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.

Perfect Child
The Church Lyrics

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In a garden, in a kitchen
On an earth beyond adventure
On an island in the sea
As a message from the future
As a man who held the answers
As another man comes crashing as me
Inside your eyes I see the blackness of dead space
A man could float forever and never find this place

Lie down my perfect child, this is but a dream
From a time when sorrow was set free
From a land of doubt and misery
From a suburb listed locally
When the sun was blotted out 'the sky

When the wind will refuse to die
There was only you and I

Overall Meaning

The Church's "Perfect Child" is a poetic journey that takes listeners through a series of vivid and surreal images. The song is open to various interpretations, and the lyrics have been described as both cryptic and profound. The opening lines suggest a sense of exploration and discovery: "In a garden, in a kitchen / On an earth beyond adventure / On an island in the sea / As a message from the future." The imagery invites us to envision a time and place that is beyond our present reality, a world that is both familiar and strange at the same time.

As the song unfolds, the tone shifts from one of wonder to one of despair, as the singer encounters the "blackness of dead space." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for depression, loneliness or hopelessness. The line "Lie down my perfect child, this is but a dream" could be seen as an attempt to comfort or soothe the singer, who may be struggling with feelings of anxiety or disillusionment. The song ends with a sense of unity between the singer and the listener: "There was only you and I."

Overall, "Perfect Child" is a layered and complex song that invites listeners to engage with the lyrics on a personal level. It speaks to the human experience of searching for meaning in our lives, and the challenge of navigating through the many obstacles that we encounter on this journey.

Line by Line Meaning

In a garden, in a kitchen
In serene and homely environments

On an earth beyond adventure
In a place that is unexplored and unfamiliar

On an island in the sea
On a secluded spot surrounded by vast oceans

As a message from the future
As a warning from what is yet to come

As a man who held the answers
As a person who knew the solution to life's mysteries

As another man comes crashing as me
As someone who can't find the answers and is struggling

Inside your eyes I see the blackness of dead space
I see emptiness and darkness in your eyes

A man could float forever and never find this place
It's an impossible task to search and find this place

Lie down my perfect child, this is but a dream
Relax my dear child, this is only an illusion

From a time when sorrow was set free
From an era when sadness was widespread and uncontrollable

From a land of doubt and misery
From a place where uncertainty and anguish reigned