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.
Authority
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The rat just burned an end to ten men but
Who's gonna say
It's just not my day
She's got enough stuff to get me tough and
She's not gonna play
The holiday is over
The honeymoon is over
The trust is rusted
The rake's been busted
The seeds are sown
The signs on your breath
What do you expect
Echo in the hall
The ghost of a picture
Still haunts the monster
Bedroom mirror broke
I suppose you'll say she made a fool of me
Oh, but she has authority
It used to be fine
Days full of music, nights full of music
Music all the time
Invisible lies
I tried my best but I transgressed it
Used to be fine
Chances are used up
Finances used up
Energy is low
Letters are returned
Lovers are spurned
Deliver quite a blow
The signs are disaster
I wouldn't put it past her
The diver's in the dark
The stale perfume
In her old room
Hell of a shock
I suppose you'll say she made a fool of me
Oh, but she has authority
I guess that that's old
The curtain comes down the circus leaves town
And leaves the game to fold
I guess that I think
The world keeps spinnin', people keep sinnin'
All the rest is just bullshit
The shadow's getting longer
The widow's getting younger
The cup doth overflow
The luxury of painted
Babies in a crib
On with the show
Life is a tangle
Of one-night triangles
The tangle of life leaps
You sleep like a baby
You're precious as a ruby
Goodbye, everything
I suppose you'll say she made a fool of me
Oh, but she has authority
The Church's song "Authority" is a melancholic representation of a failing relationship where one partner has control over the other. The lyrics are poignant, with powerful imagery that highlights a sense of disillusionment and despair. The female character in the song has an “authority” over the male, and he is unable to shake free from her control despite the signs of disaster that are apparent. There is an air of uncertainty and helplessness as the male character navigates through the relationship that used to be defined by days and nights full of music, but now it is overshadowed by mistrust and lies.
The chorus of the song, "I suppose you'll say she made a fool of me, oh but she has authority," is a testament to the power dynamics that exist in the relationship. The male character knows that he is being manipulated, but he cannot help falling into the trap that his partner has created around him. The lyrics speak to the powerlessness and confusion that can arise from a relationship that is imbalanced, and the bitterness and resentment that can grow as a result.
Overall, "Authority" is a powerful and poignant depiction of a relationship that has gone awry. The lyrics capture the helplessness and desperation that can arise when one partner has complete control over the other, and the repercussions that can befall those who stay in that situation for too long.
Line by Line Meaning
She says it's o.k.
She assures me it's alright.
The rat just burned an end to ten men but
Even though there was a disaster, no one will take the blame.
Who's gonna say
Nobody will admit the truth.
It's just not my day
Everything is going wrong for me today.
She's got enough stuff to get me tough and
She has everything I need to be strong.
She's not gonna play
She's not going to be manipulated.
The holiday is over
The good times have come to an end.
The honeymoon is over
The period of happiness has ended.
The garden's overgrown
Neglect has caused the garden to become unkempt.
The trust is rusted
The trust has been eroded over time with neglect and inactivity.
The rake's been busted
The rake has been broken and cannot fulfill its intended purpose.
The seeds are sown
The consequences of past actions are beginning to take root.
The signs on your breath
Your actions have consequences that can be seen and smelled.
What do you expect
What did you think was going to happen?
Echo in the hall
The past continues to echo and influence the present.
The ghost of a picture
The memory of a past event continues to haunt and influence the present.
Still haunts the monster
The past continues to affect the present, even in a negative way.
Bedroom mirror broke
The reflection of oneself is distorted or broken.
I suppose you'll say she made a fool of me
You might say I was foolish to trust her.
Oh, but she has authority
But she has power or control over the situation.
It used to be fine
Things used to be good.
Days full of music, nights full of music
The times were full of joy and happiness.
Music all the time
There was always joy and happiness.
Invisible lies
Lies that are hidden and hard to detect.
I tried my best but I transgressed it
I tried hard, but ultimately failed.
Chances are used up
There are no more chances left.
Finances used up
There is no more money left.
Energy is low
I am exhausted.
Letters are returned
Correspondences are being ignored or rejected.
Lovers are spurned
Love is being rejected or refused.
Deliver quite a blow
This will be a significant problem or issue.
The signs are disaster
The signs suggest that a disaster is imminent.
I wouldn't put it past her
I wouldn't be surprised if she caused the disaster.
The diver's in the dark
The outcome is uncertain or unpredictable.
The stale perfume
The odor or hint of something remains, even though its freshness has expired.
In her old room
The past continues to linger in this space.
Hell of a shock
This is an extreme and shocking experience.
I guess that that's old
I guess this is just how it is now.
The curtain comes down the circus leaves town
The show is over and it's time to move on.
And leaves the game to fold
And the game is over.
I guess that I think
I suppose that I believe.
The world keeps spinnin', people keep sinnin'
The world keeps turning and people continue to make mistakes or commit sinful acts.
All the rest is just bullshit
Everything else is irrelevant or pointless.
The shadow's getting longer
The darkness is growing and taking over.
The widow's getting younger
Death is becoming a closer and more pressing reality.
The cup doth overflow
There is more than enough; abundance is overflowing.
The luxury of painted
The beauty of something that has been decorated or made ornate.
Babies in a crib
Innocence and new beginnings.
On with the show
The performance will continue, despite any setbacks or obstacles.
Life is a tangle
Life is complicated and full of twists and turns.
Of one-night triangles
Relationships that are fleeting and often involve three people.
The tangle of life leaps
The complications of life are constantly jumping and getting in the way.
You sleep like a baby
You are sleeping soundly and peacefully.
You're precious as a ruby
You are valuable and priceless.
Goodbye, everything
Saying farewell to everything, including the past and present.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself