The Cult's debut studio album Dreamtime was released in 1984 to moderate success, with its lead single "Spiritwalker" reaching No. 1 on the UK Indie Chart. Their second studio album, Love (1985), was also successful, charting at No. 4 in the UK and including singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary" and "Rain". The band's third album, Electric (1987), launched them new heights of success, also peaking at No. 4 in the UK and charting highly in other territories, and spawned the hit singles "Love Removal Machine", "Lil' Devil" and "Wild Flower". On that album, The Cult supplemented their post-punk sound with hard rock; the polish on this new sound was facilitated by producer Rick Rubin. After moving to Los Angeles, California, where the band has been based for the remainder of their career, The Cult continued the musical experimentation of Electric with its follow-up album Sonic Temple (1989), which marked their first collaboration with Bob Rock, who would produce several of the band's subsequent albums. Sonic Temple was their most successful album to that point, entering the Top 10 on the UK and US charts, and included one of the band's most popular songs "Fire Woman".
By the time of their fifth album Ceremony (1991), tensions and creative differences began to surface among the band members. This resulted in the recording sessions for Ceremony being held without a stable lineup, leaving Astbury and Duffy as the only two official members left, and featuring support from session musicians on bass and drums. The ongoing tension had carried over within the next four years, during which they released one more studio album, The Cult (1994), and called it quits in 1995. The Cult reformed in 1999 and released their seventh album Beyond Good and Evil two years later. The commercial failure of the album and resurfaced tensions led to the band going back on hiatus in 2002. They resumed activity in 2006, and have since released three more studio albums: Born into This (2007), Choice of Weapon (2012), and Hidden City (2016).
According to music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the band fuse a "hardcore punk revivalist" sound with the "pseudo-mysticism ... of the Doors and Uriah Heep and the guitar-orchestrations of Led Zeppelin and The Cure ... while adding touches of post-punk goth rock". In 1985 Astbury said, "Our music is just melodies and guitars. We're like Big Country and U2, only better!".
On August 15, 2020, Duffy announced on his Twitter that the band were recording a new album with producer Tom Dalgety at Rockfield Studios, where The Cult had recorded their debut album Dreamtime 36 years earlier.
The Cult is also the name of a Las Vegas funk group that recorded one album in 1976, an Australian psych rock band that released one single in 1965, a UK punk band that released one 7" in 1980 and a garage rock band (featuring Allan Springfield of Chelsea Beige) that released two singles in 1965 and 1966.
Bangkok
The Cult Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Past the midnight hour, yeah
All around me, all around me, all around me
Butterfly women singing
No time for trouble
A time of joy
I'm far from home
Fallin' down
The Bangkok rain keeps fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
I love that sound
Sittin' in a bar in Bangkok
Waitin' for the rain to stop
All around me, the butterfly women talkin'
Just talkin' and singing
No time for trouble
A time for joy now
I don't care no more
I don't care no more
Fallin' down
The Bangkok rain keeps fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Down on the ground, yeah, ow
No time for trouble
It's a time for joy
I don't care no more
I'm too far from home
Fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
Down on the ground, yeah
I'm a free spirit
A travelling man
Round the world I like to lurk
The rain comes down
In a Bangkok town
My heart is in my mouth
Baby, won't you please take me home?
I ain't got nowhere to go
No trouble
Freaky city
Freaky city
Freak city
Freak city
Freak city
Freak city
Freaky city
The song “Bangkok Rain” by The Cult is a tribute to the city of Bangkok, Thailand, and its magical essence. The lyrics suggest the singer’s love for the city and its women, who are like butterflies singing and dancing. The song opens with the singer describing a typical Bangkok night, where everyone is out and about, partying, and enjoying the nightlife. The singer then goes on to describe how the falling rain feels and sounds, and it seems to be a reassuring and calming presence for him. The chorus repeats the phrase “Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down,” which emphasizes the consistency and perseverance of the rain, much like the people in the city.
In the second verse, the singer is seated in a bar, waiting for the rain to stop. He seems to be content in the present moment, surrounded by the lively and unconventional characters of Bangkok. The singer’s carefree attitude is evident in the phrase, “no time for trouble, it's a time for joy now, I don't care no more.” He is far from home, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. The song’s final verse resounds with the singer’s wanderlust and his desire to be taken back home since he has nowhere else to go.
Overall, The Cult’s “Bangkok Rain” is a song about escapism, adventure, and the joy of being free. The city of Bangkok serves as a symbol of the possibilities of spontaneity and carefree living.
Line by Line Meaning
Black night baby
It's nighttime and it's dark.
Past the midnight hour, yeah
It's after midnight.
All around me, all around me, all around me
There are things happening and surrounding me.
Butterfly women singing
Women are singing and their beauty is compared to that of delicate butterflies.
No time for trouble
There is no need for worries or problems.
A time of joy
It's a moment of happiness.
I'm far from home
The person singing is not in their own place of origin.
Don't care no more
The person doesn't have any worries or cares.
Fallin' down
It's raining heavily.
The Bangkok rain keeps fallin' down
It's raining heavily in Bangkok.
Bangkok rain keeps on fallin' down
The heavy rain in Bangkok is continuously falling.
I love that sound
The sound of heavy rain is enjoyed by the person singing.
Sittin' in a bar in Bangkok
The person is in a bar in Bangkok.
Waitin' for the rain to stop
The person is waiting for the heavy rain to stop.
All around me, the butterfly women talkin'
The women mentioned previously are talking around the person.
Just talkin' and singing
The women are simply chatting and singing.
Down on the ground, yeah, ow
The person singing is on the ground, feeling emotional.
It's a time for joy
The moment is a happy one.
I'm too far from home
The person is far from their original home or country.
I'm a free spirit
The person singing is someone who is free in their thoughts and actions.
A travelling man
The person is someone who moves or travels often in life.
Round the world I like to lurk
The person likes to travel and explore different parts of the world.
The rain comes down
It's raining heavily.
In a Bangkok town
The person is currently in a town in Bangkok.
My heart is in my mouth
The person is feeling emotional, and their heart is racing and feeling heavy.
Baby, won't you please take me home?
The person is asking for someone to take them in and make them feel at home.
I ain't got nowhere to go
The person has no specific place to go to.
Freaky city
Bangkok is being described as a strange and unusual city.
Freak city
Bangkok is again being described as a strange and unusual city.
Freaky city
The same meaning as before; Bangkok is a strange city like no other.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN ROBERT ASTBURY, WILLIAM HENRY DUFFY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind