Tangerine Dream are considered a pioneering act in electronica. Their work with the electronic music Ohr label produced albums that had a pivotal role in the development of the German musical scene known as kosmische ("cosmic"). Their "Virgin Years", so called because of their association with Virgin Records, produced albums that further explored synthesizers and sequencers, including the UK top 20 albums Phaedra (1974) and Rubycon (1975). The group also had a successful career composing film soundtracks, creating over 60 scores, which include those for the films Sorcerer, Thief, The Soldier, Risky Business, Flashpoint, The Keep, Firestarter, Legend, Three O'Clock High, Near Dark, Shy People, and Miracle Mile.
From the late 1990s into the 2000s, Tangerine Dream continued to explore other styles of instrumental music as well as electronica. Their recorded output has been prolific, including over one hundred albums. Among other scoring projects, they helped create the soundtrack for the video game Grand Theft Auto V. Their mid-1970s work has been profoundly influential in the development of electronic music styles such as new age (although the band themselves disliked the term) and electronic dance music.
Their most recent album of all-new music, Quantum Gate, was released on 29 September 2017. In December 2019, the band released Recurring Dreams, a compilation of new recordings of some of the band's classic compositions.
The group is currently working on a new album as a four-piece to be released in 2021 via Kscope.
Tangerine Dream began as a surreal rock band, with each of the members contributing different musical influences and styles. Edgar Froese's guitar style was inspired by Jimi Hendrix, while Christopher Franke contributed the more avant garde elements of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Terry Riley. Yes-like progressive rock influence was brought in by Steve Jolliffe on Cyclone. The sample-based sound collages of Johannes Schmoelling drew their inspiration from a number of sources; one instance is Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians on parts of Logos Live, and the track "Love on a Real Train" from the Risky Business soundtrack.
Classical music has had an influence on the sound of Tangerine Dream over the years. György Ligeti, Johann Sebastian Bach, Pierre Boulez, Iannis Xenakis, Maurice Ravel, and Arcangelo Corelli are clearly visible as dominant influences in the early albums. A Baroque sensibility sometimes informs the more coordinated sequencer patterns, which has its most direct expression in the La Folia section that comes at the very end of the title track of Force Majeure. In live performances, the piano solos often directly quoted from Romantic classical works for piano, such as the Beethoven and Mozart snippets in much of the late 1970s – early 1980s stage shows. In the bootleg recording of the Mannheim Mozartsaal concert of 1976 (Tangerine Tree volume 13), the first part of the first piece also clearly quotes from Franz Liszt's Totentanz. The first phrase is played on a harpsichord synthesizer patch and is answered by the second half of the phrase in a flute voicing on a Mellotron. During the 1990s, many releases included recordings of classical compositions: Pictures at an Exhibition (on Turn of the Tides), Largo (from Xerxes) (on Tyranny of Beauty), Symphony in A Minor (by J. S. Bach), and Concerto in A Major / Adagio (by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) (both on Ambient Monkeys).
Since the 1990s, Tangerine Dream have also recorded cover versions of Jimi Hendrix' "Purple Haze" (first on 220 Volt Live) and The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby", "Back in the U.S.S.R.", "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Norwegian Wood".
An infrequently recurring non-musical influence on Tangerine Dream, and Edgar Froese in particular, have been 12th–19th-century poets. This was first evident on the 1981 album Exit, the track title "Pilots of the Purple Twilight" being a quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem Locksley Hall. Six years later, the album Tyger featured poems from William Blake set to music; and around the turn of the millennium, Edgar Froese started working on a musical trilogy based on Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, completed in 2006. Most recently, the 2007 album Madcap's Flaming Duty features more poems set to music, some again from Blake but also e.g. Walt Whitman.
Pink Floyd were also an influence on Edgar Froese and Tangerine Dream, the band in its very early psychedelic rock band phase playing improvisations based on Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive". Madcap's Flaming Duty is dedicated to the memory of the late Syd Barrett. The title refers to Barrett's solo release "The Madcap Laughs".
The band's influence can be felt in ambient artists such as Deepspace, The Future Sound of London, David Kristian, and Global Communication, as well as rock, pop, and dance artists such as Porcupine Tree, M83, DJ Shadow, Ulrich Schnauss, Cut Copy, and Kasabian. The band also clearly influenced 1990s and 2000s trance music, where lush soundscapes and synth pads are used along with repetitive synth sequences, much like in their 1975 releases Rubycon and Ricochet, as well as some of their music from the early 1980s. The group have also been sampled countless times, more recently by Recoil on the album SubHuman, by Sasha on Involver, and on several Houzan Suzuki albums. Michael Jackson also cited Tangerine Dream as one of his favourite bands, especially their 1977 soundtrack for Sorcerer.
Dive Into Yesterday
Tangerine Dream Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dive into yesterday
Now since his disappearance through the smoke rings of our time
While the plaster jester is speaking out of tune
In moonlight swimming madness deep within Aladdin's cave
But with good old diamonds dancing, we can all smile too soon
Turn inside and out and please
Dive into yesterday, dive into yesterday
Dive into yesterday
Kaleidoscopic tambourines are tickling your ears
While the tiny goldfish all swim amongst the air
The Mardi Gras at midnight, the songs tumbling in sound
While Sh-Sh-Shakespeare floats with wild roses in his head
Oh, swing and sway, the patterns say
Time sign out and please
Relax your eyes, for after all
We can but share these minutes
Battalions in navy blue are bursting beige balloons
The water pistols are all filled with lemonade
The jester and the goldfish have joined minds above the moon
Oh, please kiss the flowers and you too will be safe
Oh, swing and sway, the patterns say
Time sign out and please
Dive into yesterday, dive into yesterday
Dive into yesterday, oh
The lyrics to Tangerine Dream's song "Dive Into Yesterday" are full of vivid and surreal imagery that paint a picture of a dreamlike world. The opening lines repeat as if prompting the listener to go back in time, symbolizing a desire to escape the present and seek comfort in the past. The reference to "smoke rings of our time" speaks to the idea of time being a smokey haze that is difficult to move through.
The mention of a "plaster jester" who speaks "out of tune" is a nod to the idea of the court jester, who was often seen as a figure of mockery in medieval times. However, in this context, the jester serves as a reminder that even in the midst of madness (represented by the moonlight swimming in Aladdin's cave), there is still joy to be found (represented by "good old diamonds dancing").
The rest of the lyrics feature a series of seemingly random and unrelated scenes (kaleidoscopic tambourines, goldfish swimming in air, Mardi Gras at midnight, etc.) that weave together in a surreal and dreamlike way. The repeated refrain of "swing and sway" emphasizes the idea of movement and fluidity, encouraging the listener to let go and allow themselves to be carried away by the music and imagery.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the power of the imagination and the ability to escape from reality, even if just for a little while. It encourages the listener to let go of their worries and dive into the past, where anything is possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Dive into yesterday, dive into yesterday
Let's reminisce and revisit the past, let's take a trip down memory lane
Dive into yesterday
Let's escape the present and go back in time
Now since his disappearance through the smoke rings of our time
Since someone left and we cannot explain why or where they went
While the plaster jester is speaking out of tune
Despite the chaos around us, we are still surrounded by things that remind us of happiness
In moonlight swimming madness deep within Aladdin's cave
It's a dream-like experience, where anything is possible and everything is magical
But with good old diamonds dancing, we can all smile too soon
Even though we are unsure of what will happen next, we can still find joy in the present moment
Oh swing and sway, the petals say Turn inside and out and please
Let's appreciate the beauty in the small things, let's embrace the present moment with open arms
Kaleidoscopic tambourines are tickling your ears
The sounds around us are vibrant and alive, filling us with energy
While the tiny goldfish all swim amongst the air
Even the mundane things are lively and full of spirit
The Mardi Gras at midnight, the songs tumbling in sound
The party is alive and happening, the energy around us is intoxicating
While Sh-Sh-Shakespeare floats with wild roses in his head
Even the greats are not immune to the dream-like state, where imagination is alive and well
Oh, swing and sway, the patterns say Time sign out and please
Let's forget time and indulge in the present moment, let's find peace in the now
Relax your eyes, for after all We can but share these minutes
Let's not take this moment for granted, let's embrace and cherish the time we have together
Battalions in navy blue are bursting beige balloons
There is a sense of rebellion and playfulness, as people break free from societal norms and expectations
The water pistols are all filled with lemonade
Even the things that are supposed to be violent or harmful are not what they seem, as they are actually sweet and harmless
The jester and the goldfish have joined minds above the moon
Even the unlikely pairs can come together and find harmony in this dream-like state
Oh, please kiss the flowers and you too will be safe
Find solace and safety in the simple things, find joy in the beauty around us
Contributed by Kaelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.