The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in… Read Full Bio ↴The Church is an alternative rock band which formed in Sydney, Australia in 1980. Initially linked in with neo-psychedelia acts of the period, their music later became largely defined by the interplay of guitarists Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes coupled with the abstract lyrics of bassist/singer Steve Kilbey. Their debut album, Of Skins and Heart (1981), earned them their first radio hit "The Unguarded Moment". They were originally signed to EMI's Parlophone label, but record company dissatisfaction led to them being dropped overseas, which limited their exposure early on.

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.

Don't You Fall
The Church Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Babe this city is a mouth
Set to swallow you
What you doing in this town?
So take my hand, you'll fall
Don't you fall
Don't you fall
All the windows full of eyes
Always watching you

Underneath these cracked black skies
We can't be safe at all
Don't you fall
Don't you fall
Empty houses full of sounds
Always haunting you
And there is no hallowed ground
So just watch out, you'll fall
Don't you fall (don't you, don't you, don't you fa-all)

Don't you fall (da-don't you, don't you)
(Don't you fall)

Overall Meaning

The Church's song "Don't You Fall" creates an atmospheric mood that is both eerie and captivating. The lyrics suggest a sense of foreboding, with repeated warnings not to fall, both physically and perhaps metaphorically. The city is portrayed as a mouth set to swallow you, with windows full of eyes always watching you. It feels like a chaotic, dangerous environment where even empty houses are full of haunting sounds. There is no sense of safety, and the cracked black sky adds to the sense of unease.

The repeated refrain of "don't you fall" suggests that the song is addressing someone who may be at risk of succumbing to their surroundings, whatever they may be. It could be a cautionary tale for someone getting involved in shady activities or falling into addiction. Alternatively, it could be a message of hope or encouragement to someone who is struggling to cope with the difficulties around them. Regardless of the interpretation, the song is hauntingly beautiful and captures a sense of falling away, either literally or metaphorically.

Interestingly, The Church has been active since the late 1970s and has released over 20 albums. "Don't You Fall" was released in 2006 on their album "Uninvited, Like the Clouds." The band is known for their psychedelic rock sound and poetic lyrics. Their music has been featured in a number of films and TV shows, including "Miami Vice" and "Donnie Darko." Lead singer and guitarist Steve Kilbey has also worked on numerous solo projects and collaborations with other artists.

Line by Line Meaning

Babe this city is a mouth
This city is like an open mouth ready to devour you.

Set to swallow you
The city is designed to consume and overpower you.

What you doing in this town?
Why are you in this place that could be dangerous?

So take my hand, you'll fall
Hold on to me and you won't lose your way or fall into the city's traps.

Don't you fall
Don't give in to the temptation or danger of the city.

All the windows full of eyes
There are always people watching you through the windows of the buildings around you.

Always watching you
You are constantly being monitored or observed by others.

Underneath these cracked black skies
The dark and ominous sky above us adds to the tense atmosphere of the city.

We can't be safe at all
There is no guarantee of safety in this unsettling environment.

Empty houses full of sounds
Even when places are deserted, there are still eerie noises coming from them.

Always haunting you
The deserted buildings and unsettling environment adds to a haunting feeling.

And there is no hallowed ground
No place in the city is truly safe from danger or evil.

So just watch out, you'll fall
Be cautious and aware of your surroundings or you could fall into danger.

Don't you fall (don't you, don't you, don't you fa-all)
Repeated reminder to not give in to temptation or danger.

Don't you fall (da-don't you, don't you)
Repeated reminder to stay vigilant and avoid hazards.

(Don't you fall)
Final reminder to not give up or succumb to temptations or danger.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS, Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER KOPPES, STEVEN KILBEY, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTY WILLSON-PIPER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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