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.
Fields of Mars
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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.
The Field of Mars is a large park and square in the center of Saint Petersburg with an area of almost 9 hectares. Named after the Roman god of war, the Field was for a long time the setting for military parades and drills for imperial guards regiments. Monuments to military leaders Pyotr Rumyantsev and Alexander Suvorov have been erected here. Its layout remains unchanged.
However, the lyrics to The Church's song "Fields of Mars" delve into a more metaphorical interpretation of the Field of Mars. The singer describes feeling distant and alone beneath the platinum stars, far from home. The rain only makes the coldness of the skin more intense, emphasizing the feeling of isolation. The overgrown grass is fed by tears and loss, hinting at the grief and sadness that the singer feels. Despite his desire to leave, he never seems able to, trapped in a cycle of sadness and longing.
The singer calls out to his love, but they are never able to hear him. Time passes in the Field of Mars, and eventually, grief will not last. The departing cars imply that the singer is finally able to leave this place of sadness, but the memories and pain will never completely leave him. Overall, the lyrics describe a feeling of profound loneliness and a sense of being stuck in a place of sadness and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long way home from the Field of Mars
Leaving the Field of Mars feels like a long journey home.
Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars
Feeling isolated and far from home, surrounded by the vast expanse of the night sky.
And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer
Trying to return home, but feeling like it's always out of reach.
Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder
The only comfort is the feeling of the cold rain on the skin.
All my life seems so far away
Reflecting on how distant everything feels, like it's all in the past.
The air is soft in the Field of Mars
The atmosphere in the Field of Mars is peaceful and calm.
Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass
The sadness and grief of the past contribute to the growth of nature in the present.
And I have to leave, but I never seem to go
Trying to move forward, but feeling stuck in the past.
Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow
As time passes, only more sadness seems to be on the horizon.
All my dreams seem so long ago
Feeling like one's aspirations from the past are too far removed from the present.
Oh, Field of Mars
Addressing the setting of the song, the peaceful Field of Mars.
Time is past in the Field of Mars
Time moves on, even in the peaceful atmosphere of the Field of Mars.
Grief won't last in the departing cars
Leaving the Field of Mars allows for the possibility of letting go of grief and moving on.
And I call her name, but she never, ever hears
Trying to reach out to someone from the past, but feeling unheard and ignored.
And I call again to the cruelty of the years
Recognizing the pain and hardship caused by the passage of time.
Oh my love she's so far away
Feeling disconnected from someone close to the heart.
Oh, Field of Mars.
Addressing the setting of the song, the peaceful Field of Mars.
Contributed by Ryan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself