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.
I Am a Rock
The Church Lyrics
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I am alone, gazing from my window to the streets below
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
I am a rock, I am an island
I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
Don't talk of love well I've heard the words before
It's sleeping in my memory
And I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
If I never loved I never would have cried
I am a rock, I am an island
I have my books and my poetry to protect me
I am shielded in my armor, hiding in my room, safe within my womb
I touch no one and no one touches me
I am a rock, I am an island
The Church's song "I Am a Rock" is about a person who has isolated themselves from the world to protect themselves from the pain that comes with love and relationships. The singer describe a winter's day in December where they are alone and isolated in their room, looking out their window to the streets below. They see the freshly fallen snow and compare themselves to a rock or an island, implying that they are impenetrable to the outside world. The lyrics suggest that they have built walls and a fortress to protect themselves and that they have no need for friendship as it causes pain.
The singer seems to be in a a state of emotional numbness as they describe the words of love and how they are already sleeping in their memory. They don't want to disturb the "slumber of feelings that have died" so they choose to isolate themselves further. They seem to view avoiding emotional attachment as a way of avoiding the pain that can come along with it.
The final verse suggests that the singer is finding solace in their books and poetry, and that they are shielded in their armor, hidden away in their room. They have chosen to not let anyone touch them emotionally and they aren't willing to touch anyone else either. While being a "rock" or "island" might seem like a form of protection, it also means they're alone and disconnected from the rest of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
A winter's day, in a deep and dark December
It was a cold winter day in December and it felt gloomy and dark.
I am alone, gazing from my window to the streets below
The singer is alone and staring out of the window, looking down at the empty streets.
On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow
The snow has covered everything outside, making it silent and peaceful.
I am a rock, I am an island
The singer feels disconnected from the world and from other people. They are like a rock, isolated and self-contained.
I've built walls, a fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate
The singer has built walls around themselves so that no one can get close to them. They feel safe within these walls.
I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain
The singer doesn't want to have any friends because they feel that friends can only bring pain and hurt.
It's laughter and it's loving I disdain
The singer dislikes anything to do with happiness, love or laughter. They prefer to be alone and not feel anything.
Don't talk of love well I've heard the words before
The singer has heard about love many times before and doesn't want to hear about it again.
It's sleeping in my memory
Although the singer doesn't want to think about love, it's still there in their memories.
And I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died
The singer doesn't want to wake up their old feelings about love that have already died.
If I never loved I never would have cried
The singer believes that if they had never loved anyone, they wouldn't have been hurt or felt any pain.
I have my books and my poetry to protect me
The singer turns to books and poetry for comfort and protection from the outside world.
I am shielded in my armor, hiding in my room, safe within my womb
The singer feels safe and protected in their own space, away from the world and its problems.
I touch no one and no one touches me
The singer keeps themselves completely isolated from other people and doesn't want anyone to get close to them.
I am a rock, I am an island
The singer repeats that they feel completely disconnected from the world and other people. They are like a rock, isolated and self-contained.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself