The original core of the band included Langley's brother John on drums, Nick Jacobs on guitar, and multi-instrumentalist Dave Chapman. However, personnel other than Langley has varied, and (on both records and in performances) they have always been augmented by a large cast of semi-regular sidemen. (By the time of their 1991 album, Beatsongs, the Aeroplanes' lineup included guitarist Angelo Bruschini, guitarist Rodney Allen, bassist Andy McCreeth, drummer Paul Mulreany, and guitarist/keyboard player Alex Lee, with another eight musicians listed in the credits.) The group released Bop Art on the Abstract Records label in April 1984, then signed to Fire Records, for which they recorded their second album, Tolerance (October 1986), and their third, Spitting Out Miracles (1987), plus several EPs. Spitting Out Miracles was their first U.S. release, followed by the compilation album Friendloverplane (1988), a double LP on Fire in the U.K. that was reduced to a single LP on Restless in the U.S. The Blue Aeroplanes then signed to the Ensign division of Chrysalis Records and charted in the U.K. with two 1989 singles, "Jacket Hangs" and "...And Stones," as well as their 1990 and 1991 albums, Swagger and Beatsongs.
Sulphur
The Blue Aeroplanes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A Lucifer pose then make a match
And I did, I did
I dropped the box and wrote a catch
And I though I caught
A whiff of sulphur
Like a kid growing up on its own somewhere
Finding its own level
Playing with matches in a deadened street
Unaware that its parents have made
Their own little pact with the Devil
Of un-made things
And I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
And the cute Devil's faithful apprentice
Leaned over for a match
Checked the passports, checked the flights
Checked the hymen
Lit the stairs to a back room
Locked me in a slipped the catch
And so happy we were
With our cute old possessions and stuff
To be made of air and ghosts
And to think that the love we had would always be enough
And would never be placed in care
And I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
But what is this? We have neglected our love
And don't know where it is
And if we don't know, well it's probably on the street
Getting the fireworks wrong and the dealing right
Bonfire Night is loud and bright and lasts all winter
Celebration rends the air
We are here and it is there
We have to call it home
And I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
And the faithful apprentice has acquired a found love
A bright un-made thing of its own Lucifer is unable to share
And his hand in reaching is somehow caught
His match in striking is somehow made to flare
And he sees cigarette smoke curl in her hair
And the bedside alarm blinks nought-nought-nought
In the conditioned air
And he looks for the match-book that brought him there
I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
I thought I caught
A whiff of sulphur
But where in the hell is he?
In the end who cares?
It's only air and the thought of a spark
That keeps us in the dark
The Blue Aeroplanes's song "Sulphur" depicts a story of a love that has been neglected and ultimately lost. The opening verse reveals the singer's desire to strike a pose like the fallen angel, Lucifer, and light a match. As he drops the matchbox, he catches a whiff of sulphur, a symbol often associated with Satan and his presence. This notion of the Devil's presence becomes even more prominent as the song progresses, with references to the "cute Devil's faithful apprentice" and "his own little pact with the Devil" made by the singer's parents.
The second verse introduces the theme of neglect in the relationship, with the image of a child playing with matches in a deadened street. This child is unaware that its parents have made a deal with the Devil, much like the singer is unaware of the neglected state of his own love. The lyrics reveal the couple's belief that their love would always be enough, and that it would never be in jeopardy. However, as time passes, they realize that they have neglected it, and don't know where to find it anymore. The song ends on a note of ambiguity, with the singer questioning whether he has caught a whiff of sulphur again, suggesting that the Devil's presence still lingers.
Overall, "Sulphur" is a haunting and complex meditation on the fragility of relationships and the dangers of neglect. It uses rich imagery and symbolism to create a sense of foreboding and unease, and the lyrics are open to multiple interpretations.
Line by Line Meaning
I thought I would strike
I thought I would create something spectacular
A Lucifer pose then make a match
I would create light and heat like the devil known for possessing the power to create fire
And I did, I did
I managed to create the light and heat that I was attempting to make
I dropped the box and wrote a catch
But then I lost control of the situation, and something went wrong.
And I thought I caught
I felt like I sensed
A whiff of sulphur
The smell of something fiery and dangerous
And our little love drinks home-made lemonade
We have a simple, pure love
Like a kid growing up on its own somewhere
Like a child who is growing up alone in the world
Finding its own level
Trying to figure out its place in the world
Playing with matches in a deadened street
Engaging in dangerous behavior without realizing the potential consequences
Unaware that its parents have made
Not knowing that its parents have made
Their own little pact with the Devil
An agreement with something dangerous and potentially harmful
Of un-made things
To create something out of seemingly nothing
And the cute Devil's faithful apprentice
A devoted follower of something dangerous and possibly evil
Leaned over for a match
Desperately searching for the means to create something dangerous
Checked the passports, checked the flights
Making sure everything is in order before taking a big step
Checked the hymen
Ensuring that virginity is intact, which could symbolize innocence or purity
Lit the stairs to a back room
Creating a path to something hidden or secret
Locked me in a slipped the catch
Trapping the singer, who has no way out
And so happy we were
At one point, we were very content
With our cute old possessions and stuff
Our simple and maybe even outdated belongings
To be made of air and ghosts
To feel like we are not truly present in the world
And to think that the love we had would always be enough
Believing that our love would be strong enough to get us through anything
And would never be placed in care
We thought that our love would always be safe and secure
But what is this? We have neglected our love
Something has gone horribly wrong with our relationship
And don't know where it is
We've lost sight of what our relationship means or where we stand
And if we don't know, well it's probably on the street
If we have lost our way in our relationship, it has likely become public knowledge
Getting the fireworks wrong and the dealing right
We are failing at the showy parts of our relationship, but we're still holding on for the practical considerations
Bonfire Night is loud and bright and lasts all winter
Our relationship used to feel exciting, but now it is cold like the winter
Celebration rends the air
The air is filled with excitement or joy, but we're not feeling it
We are here and it is there
We are separated in some way from the happiness that surrounds us
We have to call it home
We must find a way to accept our situation as our new reality
But where in the hell is he?
We are completely out of touch with our partner and their feelings
In the end who cares?
We may never find the answers we need, and it may not matter in the end
It's only air and the thought of a spark
Our relationship may be nothing more than empty wishes and the hope for something better
Contributed by Landon E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Roger Davidson
Magnificent, beautiful, wonderful and just bloody great!
Jon Bilbao
Great opener for a great album