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.
Overview
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you even imagine how this all went wrong
Was supposed to be good trip
We're all supposed to feel like we belong
Don't pitch me the script
I've got a suggestion for the end of it
Don't beat up your computer, don't downplay your soul
Just like the stories they tell ya
Just like the tripe that they sell ya
Just like the damned you say 'hell yeah'
Watch out
You can never be certain if anyone is really a friend
This could be such a sweet thing
We all should be leaving in the end
Your network's gone down
No one can connect you up in this town
You scoped out a slot, you scooped out a niche
You're strutting along on the end of a leash
Just like the stories they tell ya
Just like the tripe that they sell ya
Just like the damned you say 'hell yeah'
Help me
Can't find my way back
I feel like I'm already off the map
This should have been such a pleasure
I thought it would all fall right in my lap
Conversing with cash
You've cashed all your chips
You fished out my sea, see
You dropped all the drips
Just like the stories they tell ya
Just like the tripe that they sell ya
Just like the damned you say 'hell yeah'
The Church's song Overview talks about the disappointment and disillusionment that can come from seeking fulfillment through technology and society's expectations. The first verse reveals the singer's frustration with how things have gone wrong, despite the initial prospect of a good trip where everyone would feel like they belong. Instead, the singer suggests rejecting the script and not giving up on one's soul, even when control is lost.
The second verse warns about the uncertainty of friends in a modern world, where connections may fail and people can be driven by selfish motives. The singer seems to have fallen victim to this, feeling lost and disconnected even though they thought they had found their place. The final plea for help shows how the pursuit of pleasure and money has left the singer feeling empty and aimless, drowned in a sea of shallow interactions and experiences.
Overall, The Church's Overview is a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying too much on external factors to give life meaning and purpose. The song urges listeners to look within themselves and find their own way, instead of blindly following the stories and tripe that society feeds them.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen
Pay attention
Can you even imagine how this all went wrong
It's hard to believe how things have turned out badly
Was supposed to be good trip
It was supposed to be a positive experience
We're all supposed to feel like we belong
We should all feel included
Don't pitch me the script
Don't give me the usual spiel
I've got a suggestion for the end of it
I have a solution for how it should end
Don't beat up your computer, don't downplay your soul
Don't abuse technology or neglect your emotional well-being
Don't find it wanting when you've lost control
Don't blame anyone or anything else when you're feeling overwhelmed
Just like the stories they tell ya
Similar to the lies they tell you
Just like the tripe that they sell ya
Like the nonsense they peddle to you
Just like the damned you say 'hell yeah'
Similar to how people willingly follow what's bad for them
Watch out
Be wary
You can never be certain if anyone is really a friend
You can't trust anyone too much
This could be such a sweet thing
The situation could have been much better
We all should be leaving in the end
We'll all have to move on eventually
Your network's gone down
Your connections are broken
No one can connect you up in this town
You can't make any meaningful connections here
You scoped out a slot, you scooped out a niche
You found a particular place of your own
You're strutting along on the end of a leash
You're pretending to be free but really someone is controlling you
Help me
I need assistance
Can't find my way back
I'm lost
I feel like I'm already off the map
I don't know where I am anymore
This should have been such a pleasure
This should have been enjoyable
I thought it would all fall right in my lap
I believed it would come easily to me
Conversing with cash
Only interested in money
You've cashed all your chips
You've used up all your resources
You fished out my sea, see
You've taken everything from me
You dropped all the drips
You let everything slip away
Just like the stories they tell ya
Similar to the lies they tell you
Just like the tripe that they sell ya
Like the nonsense they peddle to you
Just like the damned you say 'hell yeah'
Similar to how people willingly follow what's bad for them
Contributed by Brody C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself