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.
Day of the Dead
The Church Lyrics
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You ever been on a holiday?
You ever thought that you been here before
You ever been in a desperate way
On the beach stands a donkey who is waiting for you
He hee-haws, stamping his hoof
A fine blue day as dreamed by the boys
Nodding up on the roof
And in the meetings held in the darkness
And in the darkness everyone's blind
Venereal monsters stand there in velvet
And you know you're falling behind
Drink in a bar down in Leap Motel
I get involved with a prisoner
She's got a skull like a seraphim
I figure she is a messenger
She's at the heart of the festival
She's got the hands of a picador
She asks the spirits for a romance
She gets a ghost for a paramour
And in the weddings held in the darkness
'Cause in the darkness the guests are all blind
Great lumps are melting wrapped up in satin
And I know you're falling behind
Day of the dead down in Mexico
We read a book on the Alamo
We filled the tank up with Texaco
We buy a trinket for curio
We walk big stuff through the marketplace
Dripping smoke, dollars and aftershave
I got the mind of an astronaut
Emerging from the shell unscathed
Climbing out of hell unchanged
But then the dealers deal in the darkness
And in the darkness dealers are blind
Jokers and aces, bruisy and blackfern
I know you're falling behind
The Church's "Day of the Dead" portrays a haunting tale of a journey to Mexico for the Day of the Dead, a holiday that commemorates loved ones who have passed on. The lyrics describe a surreal world of magic, romance and deception with a plethora of vibrant imagery. The opening lines of the song lure the listener into the realm of the dead with the idea of being on holiday, leaving familiarity behind to be transported to a land of uncertainty. The sea, sand, and a donkey all come to life, greeting the listener and setting the path for their journey. The song’s lyrics include encounters with pickpockets in a bar, a woman dressed as a skull, and spirits demanding attention for romance. The lyric “I know you’re falling behind” is repeated throughout the song, creating a sense of urgency and pressing the idea that the journey is on a deadline. The final lines of the song suggest that the trip to hell is an opportunity to emerge transformed, unchanged and unscathed.
The "Day of the Dead" by The Church reflects on the band's inspiration from magic realism in Latin American literature, particularly Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude." This song's spectral imagery is influenced by the Latin American tradition of allegorical fiction, leading to a surrealistic portrayal of the rich and multifaceted experience of traveling to Mexico. Such imagery comes to life in the lines, "Venereal monsters stand there in velvet," and "Great lumps are melting wrapped up in satin." The song releases a mighty circular flow of words that echo and rise with the music, adding a fairytale quality to the song.
Guided by acoustic strumming blended with a dreamy melody, "Day of the Dead" captivates the listener’s audience while taking them on a journey to a different place, time, and mind. This song is outstanding in its ability to transport its listeners and impact its audience with atmospheric and surrealistic lyrics. In summary, The Church's "Day of the Dead" is a masterful display of poetic lyrics, searing guitar melodies, captivating soundscapes, and haunting vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
Day of the dead down in Mexico
The celebration of the dead in Mexico
You ever been on a holiday?
Have you ever experienced a holiday?
You ever thought that you been here before
Have you ever had déjà vu?
You ever been in a desperate way
Have you ever been in a desperate situation?
On the beach stands a donkey who is waiting for you
There is a waiting donkey on the beach
He hee-haws, stamping his hoof
The donkey makes noise and stamps its hoof
A fine blue day as dreamed by the boys
A beautiful day dreamed of by the boys
Nodding up on the roof
The boys nod on the roof
And in the meetings held in the darkness
Secret meetings held in the dark
And in the darkness everyone's blind
In darkness, no one can see
Venereal monsters stand there in velvet
Scary creatures wearing velvet
And you know you're falling behind
You feel like you're failing
Drink in a bar down in Leap Motel
Drinking at Leap Motel
I get involved with a prisoner
Getting involved with someone who is imprisoned
She's got a skull like a seraphim
Her skull looks like that of an angel
I figure she is a messenger
Thinking she's a messenger
She's at the heart of the festival
She's at the center of the celebration
She's got the hands of a picador
Her hands resemble those of a bullfighter
She asks the spirits for a romance
She begs the spirits for a romantic partner
She gets a ghost for a paramour
She ends up with a ghost as her lover
And in the weddings held in the darkness
Secret weddings held in the dark
'Cause in the darkness the guests are all blind
In darkness, guests can't see
Great lumps are melting wrapped up in satin
Bodies wrapped in satin are melting
And I know you're falling behind
And you're feeling like you're behind
Day of the dead down in Mexico
The celebration of the dead in Mexico
We read a book on the Alamo
Reading about The Alamo
We filled the tank up with Texaco
Filling the gas tank with Texaco
We buy a trinket for curio
Buying a souvenir
We walk big stuff through the marketplace
Walking through the market with large items
Dripping smoke, dollars and aftershave
Smoke, money, and aftershave filling the air
I got the mind of an astronaut
Thinking like an astronaut
Emerging from the shell unscathed
Coming out unharmed
Climbing out of hell unchanged
Escaping a terrible situation with no change
But then the dealers deal in the darkness
Dealing something in the dark
And in the darkness dealers are blind
Dealers can't see in the dark
Jokers and aces, bruisy and blackfern
Cards and plants mentioned
I know you're falling behind
You're feeling like you're behind
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KILBEY, WILSON-PIPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself