The album also earned the artist a Grammy Award in March 1988 in the category of 'Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male'. In that same year, D'Arby earned three Soul Train Award nominations for 'Male Album of the Year' (from releasing 'Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby'), 'Male Single of the Year' (from releasing "Wishing Well"), and 'Best New Artist'. Receiving immense critical praise for a work that became RIAA certified as mutli-platinum, fans worried that he may have peaked too early, but they found D'Arby determined to continue down his own unique musical path.
D'Arby was born in Manhattan, New York, and he joined the army after leaving college, serving in Elvis Presley's old regiment in Germany. He was formally discharged by the army in 1983 after going absent without leave. While in Germany, he also worked with the group The Touch, releasing an album of material called 'Love On Time' in 1984. That album was later re-issued in 1989 as 'Early Works'.
D'Arby's follow-up studio album, 'Neither Fish Nor Flesh', came out in 1989. It sold over two million copies and earned praise from fans. Many critical reviews, however, were mixed and faulted D'Arby for what they saw as wandering about musically with a purpose, and the artist's acrimonious disputes with his record label grated on him. Note that the album is often alternatively known as 'Neither Fish Nor Flesh: A Soundtrack of Love, Faith, Hope & Destruction',
The expectations placed on D'Arby's shoulders from his early success caused him to undertake some needed soul searching. It took four more years and a move to Los Angeles, California until his next project, 1993's 'Symphony or Damn', was released. Also known as 'Symphony or Damn: Exploring the Tension Inside the Sweetness', the work proved somewhat of a commercial comeback and peaked at #4 on the U.K. album charts while receiving many supportive reviews.
D'Arby had moved into more and more of a musical vibe influenced by gritty rock, often inspired by blues. In 1995, D'Arby released 'Vibrator', which largely followed his previous work in its musical direction. Sadly, his commercial prospects were judged by many critics to be waning.
During the mid-90s, the relations between the artist and his label, Columbia Records, had became strained to the braking point, leading to the artist's departure in 1996. This was followed by four-years on Java Records, during which he recorded an album titled 'Terence Trent D'Arby's Solar Return'. Said work, however, was never released. In 2000, he bought the rights to his unreleased album and left the record company as well as Lippman Entertainment, which was his then-management-team.
In 1999, D'Arby was briefly hired by INXS to replace his friend, late vocalist Michael Hutchence, so the band could play at the opening of facilities for the Sydney Olympics.
In 2001 D'Arby changed his name to Sananda Francesco Maitreya. The same year, he settled in Munich, Germany, and started his own independent record label, Treehouse Pub. The year also marked his first album release in six years, Wildcard (the unreleased "Solar Return"). The album, first available for free through his website, was later released through a one-album distribution deal with Universal Music.
In 2002 Maitreya moved to Milan, Italy, and began working on his next project, Angels & Vampires - Volume I.
In July 2005 Maitreya started working on Angels & Vampires - Volume II, he released chapter after chapter online as soon he finished recording the songs. In April 2006 he released the finished album; again via his website.
Since 2006, Maitreya has released five more studio albums, alongside touring and the release of a few live albums and various live shows to his YouTube channel. In 2020, Maitreya was featured on The Avalanches' single Reflecting Light which would later be on their 'We Will Always Love You' album, later that same year.
Trivia:
D'Arby/Maitreya appeared in in the TV series "Shake, Rattle And Roll" where he played the part of Jackie Wilson. His music has also been included on several movie soundtracks, most notably 1991's Frankie and Johnny.
If You All Get To Heaven
Terence Trent D'Arby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say a prayer for my mother
Say a prayer for my father
Say a prayer for my brother
But most of all please say a prayer for me
Words of a feather
All flock together
Going round and round
Watching human motion
Wasting thy seed upon the ground
Discreet intermissions
Coroners petitions
Their work goes into the sand
Voices from the middle
Are gaining very little
It's getting all out of hand
If you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer -volace menteh-
Say a prayer for food and plenty
Say a prayer -sehr sensible-
But most of all please say a prayer for me
If you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer for my camel
As I ride through the desert
Say a prayer for the rumours
The rumours of war
The last moody summer
Was autumn in covers
Bespeaks of dogs in the dark
A perfect reunion
Of bloody communion
Where do we find
Noah's ark?
A thousand words or more
Seep through the floor
And then take root in the soil
Growing trees of doubt
Helpless people shout
Until their blood starts to boil
If you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer for Asmodeus
Say a prayer for Belial
Say a prayer for his denial
But most of all you gotta say a prayer for me
If you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer for St. Religion
Say a prayer for blood baptism
Say a prayer for it's division
But most of all please say a prayer for me
Old men's cigars puff up the wars
To protect their fuck-ups again
Young men must die!
