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.
Reward
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The polar star in the sky again
Your open eyes beam out the surprise from them
You're our reward
So unpredictable, so delectable
So undetectable, unsuspectable
You're our reward
You're our reward
Do I still hear her laughter? Come see every laughter
Nothing still matters, the future's scattered
If it's the tactic it's just fantastic
Pure elation, simply anticipation
It's the suggestion, the eternal question
Wasn't feeling possible here and now
It is both of us after all still
Waiting and wanting not knowing what for
The meaning we're standing outside the door
Of everyday living, always the feeling was more
You're our reward
So unpredictable, so delectable
So undetectable, unsuspectable
You're our reward
You're our reward, I still hear her laughter
You're our reward, nothing else matters
You're our reward, if it's the tactic
You're our reward, pure elation
You're our reward, it's the suggestion
You're our reward of the eternal question
Do I still hear her laughter?
Nothing else matters, the future's scattered
If it's the tactic it's just fantastic
Pure elation, anticipation
It's the suggestion to know the eternal question
To know the eternal question
To know the eternal question
To know the eternal question
To know the eternal question
To know the eternal question
The Church's song "Reward" appears to be a romantic and upbeat love song that praises the subject of the song for being so unpredictable, delectable, undetectable, and unexpectable. The song speaks of the "reward" that the subject of the song brings to the writer and the listener, and how they are everything and nothing else matters because they are the reward. The writer alludes to the future being scattered, and the meaning of everyday living being outside the door, but concludes that their reward is all that they need.
The song is written with a poetic structure and uses descriptive and evocative language to create an atmosphere of mystery and anticipation. It is a celebration of the unpredictable and unexpected nature of love and how it can be the greatest reward that life has to offer. The use of the eternal question at the end of the song implies a philosophical dimension to the lyrics, which suggests that the song is much more than just a love song.
Line by Line Meaning
The waking sun on a desert plain
The start of a new day in a desolate place.
The polar star in the sky again
A constant, guiding light in the vast darkness.
Your open eyes beam out the surprise from them
Your wide-eyed wonder and excitement are evident for all to see.
You're our reward
You are the reason we keep going, the ultimate achievement.
So unpredictable, so delectable
You are full of surprises, and we savor every one of them.
So undetectable, unsuspectable
Your greatness cannot be easily seen or predicted by anyone.
There's nothing else after all
When it all comes down to it, you are the only thing that truly matters.
Do I still hear her laughter? Come see every laughter
I long to hear her joyous voice once more, to experience that pure happiness.
Nothing still matters, the future's scattered
Nothing else in the world holds importance when compared to her.
If it's the tactic it's just fantastic
If this is all part of the plan, well then it is simply amazing.
Pure elation, simply anticipation
This feeling, this thrill is pure and unadulterated, simply waiting and hoping for more.
It's the suggestion, the eternal question
The underlying question remains, will we ever truly know?
Wasn't feeling possible here and now
Before, I could never have imagined this overwhelming sensation, but it is here now in this moment.
It is both of us after all still
We are in this together, and no matter what happens, we will still be here.
Waiting and wanting not knowing what for
We eagerly wait, yearning for something even though we do not know what it is.
The meaning we're standing outside the door
We can feel that the answer is just out of reach, but we are standing at the threshold, ready for anything.
Of everyday living, always the feeling was more
In our mundane everyday routine, there is always a sense that there is something greater out there.
You're our reward
Reinforcing the idea that she is the ultimate prize, the one thing we are working towards.
To know the eternal question
A repetitive plea to understand what is forever unknown.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVEN JOHN KILBEY, PETER KOPPES, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself