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.
Wilderness Now
The Cult Lyrics
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Death walks right beside me,
The light shines bright behind me.
I can’t wake from this dream,
Death walks right beside me,
The light shines bright behind me.
Nights lead your cry forever and ever.
Through the terror and the hate,
I see your blackest eyes,
Criminal of all the men
Dissolve, destroy the man.
All waitress and the slaves
Arrive at the protest line
Sacrifice the fatty cuff, can it.
I can’t wake from this dream,
Death walks right beside me,
The light shines bright behind me.
Raise your fist and soul to the sky
Nights lead your cry forever and ever.
I can’t wake from this dream,
Death walks right beside me,
The light shines bright behind me.
The opening lines of The Cult's song "Wilderness Now" paint a picture of a haunting dream that the singer cannot escape from, where death is a constant companion and the light shines brightly behind them. This imagery is likely symbolic of the feeling of being trapped in a situation where there is no way out, yet there is still hope of finding a way forward. The repeated chorus emphasizes the need to continue fighting and raising one's fists and soul towards the sky, even through the darkest of times.
As the song progresses, it seems to take on an element of political commentary or activism. Lines such as "through the terror and the hate" and "arrive at the protest line" suggest a call to action in the face of injustice and oppression. The words "sacrifice the fatty cuff, can it" could be interpreted as a call to end the excess and waste of those in power, potentially referring to the wealthy or government officials who perpetuate inequality. Overall, the lyrics of "Wilderness Now" seem to be a rallying cry for those fighting against adversity, urging them to keep pushing forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't wake from this dream,
The singer cannot distinguish between their reality and their dream.
Death walks right beside me,
The singer feels constantly aware of death's presence.
The light shines bright behind me.
The singer can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Raise your fist and soul to the sky
The artist urges for a show of strength and resilience against adversity.
Nights lead your cry forever and ever.
The artist acknowledges the pain and suffering that accompanies life, and suggests it may never truly go away.
Through the terror and the hate,
The singer has experienced extreme negative emotions and behaviors.
I see your blackest eyes,
The singer has witnessed the darkest parts of human nature.
Criminal of all the men
The artist has encountered the worst kind of people.
Dissolve, destroy the man.
The artist expresses a desire for the destruction of the corrupt and evil forces.
All waitress and the slaves
The artist sees the downtrodden and underprivileged as part of the struggle for change.
Arrive at the protest line
The singer advocates for activism in the face of injustice.
Sacrifice the fatty cuff, can it.
The artist encourages a rejection of excess and indulgence in pursuit of a greater cause.
I can't wake from this dream,
The singer reiterates their confusion and uncertainty about their situation.
Death walks right beside me,
The singer repeats their constant sense of danger and mortality.
The light shines bright behind me.
The singer repeats their belief in a better future, despite their struggles.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IAN ROBERT ASTBURY, WILLIAM HENRY DUFFY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind