you really have come home.
And the lyrics are you yourself, though your life's never been harsh in the way the writer chronicles: trying to look back on everything and condemn your past and present self because you always have been -- and always will be -- blind.
Sorry, just a rambling YouTube comment, carry on!
(P.S.: little observation. I know it's nothing unique for White Light, but the fade-in and fade-out make it feel like a piece that never stops playing in the background. We just tuned in and heard a piece of someone else's pain.)
@Whyt3wyrm
[Verse 1]
Now some of us are weak
And some endure
And some people live their life
In violence that’s pure and clean
But I saw a man cry once
Down on his knees
In the corner of a darkened cell
And his pain meant nothing to me
[Chorus 1]
But I was younger then
And young men never die
When I walked out in the sun
I was strong, clear-minded and blind
[Verse 2]
I don’t say a prayer for anyone
It doesn’t do any good
Please don’t ask me questions
They’d just be misunderstood
And if you could step inside me
You'd feel what hatred brings
And if you saw with my eyes
You'd see what self-deception means
[Chorus 2]
I was younger once
And I created a lie
And though my body was strong
I was self-deluded, confident and blind
[Verse 3]
Now show some pity
For weak of will
Because when we’re drinking
We can never be filled
Show some understanding
For the lonely fool
Because when I’m drinking
I’m out of control
[Chorus 3]
I was never young
Nothing has transpired
But when I look in the mirror
I feel dead, I feel cold, I am blind
[Outro]
I am blind, mmm
I am blind, mmm
I am blind, mmm
Mmm
@Korewarumine
This song never fails to brake me in the half, it absolutely destroys me.
Because it remembers of my past self, that stole everything that I had because of his imaturity, greed, foolishness, lack of vision and true life perspectives. Stole everything that I considered valuable, stole my family, stole my friends, stole my energy, stole my teenagehood, stole all my happiness and will to live. Now, I'm constantly whinning and grieving about everything that I lost, everything that he stole from me.
I still don't even know if that thing were really me, were really who I now believe to be. But, I still take all the blame and shame by everything that he did. I feel guilty, I feel pathetic, I feel... blind...
"I was never young
Nothing has transpired
And when I look in the mirror
I feel dead, I feel cold, I am blind
I am blind, mmm...
I am blind, mmm... (blind)
I am blind, mmm...
Mmm..."
@seangomez1912
Seriously some of the most honest and introspective lyrics of all time. Literally every line is perfect
@xxHouseInMotionxx
agreed - pure and clean
@toddward6094
I’ve cried to this when I’ve failed or others have left me many times.
@GoblinsAreRealGuize
So damn genuine.
@JamesEarlCash
Generally speaking, totally about me. And it's hard to be proud. It's hard to be anything.
@milkimadethebeat7858
im a recovering addict and alcoholic. i moved across the country to escape the drugs. i did some shrooms and listened to this band, i just found this band. This shit hit way too hard. Such resonating lyrics. It's almost painful.
@everyvillainislemons7583
A very humbling song as a young man. It’s refreshing to hear someone older admit that their arrogance in their younger years was really not a strength at all.
@kingpest13
Growing older successfully entails some amount of of re evaluation and realization of past victories being mistakes. Some people never get there. It is a sign of a high functioning mind to second guess your decisions.
@blaisecarlton
Qd
@user-xt7vj2im7g
Exactly