After signing to Arista in 1988, they saw their largest international success with the album Starfish and the American Top 40 hit "Under The Milky Way" which resurfaced on the soundtrack of the cult movie "Donnie Darko". Whilst the band remain feted by their peers, subsequent commercial success proved elusive: 1990s follow-up album "Gold Afternoon Fix" failed to capitalise on their success, and the band weathered several line-up changes after its release, first losing long-term drummer Richard Ploog, then Peter Koppes following 1992s "Priest = Aura". That album baffled and confused many fans upon its release as to what band The Church was considered to be, but is now considered a seminal album and one of the most revered by Church connoisseurs. The vacant drum-stool on Priest=Aura being occupied by Jay Dee Daugherty of Arista labelmate Patti Smiths group, and it was produced by Gavin MacKillop of Moose.
Reduced to a two-piece, Kilbey & Willson-Piper re-grouped with the assistance of drummer/producer Tim Powles to record 1994's "Sometime Anywhere", concluding their obligations to the Arista and Mushroom labels. The commercial decline, combined with the Church being ignored again by a music press more focused on the Nineties' music trends, could have brought about the demise of the band, had it not coincided with the breakthrough of the internet, thus enabling direct communication from the band to its passionate cult fanbase.
This brought about a new beginning for The Church, with Peter Koppes rejoining the band for recording 1996s "Magician Among The Spirits". The band (with Koppes back into the fold, and Powles now as the permanent drummer ), hit a re-newed creative surge and with regained selfconfidence, released "Hologram Of Baal" 2 years later, and toured Australia, the USA and Europe.
The first decade of the 21st century found the band releasing severeal highly critically acclaimed albums, like 2002's aptly named "After Everything Now this" and 2003's "Forget Yourself", the latter breaking new ground with bandmembers swapping instruments in the recording process. Live performances stray from high profile events like the 03 concerts at Sydney Opera House and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, to low-profile gigs for smaller audiences, often confusing old 80s fans, surprised to find the band still playing, wrongly assuming the band just being one in the never-ending string of reunion acts.
2009's album "Untitled#23" marked yet another highlight.. its essence represented in just 10 songs, and with a strong less-is-more approach, the albums core identity being on par with Starfish, it also finds Steve Kilbey breaking new ground as a vocalist.
2010 saw their 30th anniversary, with extensive touring in the US and Australia. Their unique position and importance in the australian music scene was recognized with an ARIA award.
Their album, "Further Deeper", was released in 2014, and "man woman life death infinity" in 2017.
12-Into My Hands
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Journey back to winter land
Cut my loses, grow my hair
See some man to take me there
As it gets so uncertain
When the girl gets too near
It's never as good as I hoped
Or as bad as I feared
Some seek sleek and slithering charms
Out of reach their grasping arms
Our skin like milk, our breath of words
Like happy, awful and absurd
You know it's always out here in my head
Stupid bloody things get said
Then drifting on a summer pond
I notice that my love has gone
The song "Into My Hands" is a melancholic and introspective track by the Australian alternative rock band The Church, sung by their lead vocalist, Steve Kilbey. The lyrics appear to be about the struggles of love and relationships, as the singer tries to hold onto love but ultimately fails. The lines "I take love into my hands, journey back to winter land" suggest a desire to regain love and return to a happier time. The next lines "Cut my losses, grow my hair, see some man to take me there" imply a sense of self-preservation and a willingness to move on if necessary. The singer seems to be haunted by past mistakes and uncertain about the future, as evidenced by the lines "It's never as good as I hoped, or as bad as I feared."
The second stanza is more abstract, with the lines "Some seek sleek and slithering charms, out of reach their grasping arms, our skin like milk, our breath of words, like happy, awful and absurd." It seems to suggest the fleeting nature of love, the difficulty in finding a perfect match and the imperfections of human communication. The line "You know it's always out here in my head, stupid bloody things get said" reinforces this theme of internal turmoil and self-doubt. The final line "Then drifting on a summer pond, I notice that my love has gone" is a poignant and sad ending, suggesting that the singer has lost love once again.
Line by Line Meaning
I take love into my hands
I am in control of love and am choosing to take action to pursue it.
Journey back to winter land
My journey to find love is difficult and sometimes feels like it takes me to dark and cold places.
Cut my losses, grow my hair
I am letting go of the past and embracing growth, both of which are necessary for finding love.
See some man to take me there
I am searching for someone who can lead me to love.
As it gets so uncertain
As my journey for love continues, things become unsure and unclear.
When the girl gets too near
When I am close to finding love, fear and doubt can arise.
It's never as good as I hoped
The reality of finding love can never fully match the idealistic expectations I have.
Or as bad as I feared
On the other hand, finding love is also never as terrible as I may have imagined.
Some seek sleek and slithering charms
Some people are attracted to things that are superficial and deceptive.
Out of reach their grasping arms
Those who only pursue superficial desires will never truly find love, despite their attempts to grab it.
Our skin like milk, our breath of words
Our physical bodies are soft and gentle, and our words can be powerful and meaningful.
Like happy, awful and absurd
Our words can convey a range of emotions and ideas, from joyful and pleasant to terrible and nonsensical.
You know it's always out here in my head
Love is something that exists in my mind, but finding it requires action and effort in the real world.
Stupid bloody things get said
Sometimes our words can be foolish and nonsensical, especially when we are nervous or uncertain.
Then drifting on a summer pond
After moments of confusion and uncertainty, I can find a sense of calm and peace.
I notice that my love has gone
Despite my efforts, I may still struggle to find love, and it can quickly disappear even when I thought I had it.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself