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.
Ricochet
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody knew that something had to give
Cassandra she told me
But no-one would believe her
I wish I had helped her more than I did
We tried to overcome the threat of the monster
We tried to kneel down and call up the beast
Maria she told me
I just can't tell who I adore the least
The rivers run astray
Ricochet
Night feels just like day
Ricochet
And everybody just walk away
In one side of my mind resides a controller
In one side of my mind revolves the relief
And one pain in my brain remains unchanged
I say you cannot explain the grief
Once in a while when the wind has slowed down
Me and the girls visit struggle town
There's a shop down there
Selling skulls (spells/stones) and powder
Butwe don't ask any questions about her
You can't be a lover if you want to keep on using
What are you using that's stronger than the love
Sometimes I'm knocked out by the damage that you're doing
Knocked out, locked out, push comes to shove
Listen to the wind tearing at the windows
Watching how the white moon melts into the cloud
Important little tyrants, impotent little pharaohs
Men/man of sorrows lost into the crowd
The rivers run astray
Ricochet
Night feels just like day
Ricochet
Everybody walk away
So if the ladies ask you over to play
Just beware of the ricochet
The song Ricochet by The Church is laden with complex, layered lyrics that evoke a sense of foreboding and discomfort. The song describes a world that has been destabilized after the loss of a beloved leader. The first two lines set the tone for the rest of the song - "After the demise of our beloved leader, everybody knew that something had to give." It's a world where the rivers run astray and the night feels just like day. There's a sense of chaos and confusion that pervades every verse.
The lyrics take on a surreal quality as they progress. The singer talks about Cassandra, who warned of something that nobody believed would happen. He regrets not helping her more than he did. The theme of not knowing what's real and what isn't is echoed in the next verse, where Maria tells the singer that her kid had just appeared one day. It's hard to know what to believe in this world of uncertainty. The chorus is particularly haunting - "The rivers run astray, ricochet, night feels just like day, ricochet, and everybody just walks away." It's an apt metaphor for a world that's lost its bearings.
The song closes with a warning - "So if the ladies ask you over to play, just beware of the ricochet." It's unclear what the ricochet refers to, but it's definitely something dangerous. Overall, Ricochet is a song that leaves the listener with a sense of unease, and that's precisely its intention.
Line by Line Meaning
After the demise of our beloved leader
Following the death of a leader who was dear to us
Everybody knew that something had to give
Everyone was aware that a change had to happen
Cassandra she told me
A woman named Cassandra confided in me
But no-one would believe her
Unfortunately, nobody trusted what she said
I wish I had helped her more than I did
Looking back, I regret not offering more assistance
We tried to overcome the threat of the monster
We attempted to defeat an intimidating force
We tried to kneel down and call up the beast
We made an effort to summon a dangerous entity
Maria she told me
A woman named Maria confided in me
That her kid had just appeared one day
She claimed that her child showed up out of nowhere
I just can't tell who I adore the least
It's difficult to say who I dislike more
The rivers run astray
The streams flow in unusual directions
Ricochet
Bouncing around uncontrollably
Night feels just like day
It's difficult to differentiate between day and night
And everybody just walk away
And everyone simply leaves
In one side of my mind resides a controller
One part of my brain contains a controlling force
In one side of my mind revolves the relief
Another part of my brain circulates a feeling of comfort
And one pain in my brain remains unchanged
A particular ache still persists in my mind
I say you cannot explain the grief
I believe that sorrow is beyond words
Once in a while when the wind has slowed down
Occasionally, when the wind calms down
Me and the girls visit struggle town
The women come with me to a difficult place
There's a shop down there
There is a store situated there
Selling skulls (spells/stones) and powder
Retailing items such as bones, enchantments, or minerals
But we don't ask any questions about her
We avoid inquiring about the proprietor of the shop
You can't be a lover if you want to keep on using
If you persist in utilizing [a substance], you cannot be a true romantic
What are you using that's stronger than the love
What could you be taking that is more powerful than affection?
Sometimes I'm knocked out by the damage that you're doing
Your harmful behavior can be overwhelming
Knocked out, locked out, push comes to shove
As a result, I feel stunned and isolated when things reach a boiling point
Listen to the wind tearing at the windows
Pay attention to the gusts ripping at the panes
Watching how the white moon melts into the cloud
Observing the moon slowly disappearing behind the haze
Important little tyrants, impotent little pharaohs
Petty rulers with insignificant power
Men of sorrows lost into the crowd
Sad individuals absorbed by the masses
So if the ladies ask you over to play
Therefore, if the women request your presence for fun
Just beware of the ricochet
Be cautious of the uncontrollable bouncing around
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: STEVEN JOHN KILBEY, PETER KOPPES, TIM GUY GERARD POWLES, MARTIN HOWARD WILLSON-PIPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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