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.
Cobalt Blue
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dial my numbers up
Picks my locks
Picks his kind
To go and mingle in my mind
Here I am on the edge of every town
You read my fortunes up
Lead me to land
Let it run right through my hand
And its nothing
Nothing you could know
Let it go
Nothing really that you could know
Motel bar, the dirty sulky moon
Turn my head up
Let it all cocoon
Let it go
Nothing really we could know
And its nothing
Nothing you could know
Let it go
Nothing really that you could know
The lyrics to The Church's song Cobalt Blue paint a vivid picture of a journey through the desert, both physically and emotionally. The first stanza begins with a reference to a desert wind, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for life's challenges and how they can throw us off balance, just like a gust of wind. The lyrics then mention a telephone box, which is a symbol of connection and communication. By dialing a number, the singer is trying to reach out and make a connection, but someone is picking his locks and invading his mind. This could be a reference to the struggle to maintain one's personal boundaries and protect oneself from others' influence.
In the second stanza, the lyrics describe the singer as stuck on the edge of every town, indicating a feeling of being lost and without direction. Someone is reading his fortunes, which could imply that the singer is looking for guidance or a sense of purpose. However, he is ultimately led to land that runs right through his hand, suggesting that he can't seem to hold onto anything valuable or meaningful. The final stanza is set in a motel bar beneath a sulky moon, which creates a sense of melancholy and longing. The singer turns his head up, perhaps in search of answers or a way out, but ultimately lets go and acknowledges that there may be nothing he or anyone else could know.
Overall, the lyrics to Cobalt Blue paint a poignant picture of a journey through the desert of life, grappling with questions of connection, purpose, and the impermanence of everything we hold onto.
Line by Line Meaning
Desert wind in a telephone box
Feeling lost and disconnected, with a sense of emptiness and isolation
Dial my numbers up
Trying to reach out for help or connection, but not knowing who or where to turn to
Picks my locks
Breaking down the barriers that keep the singer closed off and vulnerable
Picks his kind
Allowing others into their mind and heart, even if they may not have trusted them before
To go and mingle in my mind
Opening up to the possibility of new ideas and perspectives, even if it may be uncomfortable or challenging
Here I am on the edge of every town
Feeling like an outsider, disconnected from the places and people around them
You read my fortunes up
Seeking guidance or hope for the future, but feeling uncertain or pessimistic
You lead it down
Finding disappointment or failure despite the effort to change or improve
Lead me to land
Searching for a sense of stability or security in a world that feels overwhelming
Let it run right through my hand
Feeling like they are losing control of their life or situation, unable to grasp onto anything permanent
And its nothing
Feeling like everything they have experienced or struggled with is insignificant or unheard
Nothing you could know
Believing that nobody could truly understand the depth of their pain and struggles
Let it go
Trying to release the pain, frustration, or sorrow they carry, but not sure how
Motel bar, the dirty sulky moon
Painting a picture of a lonely, melancholic setting where the singer is searching for escape or comfort
Turn my head up
Looking to the sky or to a higher power for answers or guidance
Let it all cocoon
Finding temporary solace or shelter from the chaos of the world, but knowing it cannot last forever
Nothing really we could know
Accepting the uncertainty and mystery of life, and realizing that sometimes there are no easy answers or solutions
Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself