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.
Take It Back
The Church Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thanks for the future too
But it'll take something better than this creature you left
To make me come back to you
You better take it back (take it to the bottom)
Take it back (take it to the bone)
Take it back (take it all night long)
When I first arrived in this brand new life
With my halo and clean slate
But then I dabbles and I meddled until I couldn't backpedal
And I hate my fate
I want to take it back (take it to the bottom)
Take it back (take it to the bone)
Take it back (take it anywhere I go)
Take it back (take it all night long)
She said thanks for the memories
She said thanks for the booze
She said thanks for everything that made me sing
These elemental breakdown blues
Why don't you take it back (take it to the bottom)
Take it back (take it to the bone)
Take it back (take it anywhere I go)
Take it back (take it all night long)
The lyrics of Take It Back by The Church is a song about regret and longing for something that has been lost or left behind. The song comprises of two narrators, a male and a female. The female narrator begins by thanking the male for the present and future he gave but implies that it is not enough to make her come back to him. She wants something better, something more. The male narrator then proceeds to talk about his life, how he started with a clean slate but became consumed with trying out new things and messing around, something he now regrets. They both end the song by encouraging the other to take back what was lost or broken and start anew.
One interpretation of the song is that it could be about a failed relationship, where the male and the female had fallen out of love, and the male is trying to apologize and win back the woman's heart. However, the woman is aware of his mistakes and is not willing to take him back unless he changes or does something more significant to win her back.
The lyrics are straightforward and relatable to anyone who has experienced regret or loss. The chorus of "take it back" is a call to action, to take responsibility for one's mistakes and try to correct them.
Line by Line Meaning
She said thanks for the present
She expressed gratitude for the gift you gave her
Thanks for the future too
She thanked you for the future, that she presumes you promised her
But it'll take something better than this creature you left
She needs something more valuable than the thing you gave her to return to your life
To make me come back to you
She will not return to you as a result of the present you gave her
You better take it back (take it to the bottom)
It's best to retrieve the present entirely
Take it back (take it to the bone)
Retrieve it without any remnants – leave no trace behind
Take it back (take it anywhere I go)
There is no place that the present should follow me
Take it back (take it all night long)
The retrieval should be a continuous, unrelenting effort
When I first arrived in this brand new life
When I started off on this new path
With my halo and clean slate
With my newfound innocence and purity
But then I dabbled and I meddled until I couldn't backpedal
But then I started to explore and gamble until it was too late to reverse the damage done
And I hate my fate
And I take displeasure in the situation that I have found myself in
I want to take it back (take it to the bottom)
I want to undo what I have done
Take it back (take it to the bone)
I want to undo it completely, down to the bone
Take it back (take it anywhere I go)
I want to remove it from every aspect of my life
Take it back (take it all night long)
I want to pursue this reversal with everything I have, until it's done
She said thanks for the memories
She acknowledged that you provided some happy memories
She said thanks for the booze
She was appreciative of the liquor you gave her
She said thanks for everything that made me sing
She was grateful for anything that made her happy
These elemental breakdown blues
However, these unfortunate life events have left her feeling despair and sadness
Why don't you take it back (take it to the bottom)
Why don't you undo whatever you did to hurt me
Take it back (take it to the bone)
Undo it substantially, and erase all traces
Take it back (take it anywhere I go)
Remove it permanently, no matter where I go
Take it back (take it all night long)
Pursue it until there is nothing left to pursue
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@brandypfister7572
Put a thumbs up if you want to go back to church
@nanaof6babies
We go on Sunday morning, then in the evening. Again on Wednesday. Our pastor said when people say you HAVE to go 3x a week? We say no, we GET to go 3x a week! I love our church family.
@michaelcochren1658
Thanks for the love and and support
@dalantis8547
Our church too! We go 3x a week 💛
@andrewwarren692
@Da Lantis fi
@briannaesteppe6234
My church goes 3 times a week too
@owendavidson2458
I never thought about it that way wow
@alexwilliams3384
"It's not a trophy for the winners, It's a shelter for the sinners." Love that line.⛪💒✝
@jewelryjune6883
Yes it makes you feel. It gives you hope, first time hearing it. Melt a stoney ❤️
@tylerborges7
Yeh that’s for church folk and non church folk