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.
Song To Go
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I said hello
I said a-where'd you want this little
Song to go....
I started singing
Made up some words
I sang it like a sonnet
I sang about the distance
I sang about the time
I introduced some chaos
And tried to make it rhyme
I hope somebody listened
And heard another world
Pure haze on the better words, they were
Catching a song
A song about the fountain
A song about a day
About a song about a modern day
With a little delay
I said goodbye
I said hold on
Where did you want that little
Song to go....
The lyrics of the song "Song to Go" by The Church express the experience of creating music. The song starts with the singer asking where the listener wants the song to go, implying that they are going to create something on the spot. Then, the singer starts singing, making up words to fit the melody. They describe the process of creating the lyrics as chaotic but trying to make it rhyme. The singer hopes that someone listened to the song and entered a new world after hearing it.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that music is a form of art that can transport listeners into another dimension. The singer mentions that the song is about the fountain and a modern-day, implying that the song pertains to issues and experiences that a lot of people could relate to. The lyrics are simple but expressive, capturing the essence of creating a song on the spot and hoping that the audience can connect with the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
I said he-hi
I greeted someone, saying 'he-hi'
I said hello
I greeted someone, saying 'hello'
I said a-where'd you want this little
Song to go....
I asked where the listener would like me to take the song I am about to sing
I started singing
I began to make music with my voice
Made up some words
I created lyrics for the song as I sang it
I sang it like a sonnet
I sang the song with a specific structure and rhythm, similar to that of a sonnet poem
I sang it for the birds
I sang the song to the natural surroundings, specifically to the birds
I sang about the distance
I used lyrics to talk about the separation or space between individuals
I sang about the time
I used lyrics to talk about the passing of time
I introduced some chaos
I added elements of disorder or unpredictability to the song
And tried to make it rhyme
I attempted to make the lyrics of the song sound similar at the end of each line
I hope somebody listened
I wished that someone paid attention and heard the song I sang
And heard another world
I hoped that the listener would hear a different, alternate reality through my music
Pure haze on the better words, they were
The precise words of the song were unclear, but the intended meaning was still present
Catching a song
The listener was able to hear and understand the song
A song about the fountain
The lyrics of the song were about a fountain
A song about a day
The lyrics of the song were related to a specific day
About a song about a modern day
The lyrics of the song were about a modern, contemporary time period
With a little delay
There was a slight delay in the performance of the song
I said goodbye
I said farewell or goodbye to the listener
I said hold on
I told the listener to wait for a moment
Where did you want that little
Song to go....
I repeated my previous question, asking the listener where they wanted the song to go
Contributed by Bella K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
BittersweetSymphony
on You're Still Beautiful
Sometimes I wonder if he is writing about himself