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.
Public Embarrassment Blues
The Angels of Light Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bring your tender and scented white breast.
Bring the coldest blue eyes in this world,
Bring the taste of liquor and cigarettes.
Bring your voice that cracks and glitters,
Bring the love I'm pathetic to crave.
Bring me one more night long and bitter,
Bring me the face of the woman I hate,
Just leave me alone
This bed was warmed by your shadow,
And my fingers still trace the lines where we layed.
Now my thinking's distorted and is shallow,
Twisting the knife in the idiot face of my rage.
Bring your torn and scattered pictures,
Bring the sweat and the stink of your love.
Bring the whispering words I thought that I heard,
Bring me the wound with no healing or cause...
Bring me the tongue that you put in my mouth,
And bring the pain and the junk in my lungs.
Tell me you love me but not very much
Don't bother with reasons, just go
Just leave me alone
The Angels of Light's song "Public Embarrassment Blues" is an emotional and bitter reflection on a failed relationship. The lyrics convey the desperation and pain of being unable to let go of a toxic love. The song opens with a request for the object of the singer's desire to come closer, with all of her faults and vices. The singer is fully aware of her flaws and yet still craves her love - despite the resulting public embarrassment that their relationship has caused. The second verse deepens the sense of loss and desperation. The singer's bed still smells of their lover, and the memories still fill them with pain and anger. The singer wants everything that reminds them of their lover - both the good and the bad.
The final verse is a plea to be left alone. The singer realizes that the relationship is unattainable and does not bring happiness, but they cannot let go of the pain. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is stuck in an addictive and destructive cycle of love and longing. The repetition of the line "Just leave me alone" highlights the singer's inability to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring your silver arrows,
Please come with your best efforts and skills.
Bring your tender and scented white breast.
Please come with warmth and love, and help me feel better.
Bring the coldest blue eyes in this world,
I want you to express the indifference and coldness you feel towards me.
Bring the taste of liquor and cigarettes.
Please bring the memories of the time we spent drinking and smoking together.
Bring your voice that cracks and glitters,
Please bring the voice that makes me fall for you even harder, even though it's not good for me.
Bring the love I'm pathetic to crave.
Please bring the love that I know is not good or healthy for me, but I still crave.
Bring me one more night long and bitter,
Please bring one last night together, even though I know it will only end in bitterness and pain.
Bring me the face of the woman I hate,
Please bring the image of the woman who is your true love and who I hate.
Then put on your clothes and go home
After our time together, please leave and go back to your own life.
Just leave me alone
Please don't try to help me or make me feel better, just let me wallow in my own pain.
This bed was warmed by your shadow,
You were here with me before, and even though you're not here now, I still feel your presence.
And my fingers still trace the lines where we layed.
I still remember our time together and the way we were intimate.
Now my thinking's distorted and is shallow,
My thoughts are clouded by my emotions and I can't think clearly anymore.
Twisting the knife in the idiot face of my rage.
I'm angry at myself for still feeling so much for you, even though I know you're not good for me.
Bring your torn and scattered pictures,
Please bring the images and memories of your past and all of the things that have hurt you.
Bring the sweat and the stink of your love.
Please bring the physical sensations of our time together, even though they remind me of the pain I feel now.
Bring the whispering words I thought that I heard,
Please bring the memories of the things you said to me, even if they were just whispers and not true.
Bring me the wound with no healing or cause...
Please bring the reminder of the pain that I feel, even though there's no reason or cure for it.
Bring me the tongue that you put in my mouth,
Please bring the sensation of our intimacy and the things we did together, even though they're not good for me.
And bring the pain and the junk in my lungs.
Please bring the physical sensations of our time together, even though it's hurting and damaging me.
Tell me you love me but not very much
Please tell me that you love me, even though I know it's not true or genuine, and that you don't love me very much.
Don't bother with reasons, just go
Please don't try to explain or justify anything, just leave and let me grieve on my own.
Just leave me alone
Please don't try to help me or make me feel better, just let me wallow in my own pain.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind