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.
Bel‐Air
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said hey you look so pale
I don't know if it was the air or the breeze in my hair
I had a feeling I had failed
So down to the beach just out of reach
The moon was being trailed
A girl and a sailor and a hot dog trailer
That's their holy grail
Of gulls landing on the shore
In the motel pool the waitress cools
She doesn't ask for more
She makes a wish she takes a risk
She opens up her door
Through human eyes she's a dolphin in disguise
It's the last night of the war
Somewhere far away there's another day
And someone's getting out of bed
She put on her face in the morning space
She doesn't know she's dead
Her ruby lips can't excite me anymore
And pain sprawls on the chair, it's always there
And he descends the stairs, he doesn't see
The sunburned landlord glares, for all the people
He can never be
The Church’s song, Bel-Air, is a haunting and surreal piece that describes a strange and dreamlike experience. The song opens with the line, “a palm tree nodded at me last night,” signaling that this is not a normal experience. The singer then describes feeling as though they had failed, though it is unclear what it is they failed at. The scene then shifts to the beach, where the moon is being trailed and a girl and sailor are seeking a “holy grail” at a hot dog trailer. The setting feels surreal and otherworldly, with the sand burning the feet of gulls and the motel pool providing a respite for a weary waitress.
The song then takes a darker turn, with the line, “through human eyes she’s a dolphin in disguise, it’s the last night of the war.” This cryptic line suggests that the singer is seeing the world through a different lens, perhaps a distorted or alternate reality. The next few lines further emphasize this, with the mention of someone getting out of bed somewhere far away, and a woman putting on her face in the “morning space” without realizing she is dead. The final verse brings a sense of unease, with the description of pain sprawled on a chair and a man descending the stairs without seeing the sunburned landlord glaring. The song closes with a sense of detachment and disillusionment, with the haunting refrain, “bel-air, nothing’s happening there.”
Line by Line Meaning
A palm tree nodded at me last night
I experienced a strange occurrence last night as a palm tree appeared to acknowledge me
Said hey you look so pale
The tree indicated that I didn't seem well with an observation that I looked pale
I don't know if it was the air or the breeze in my hair
I was uncertain about the cause of my lack of well-being, whether it was atmospheric conditions or something else entirely
I had a feeling I had failed
Despite my uncertainty, I harbored a sense of failure and disappointment in myself
So down to the beach just out of reach
To clear my thoughts, I went to the beach but stayed in a place that was just far enough from the water's edge
The moon was being trailed
The moon was followed by something that appeared to be in pursuit of it
A girl and a sailor and a hot dog trailer
There was a girl, a sailor, and a food stand serving hot dogs that seemed to be their ultimate goal
That's their holy grail
The three individuals saw this hot dog trailer as something of great significance and value, their ultimate goal or desire
The sand whispered heat and burned the feet
The sand was uncomfortably hot, whispering its heat and causing pain to anyone who ventured across it with bare feet
Of gulls landing on the shore
The gulls flying around landed on the shore but were inadvertently causing harm to themselves
In the motel pool the waitress cools
An employee at the motel was trying to cool off by standing in the pool
She doesn't ask for more
While trying to soothe her discomfort, the waitress was content with what she had and didn't ask for anything more
She makes a wish she takes a risk
Despite the challenges of her current situation, the waitress still has hope and takes a risk by making a wish
She opens up her door
Emboldened by her hope, the waitress takes action and opens a door to whatever comes next
Through human eyes she's a dolphin in disguise
Seeing things as they truly are is difficult, as even a dolphin can appear human when viewed through our eyes
It's the last night of the war
A momentous event is taking place, as this is the final night of a great conflict
Somewhere far away there's another day
In another place far away, life goes on and a new day begins
And someone's getting out of bed
Life, in all its mundane details, continues elsewhere as someone gets up to start their day
She put on her face in the morning space
A woman prepares herself for the day, putting on makeup and getting ready to face the world
She doesn't know she's dead
Despite preparing herself for a new day, she doesn't realize that she has passed away
Her ruby lips can't excite me anymore
Even a once-beautiful aspect of life has lost its power to bring excitement or joy
And pain sprawls on the chair, it's always there
Pain is an ever-present reality, something that never goes away and is always felt
And he descends the stairs, he doesn't see
Despite moving through his day, he is unaware of the things happening around him
The sunburned landlord glares, for all the people
Those around him, including the landlord who is glaring at him, are not his true peers or equals
He can never be
Despite his efforts, he will never fully belong or be accepted in this world
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KILBEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrSoulauctioneer
NEVER HEARD OF THESE GUYS...one day in the 80s I was walkin to the bar and found a cassette tape on the ground, homemade, it only said skins and heart.....didnt find out for 10 yrs who they were....one of the best ''new wave'' bands I ever heard. The Church was relatively unheard of in Iowa.
@Xandro.Lombardi
Great story. I wish I was there when you found the cassette.
@wessleymcgrath9768
That’s a lucky find mate
@robertoNcognito
The church changed my life
@codeAlongwith
Greetings from Australia.
@keithdonald6583
Steve Kilby ..the most underrated song writer in the history of rock.
@showmyoface
This song is so amazing...takes me back to an earlier time in my life when it just seemed "easier." Anybody else?
@aus80srockradio94
It's taken 13 years for one person to reply, but yes - I absolutely agree!
@roytbone5791
One of the best guitar bands ever. Totally under rated.
@aus80srockradio94
Seriously how good is this song. The Church are art at it's very finest.