1) The Choir were a ro… Read Full Bio ↴There have been two bands known as The Choir:
1) The Choir were a rock band in the mid-1960s from Cleveland Ohio, best known for the oft-covered song "It's Cold Outside". With the addition of singer Eric Carmen, they became The Raspberries in 1970. The band consisted of Dann Klawon on rhythm guitar, Dave Smalley on vocals & rhythm guitar, Wally Bryson on vocals, lead guitar, & bass, and Jim Bonfanti on vocals & drums.
2) The Choir (originally The Youth Choir) is an atmospheric alternative Christian rock band, led by Derri Daugherty on guitar and vocals, Steve Hindalong on drums -- who also writes most of the band's lyrics -- and Dan Michaels on lyricon, electric flute and saxophone. Originally formed in Southern California in the early 1980s, the band members moved to the Nashville, Tennessee area in the 1990s. Past members include guitarist Marc Byrd and bass guitarists Michael Sauerbrey, Robin Spurs, Bill Batstone, and the late Tim Chandler.
Each band member also has a depth of musical history outside of The Choir. Hindalong produced four successful City On A Hill albums, writing the well-known song "God of Wonders" with Marc Byrd. Daugherty has been a member of the Christian-alterna-pop-supergroup The Lost Dogs since it started in 1991, and Hindalong joined the group in 2006. Chandler was the bass player for years for Daniel Amos and that band's alter egos The Swirling Eddies, and passed away in 2018. Byrd was a member of Common Children, recorded with his wife Christine Glass as Glassbyrd, and is currently half of the post-rock duo Hammock. Michaels has been a Senior Vice President of Fair Trade Services (formerly INO Records) since 2000.
Kissers and Killers
The Choir Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The song "Kissers and Killers" by The Choir is a commentary on the complexity and duality of human nature. The lyrics begin by expressing love for someone and admiration for the people in the neighborhood, yet quickly shift to a wider array of characters such as healers, depravers, and clowns. The imagery of the "man of sorrows hanging" and "Iscariot swinging" speaks to the biblical themes of betrayal and redemption, highlighting the contradictions within humanity.
The chorus goes through a list of opposing forces, such as "saviours, denyers" and "well wishers, liars," suggesting that even those who appear good or righteous can have a dark side. The theme of contrasts is further emphasized in the closing stanza, where the singer admits to being reckless and having a brother who is a broker, while the band includes jokers and fire-stokers. This image of a community made up of both good and bad elements is reinforced by the repetition of the chorus, which suggests that these opposing forces are always present.
Overall, "Kissers and Killers" is a meditation on the duality of human nature and the coexistence of good and evil, kindness and betrayal, within individuals and communities.
Line by Line Meaning
You know I love you I think you're so good
I deeply care about you and think you are wonderful
I like the people in my neighborhood
I enjoy and appreciate the people who live nearby
My mother is an engineer
My maternal figure works in a technical field
My daddy is a healer
My paternal figure works to cure and care for people's health
And everybody gathered here
Everyone present in this particular setting
Wheelers, dealers
People who engage in shrewd business or financial dealings
Lovers, depravers
Individuals who are affectionate and also those who degrade or corrupt others
Freers, enslavers
Those who prioritize freedom and those who control or subjugate others
Clowns, wicked sayers
Individuals who are amusing and those who say unkind or cruel things
Kissers and betrayers
People who give kisses and also those who deceive or cheat
Bones and ladder
Referencing the Biblical imagery of a ladder and the valley of dry bones
Somehow rhyming
The words are arranged in a cohesive, melodic way
Man of Sorrows hanging
Alluding to Jesus' crucifixion and his title as the Suffering Servant
Iscariot swinging
Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then committed suicide
A curious polarity
A strange, contrasting duality
Finders, weepers
A common schoolyard rhyme about losing and finding possessions
Why have you forsaken me
Jesus' words on the cross, questioning why God has abandoned him
Losers, keepers
If something is lost and found, the finder may keep it
Lovers, depravers
Those who are passionate about others and those who diminish others' worth
Freers, enslavers
Freedom versus control and subjugation
Clowns, wicked sayers
Humorous individuals and those who make malicious remarks
Kissers and betrayers
Those who show affection and those who deceive or cheat
Saviours, denyers
Those who rescue and those who deny the truth
Prophets, implyers
Those who predict future events and those who insinuate or suggest something
Well wishers, liars
People who have good intentions but also those who are dishonest
Killers, death defyers
People who kill others and those who are seemingly immune to death
Killers, death defyers
Repeating the previous line for emphasis
I light a candle
I ignite a small flame for various reasons
Well before dark
An unspecified amount of time before nighttime
They tell me jesters hide out
I have heard that court jesters seek refuge in a particular location
In the park
An outdoor recreational space
I never was a cautious man
I tended to take risks and not be overly careful
My brother is a broker
My sibling works in finance
And everybody in the band
Each person who is part of the musical group
Jokers, fire-stokers
People who are amusing and those who deliberately intensify something
Lovers, depravers
Those who strongly feel affection and those who belittle or corrupt others
Freers, enslavers
Those who prioritize freedom and those who oppress others
Clowns, wicked sayers
Amusing people and those who make cruel comments
Kissers and betrayers
Those who are affectionate and those who deceive or cheat
Saviours, denyers
Those who rescue and those who reject the truth
Prophets, implyers
Those who predict the future and those who hint at something
Well wishers, liars
People who have positive intentions and those who are dishonest
Killers, death defyers
Those who kill others and those who are immune to death
Killers, death defyers
Repeating the previous line for emphasis
Contributed by Nolan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.