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.

Pangaea
The Church Lyrics

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I got my hand on my heart
I got my heart on my mind (we've drifted apart)
I gotta jump on the clock
I gotta find me some time

Pangaea ahhh alright
Pangaea ahhh (gotta try so hard) together (gotta try so hard)

You got your hands 'round my throat
You got your voice in my head (no matter what)
You better jump on the clock
You better watch where you tread

Pangaea ahhh alright
Pangaea ahhh (gotta try so hard) together (gotta try so hard)

(gotta try so hard)
(gotta try so hard)

They got their rationales
They had their winning streaks (it's never enough)
They better jump on the clock
They better count up their weeks

Pangaea ahhh alright

Pangaea ahhh (gotta try so hard) together (gotta try so hard)
Pangaea ahhh (gotta find some time) ahhh (gotta find some time)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Church's song Pangaea are open to interpretation, but they seem to be about a relationship that has drifted apart and the struggle to find time to reconnect. The first verse talks about the singer's efforts to reconcile with their partner, while the second verse seems to be directed at the partner, urging them to be careful and take responsibility.

The chorus repeats the word "Pangaea," which is a reference to the ancient supercontinent that existed millions of years ago. The use of this word in the song suggests a desire to reunite or come together with someone, like the continents did to form Pangaea. However, the repeated phrase "gotta try so hard" suggests that this reunion may be difficult or even impossible to achieve.

The final verse introduces a broader societal context by mentioning "rationales" and "winning streaks," perhaps referring to the pressures individuals and societies face to succeed and compete. The line "count up their weeks" could be interpreted as a reminder to value one's time and make the most of it.

Overall, the lyrics of Pangaea convey a sense of longing and frustration, both in personal relationships and in the larger world.

Line by Line Meaning

I got my hand on my heart
I am being sincere about my feelings

I got my heart on my mind (we've drifted apart)
My thoughts are consumed with the fact that a relationship has come to an end

I gotta jump on the clock
I need to act quickly

I gotta find me some time
I need to make time for what's important

Pangaea ahhh alright
In order to regain unity, we must overcome obstacles together

Pangaea ahhh (gotta try so hard) together (gotta try so hard)
We must put in a great effort to bring ourselves back together

You got your hands 'round my throat
You have a tight emotional hold on me

You got your voice in my head (no matter what)
Your words and influence stick with me regardless of the situation

You better jump on the clock
You need to act fast before it's too late

You better watch where you tread
Be careful with how you proceed