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.

Field Of Mars
The Church Lyrics

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It's a long way home from the Field of Mars
Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars
And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer
Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder
All my life seems so far away
The air is soft in the Field of Mars
Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass
And I have to leave, but I never seem to go

Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow
All my dreams seem so long ago
Oh, Field of Mars
Time is past in the Field of Mars
Grief won't last in the departing cars
And I call her name, but she never, ever hears
And I call again to the cruelty of the years

Oh my love she's so far away
Oh, Field of Mars

Overall Meaning

The Church's song "Field Of Mars" speaks of a sense of isolation and distance from one's deepest desires. The song's opening lines, "It's a long way home from the Field of Mars / Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars," immediately set the tone for the rest of the song with an emphasis on distance and loneliness. The singer seems to be searching for something just out of reach, as indicated by the line "And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer / Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder."

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the Field of Mars serves as a metaphor for the singer's past, filled with both happy memories ("All my dreams seem so long ago") and heartbreak ("Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass"). Despite the nostalgia and longing for what once was, the singer is unable to stay in this place of reflection, forced to leave in the face of an unknowable future ("And I have to leave, but I never seem to go / Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow").

The song's final lines leave the singer with a sense of finality and acceptance, as they reflect on the passage of time ("Time is past in the Field of Mars / Grief won't last in the departing cars") and the inability to change what has already been lost ("And I call her name, but she never, ever hears / And I call again to the cruelty of the years / Oh my love she's so far away"). Overall, "Field Of Mars" is a poignant reflection on the unattainable nature of the past and the difficulty of moving forward.

Line by Line Meaning

It's a long way home from the Field of Mars
Returning from the Field of Mars is a journey that takes a considerable amount of time

Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars
The singer is far from home and feels isolated, with only the stars for company

And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer
The singer is striving to reach their destination, but feels no nearer to it

Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder
The artist is in a lonely, wet place, and the rain only adds to their discomfort

All my life seems so far away
The artist feels detached from their own life, as though it is distant from them

The air is soft in the Field of Mars
Despite the singer's discomfort, the air in the Field of Mars is gentle and calming

Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass
The Field of Mars is a place of sadness and mourning, which can be seen in the overgrown grass

And I have to leave, but I never seem to go
The artist is compelled to leave, but feels as though they are stuck in place

Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow
The artist's journey will be met with further melancholy, which will be worsened by autumn winds

All my dreams seem so long ago
The artist's ambitions and hopes feel distant and unattainable

Time is past in the Field of Mars
The Field of Mars is a place where time moves on, even if the singer cannot

Grief won't last in the departing cars
While grief is present, the artist will eventually leave the Field of Mars and distance themselves from that sorrow

And I call her name, but she never, ever hears
The singer tries to reach out for help or companionship, but nobody will answer their calls

And I call again to the cruelty of the years
The singer is lamenting the cruelty of aging and time, which seems to be trapping them in the Field of Mars

Oh my love she's so far away
The singer's romantic love is absent from them, perhaps in a literal sense, or merely emotionally

Oh, Field of Mars
The artist is addressing the Field of Mars directly, perhaps indicating that they feel it has a personality or presence

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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