Angels of Light include many New York City collaborators, including Dana Schechter of Bee and Flower, Kid Congo Powers of The Cramps, Larry Mullins aka Toby Dammit, Bliss Blood of The Moonlighters and Pain Teens, Thor Harris of Shearwater, and most recently the Brooklyn band Akron/Family.
Gira talks about the Angels project :
I write the songs on acoustic guitar, then gather musicians and friends, and build up the orchestrations with them in the studio and in live performances. I guide the process, but solicit their creative contributions actively. Each recording contains the contributions of an ever-changing plethora of amazing musicians, whom I thank here heartily!
After many years (too many to comfortably contemplate!) of dwelling on "sonic overload" with Swans, I now concentrate on augmenting the songs I write with orchestrations that support the basic song, rather than the sound itself taking over.
My goal is to achieve the same sense of magic I experienced as a child listening to Burle Ives recordings of Brer Rabbit and other such marvels, including the early Disney children's records I listened to long ago.
I view the arrangements as little films created to make a context for the words and voice, so that one can drift off into the world the music creates. I produce the Angels recordings, and the production of the recordings is as important to me as the songs themselves.
Most of the instruments used in the recordings are acoustic, but not all. Electric guitars, bass and drums etc., are sometimes used (as well as an occasional electronic sound, or loop), but I intentionally steer clear of a "Rock" sound. It doesn't interest me at all any more.
However, I have no particular fealty to "The Song" as if it were some sacred codex. On the other hand, just sitting around my house, writing these things, and finally coming up with a statement that I think makes sense, I want to bring them to life as much as possible, in new and challenging ways for both myself and you, so I always strive to present them in a fresh and interesting context.
For this reason, I'm always changing the sonic approach from record to record.
All Angels of Light albums have been released on Michael Gira's label Young God Records.
The name Angels of Light was first used by the spiritual theater group founded by drag queen Hibiscus of The Cockettes. It is not known whether Gira's group was named in homage to Hibiscus's similarly metaphysically-minded group.
Not Alone
The Angels of Light Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The leaves are purple, the grass is red. I love your music.
I love your style.
The light inside you leaks through your eyes á
The golden liquid that washed your face, contain my secrets and bitter taste.
I love your music.
I love ypur throat.
The light inside me feeds like a golden rope á
And I alone, will never die.
And I alone, can taste your hand.
And I alone, am sanctified.
And I alone, can smell your hair.
And I alone, feed you the air.
And I alone, can steal steal your breath.
And I alone, prevent your death.
And I alone, am not alone.
And I alone, am not alone.
The Angels of Light's song Not Alone is a mystical, dreamlike ode to a singular connection between two individuals. The opening lines - "In separate sections, the bodies fall. The leaves are purple, the grass is red" - are eerie and foreboding, evoking a world that is not quite right, where things are off-kilter and strange. Yet, the singer's love for the subject's music and style is clear, and their admiration is palpable. The singer is immersed in the subject's being, entranced not just by their exterior but by the light inside that "leaks through [their] eyes" - a "golden liquid" that seems to hold secrets and a "bitter taste".
The chorus, "And I alone, am not alone," is repeated several times, each time accompanied by a description of the senses being overwhelmed by the subject. The singer alone can "see through [their] eyes," "taste [their] hand," "smell [their] hair," "feed [them] the air," "steal [their] breath," and "prevent [their] death." The repetition is mesmerizing, as if the singer is trying to convince themselves that they are not alone, that this connection they feel is real and powerful. The song ends on this note, with the chorus repeated twice more.
Overall, the lyrics to Not Alone are open to interpretation, but they seem to speak to a deep, intense bond between two people - perhaps romantic, perhaps not. The imagery is vivid, surreal, and otherworldly, creating a sense of detachment from reality that enhances the sense of the connection being described.
Line by Line Meaning
In separate sections, the bodies fall.
The dead bodies are falling apart and disintegrating into separate sections.
The leaves are purple, the grass is red. I love your music.
The colors in nature are distorted and unusual, yet the singer still enjoys the listener's music.
I love your style.
The singer appreciates the listener's unique way of expressing themselves.
The light inside you leaks through your eyes – The golden liquid that washed your face, contain my secrets and bitter taste.
The artist sees the listener's inner light and recognizes that the listener has experienced and endured pain.
I love your music.
The artist enjoys the listener's music.
I love your throat.
The singer appreciates the listener's voice and the way they sing.
The light inside me feeds like a golden rope –
The singer's inner light is nourished by being around the listener.
And I alone, see through your eyes.
The artist feels a deep connection to the listener and understands what they are going through.
And I alone, will never die.
The artist feels immortal and has a strong sense of self.
And I alone, can taste your hand.
The artist has an intense desire to touch the listener and feel their skin against theirs.
And I alone, am sanctified.
The singer feels like they have been blessed or cleansed by the listener's presence.
And I alone, can smell your hair.
The artist has a heightened sense of awareness when they are around the listener and can detect their scent.
And I alone, feed you the air.
The singer feels like they are providing the listener with something essential, like oxygen.
And I alone, can steal your breath.
The singer has the power to take the listener's breath away, either literally or figuratively.
And I alone, prevent your death.
The singer feels responsible for keeping the listener alive and safe.
And I alone, am not alone.
The artist feels like they are part of something greater than themselves.
And I alone, am not alone.
The artist reinforces their belief that they are not alone and that they have a deep connection with the listener.
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.