To keep the old ones alive
And to prove they're studs once again
It you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer for the people
Who will kill for cross and steeple
Say a prayer for righteous bullets
But most of all please say a prayer for me
If you all get to Heaven
Say a prayer for my mother
Say a prayer for my father
Say a prayer for my brother
But most of all you gotta say a prayer for me
The lyrics of "If You All Get To Heaven" by Terence Trent D'Arby speak to the turmoil and conflict that the human race can experience, with specific focus on the violence, poverty, and corruption that often plague society. The song begins by asking listeners to "Say a prayer" for his family and the world at large, acknowledging the harshness of life and the difficulties that many people face in their day-to-day lives. The stanza "Words of a feather / All flock together / Going round and round / A soul is astral travelling / Watching human motion / Wasting thy seed upon the ground" appears to reference the monotony of life and the ways in which people often engage in self-destructive behaviors that don't contribute to their overall well-being or happiness. The following stanza continues with this theme, discussing intermissions, petitions, and voices from the middle in a way that seems to suggest that those in power aren't doing enough, or are completely unaware of the difficulties they're causing for others.
The second half of the song contains several more specific references, including mentions of war, politics, and religion. The stanza "The last moody summer / Was autumn in covers / Bespeaks of dogs in the dark / A perfect reunion / Of bloody communion / Where do we find / Noah's ark?" seems to discuss the difficulties and horrors of war, with the "bloody communion" potentially referencing the loss of life and the sacrifices that people make in times of conflict. The final stanza appears to be a plea for unity, with D'Arby expressing a desire for people to come together rather than fight amongst themselves. The line "Young men must die! / To keep the old ones alive / And to prove they're studs once again" references the way in which young men are often sent off to fight wars in order to prove themselves, while the old men in power remain safe at home. Overall, the song is a powerful meditation on life, death, and the human experience, urging listeners to remember those who are less fortunate and to work towards a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
If you all get to Heaven
In the eventuality that you reach the afterlife
Say a prayer for my mother
Kindly pray for the welfare of my mother
Say a prayer for my father
Please pray for the health of my father
Say a prayer for my brother
Requesting prayers for my sibling
But most of all please say a prayer for me
Above all, please pray for my own wellbeing
Words of a feather
People with similar natures often associate with each other
All flock together
They tend to gather together in unity
Going round and round
Repeating the same cycle
A soul is astral travelling
The spiritual being is journeying through other realms
Watching human motion
Observing the actions of people
Wasting thy seed upon the ground
Squandering resources without any benefit or productivity
Discreet intermissions
Secret breaks or pauses in activity
Coroners petitions
Requests made to officials for investigations regarding death
Their work goes into the sand
Their efforts are rendered fruitless
Voices from the middle
People with average status or power
Are gaining very little
They are making minimal progress
It's getting all out of hand
The situation is spiraling out of control
Say a prayer -volace menteh-
Offer a prayer for peace and harmony
Say a prayer for food and plenty
Pray for sufficiency in resources
Say a prayer -sehr sensible-
Request a prayer for good sense and judgment
Say a prayer for my camel
Ask for blessings for my mode of transport
As I ride through the desert
While I travel across arid regions
Say a prayer for the rumours
Appealing for rumors to be quelled
The rumours of war
Gossip about military conflict
The last moody summer
The previous, melancholic summer
Was autumn in covers
Symbolic of a metaphorical, somber mood
Bespeaks of dogs in the dark
Alludes to negative elements or entities lurking in the shadows
A perfect reunion
A successful, ideal gathering
Of bloody communion
A violent or macabre gathering
Where do we find
Questioning the location of
Noah's ark?
The historical ship mentioned in the Bible
A thousand words or more
Numerous expressions or conversations
Seep through the floor
Dispersing underground
And then take root in the soil
Growing from the ground upwards
Growing trees of doubt
Developing uncertainties and skepticism
Helpless people shout
The vulnerable citizens express their concerns aloud
Until their blood starts to boil
Until they reach a breaking point and become extremely angry
Say a prayer for Asmodeus
Praying for the defeat of the demon Asmodeus
Say a prayer for Belial
Asking for the fall of the demon Belial
Say a prayer for his denial
Anticipating the final defeat of the enemy
Say a prayer for St. Religion
Invoking blessings for the veneration of religion
Say a prayer for blood baptism
Offering prayers for purification through the metaphorical act of baptism
Say a prayer for it's division
Requesting the unity of different factions
Old men's cigars puff up the wars
Powerful men instigate conflicts and use soldiers as tools
To protect their fuck-ups again
Avoiding responsibility for their wrongdoing
Young men must die!
The youth are forced to suffer the consequences of the older generation's actions
To keep the old ones alive
Maintaining the older people's egos and position of power
And to prove they're studs once again
Reasserting their virility to prove their worth
Say a prayer for the people
Requesting prayer for citizens and populations
Who will kill for cross and steeple
Who commit violence in the name of religion
Say a prayer for righteous bullets
Asking for divine intervention to guide just warfare
If you all get to Heaven
In the eventuality that you reach the afterlife
Say a prayer for my mother
Invoking divine help for the good of my mother
Say a prayer for my father
Asking for divine intervention on behalf of my father
Say a prayer for my brother
Requesting prayers for my sibling
But most of all you gotta say a prayer for me
Above all, please pray for my own wellbeing
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind