The track includes drumming by Lee Harris, vocals by Mark Hollis, and several other instrumentalists. One notable moment of the track is the minute-long malfunctioning Variophon squeal in the middle of the song.
The tribute album by various artists, "Spirit of Talk Talk" (2012) includes a cover of the track by the band 'Halloween, Alaska'
After The Flood
Talk Talk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Herding step on flesh
And nothing else
To well
To drown & drown
Sleight of reason
How they come
Cain in number
The crowd
Spurning step by state
Blame something else
Thirsting
Within without
Sighted
Weeded
How they run
Slain in number
Shake my head
Turn my face to the floor
Dead to respect
To respect to be born
Lest we forget who lay
The lyrics to Talk Talk's song "After The Flood" are open to interpretation, but it seems to be a commentary on how society acts as a herd, moving without reason or thought towards destruction. The first verse describes this herding behavior as "herding step on flesh," with the loud, soulless singing being the driving force behind this movement. The crowd blindly follows, spurred on by blame and thirst, creating a sense of chaos and violence.
In the second verse, the singer seems to be expressing a sense of defeat or resignation, "shaking my head" and turning "my face to the floor." He suggests that society has lost respect for itself and that, unless we remember those who suffer, we risk never being reborn, never learning from our past mistakes.
Overall, the song seems to be a warning, urging us to take a step back from the herd mentality and consider the consequences of our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Sang soulless loud
She sang with no emotion or meaning in her voice, just loud noise.
Herding step on flesh
The people were walking around like cattle, with no regard for the individuals they were stepping on.
And nothing else
There was no purpose or meaning to their actions besides mindless following.
To well
Their compliance and obedience had reached a concerning level.
To drown & drown
They were drowning in their conformity and inability to think for themselves.
Sleight of reason
They had lost their ability to think critically and logically.
How they come
They descended upon the situation without thought or consideration.
Cain in number
They seemed to be multiplying at an alarming rate, like the biblical figure Cain.
Alone
Despite being surrounded by others, each individual was unconnected and alone.
The crowd
Despite their individuality, they were still part of the mindless crowd.
Spurning step by state
They moved together as if controlled by a larger entity, with no independence or agency.
Blame something else
They refused to take responsibility for their actions and instead placed the blame on external factors.
Thirsting
They had a deep desire for something, although it was unclear what that something was.
Within without
Their desires were conflicted and did not align with their actions.
Sighted
Despite their inability to think critically, some could still see the truth behind the situation.
Weeded
These individuals were slowly being weeded out from the larger crowd.
How they run
They were fleeing from the mindless crowd and the situation at large.
Slain in number
Those who resisted the crowd were being killed off or silenced, leading to a decrease in their numbers.
Shake my head
The singer is disappointed and frustrated with the situation.
Turn my face to the floor
The singer is ashamed and wants to hide their face from the situation.
Dead to respect
The respect that should be given to individuals has been lost in the midst of the mindless crowd.
To respect to be born
In order to regain respect, individuals need to break free from the crowd and assert their own agency.
Lest we forget who lay
It is important to remember those who have been silenced or killed for opposing the mindless crowd.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARK S. HOLLIS, TIMOTHY ALAN FRIESE-GREENE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind