The band would perform with various line-ups under their new name The Dignity of Labour starting in 1985. Taylor moved to California in mid 1989 and TDOL became a project under his direction, occasionally performing live with supporting musicians but generally existing in the studio amidst a cache of electronics.
In 1992, TDOL released the album Tired Hands, a collection of vocal ballads and instrumentals written over the previous five years. The album was originally released on cassette in limited quantities, but was re-released on CD in 1994 with four additional tracks. The release garnered some regional success, including an enticing offer by talent scouts Barefield and Vierra, and inclusion of the track La Belle Le Anna on a syndicated compilation disc. Taylor knew his future lay in electronic pop music.
By 1994, Taylor had moved to Denver, Colorado, where he began work on the second TDOL album, Belief. The basic tracks were recorded in Taylor's studio then mixed and mastered at Colorado Sound Studios. Belief was released in December 1997 through international distributor Joe's Grille and was available from various record stores in Colorado. The album was also sent to several labels that cater to electronic musicians. Despite favorable reviews praising TDOL for its accurate depiction of 80's-style electronic synthpop, TDOL decided not to actively promote the release through club gigs or radio airplay. Nevertheless, the tracks Shores of Eternity and Echoes caught the attention of a major record label in Europe.
Fast-forward to August 2002. Taylor submitted a post to a musician's mailing list, asking if anyone would be interested in producing/engineering the next TDOL album. He received several offers, including one from Colin Mansfield, a veteran jack-of-all-trades from St. Paul, Minnnesota. After a few weeks of e-mails and song-swapping, they decided it would be a great idea to work together. Given that Colin had a lot of experience in ambient music, Taylor was excited to see how these songs would come together. In March 2003 he spent a week in St. Paul with Colin and engineer Bob Cain at Ambient Sound, recording the first handful of demos for the new album. Response from those close to Taylor encouraged him to submit the tracks to several independent electronic-based labels in the US and Europe. Among those who responded with contract offers was synthpop label kingpin, A Different Drum, who offered him a one-single/one album deal. In June 2004, ADD released the debut single XRV to critical acclaim.
Taylor recently completed his third album. This self-titled effort explores further the mix of incisive lyrics and techno beats. Here, TDOL ventures into foreign territory, voicing the third person in some instances, disguising the song's identity through allusions to science and technology, while pushing the emotional envelope. The album was released in September 2005.
Seconds
The Dignity of Labour Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A pencil in his hand
Grinding circles into the wall
He doesn’t understand
Why the others treat him as invisible
Or they punch him with their smiles
He dreams of a place where there is no shade
A platform to be seen for miles
Close your eyes
Let the moments pass
Like sand grain seconds
Through an hourglass
Young boy climbing to a desert high
A message in his hand
Tracing circles around the clouds
His destiny is planned
Would the airwaves choke when it made the news?
Would the television sigh?
Ghost reporters in a bitter sun
Taking lessons in the way to die
Better to forget than to comprehend
Imagination colliding with real
Gone without a trace from an empty place
Leaving nothing sacred, nothing to reveal
Damon dancing into the light
A microphone in his hand
Turning circles across the stage
They move to his command
And the audience doesn’t know about that day
When he gambled with the sacred breath
But his blood runs sober as the curtains fall
Like the sand upon the face of death
Better to remember and memorize
Every motion that carried you here
Couldn’t change the time only your state of mind
As the scars upon your spirit disappear
When your world begins to fray
When the rules refuse to play
Somewhere there is promise for another serving
When the soul begins to bleed
A moment is all you need
Long enough to feel the weight of your decision
Hesitate and regain your vision
Seconds separate you from the fall
Save a moment
The Dignity of Labour's song Seconds tells the story of three individuals who are all struggling in different ways. The first verse describes a young boy who is being bullied by his peers and feeling invisible. The second verse tells the story of another young boy who has a message to share with the world but wonders if anyone will really hear it. The final verse is about a performer, Damon, who has made mistakes but is still able to command the stage.
The chorus suggests that time is fleeting and it's important to make the most of every moment. The final lines of the song urge listeners to seize the moment and save it, to allow themselves a chance to regain their vision and prevent a fall.
Line by Line Meaning
Young boy hiding in a locker room
A boy seeks refuge in a locker room
A pencil in his hand
He idly holds a pencil
Grinding circles into the wall
He doodles circles on the wall
He doesn’t understand
He's puzzled by his situation
Why the others treat him as invisible
He's ignored by others
Or they punch him with their smiles
Others pretend to be friendly while actually being hostile
He dreams of a place where there is no shade
He desires a space where he can shine
A platform to be seen for miles
He seeks a way to be seen and recognized
Close your eyes
A plea to end the present
Let the moments pass
Time inevitably moves forward
Like sand grain seconds
Time slips away like sand in an hourglass
Through an hourglass
A metaphor for time passing by
Young boy climbing to a desert high
The boy ascends to a high point in the desert
A message in his hand
He carries a message with him
Tracing circles around the clouds
He gestures circles around the clouds
His destiny is planned
His future is determined
Would the airwaves choke when it made the news?
He wonders if his message will be misunderstood
Would the television sigh?
He thinks of the potential reaction to his message
Ghost reporters in a bitter sun
Reporters in a desolate landscape
Taking lessons in the way to die
Learning to survive in a harsh environment
Better to forget than to comprehend
It's easier to ignore reality than to face the consequences
Imagination colliding with real
The boundaries between reality and fantasy blend
Gone without a trace from an empty place
Disappearing in a blank area, leaving no clue
Leaving nothing sacred, nothing to reveal
There is no hidden meaning or secret to reveal
Damon dancing into the light
Damon emerges into the spotlight
A microphone in his hand
He wields a microphone as his tool
Turning circles across the stage
Spinning in circles while performing on stage
They move to his command
The audience follows his lead
And the audience doesn’t know about that day
The audience is unaware of something significant
When he gambled with the sacred breath
When he risked everything he had
But his blood runs sober as the curtains fall
He remains calm as the performance ends
Like the sand upon the face of death
A metaphor for the futility of life
Better to remember and memorize
It's important to acknowledge and remember important moments in life
Every motion that carried you here
Every action that led to where you are now
Couldn’t change the time only your state of mind
You can't change the past, but only change how you react to it
As the scars upon your spirit disappear
As emotional wounds heal and fade away
When your world begins to fray
When everything seems to fall apart
When the rules refuse to play
When normalcy disappears
Somewhere there is promise for another serving
There's hope for a better future
When the soul begins to bleed
When you feel emotionally hurt
A moment is all you need
A brief period of time can have a significant impact
Long enough to feel the weight of your decision
Enough time to consider the ramifications of your choices
Hesitate and regain your vision
Take a moment to think before taking action
Seconds separate you from the fall
The difference between success and failure can be mere seconds
Contributed by Grayson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kirk Hilbelink
Thank you, Rachel. It was inspired by a teenager's diary I found while hiking in the mountains of Nevada. He wanted to take his own life, and I never found out who it was or if he went through with it, but it affected me so deeply that a child would even consider such an act, that I had to write a song about it. I'm grateful that it was/is a comfort for you and hopefully others as well. Cheers, Kirk
Rachel F
This song never ceases to amaze me each and every time that I hear it, and at one point, I will even go as far as saying that the lyrics have saved my life when I went through a horrible depression. "When your world begins to fray, when the rules refuse to play, somewhere there is promise for another serving... When the soul begins to bleed, a moment is all you need, long enough to feel the weight of your decision, hesitate and regain your vision, seconds separate you from the fall..."
Rachel F
Thank you for such a beautifully written song. The way it is structured and layered, and the way the vocals glide throughout the song so seamlessly... And the way in which the lyrics on the last verse grab at me especially... Seriously, there are not enough words to express how much this song means to me. <3