All three members of the band remain active recording musicians, each with their own careers. They are said to have reunited on a forthcoming album, "Angels and Fools", by Gilbert's new band, The Excellent Staircase (formally The Believers); on the track "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want", a cover of the song by The Smiths.
The party
The Dream Academy Lyrics
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They walk around in pairs
Dancing to the Dansette
Well God Almighty don't forget
You came here with me.
While Cinderella's getting hypnotised
By the Italian with grey-green eyes
Winding you up just to bring you down
To my level
So I'm sitting in a corner with a knife in my back
Pretending not to notice that I'm under attack
When a positive lack of direction breaks upon my shoulders
You may dance with him all night long
Live your romance out in a popular song
But baby you're gonna miss me when the radio comes on
And they're playing my song.
The boys are queuing up at every one-night stand
To issue their final demands
The stand's telling them about this guy
And so they're standing with her but they're keeping their eyes
On some other girl
Me, I'm trying to hold it down
By thinking about the words to some other song
When I'm forced into making polite conversation
I open the window to get some ventilation
Try to break away from the intellectual starvation.
Meanwhile the taxis are calling
And the angels are falling
Down into the garden of truth
Where two star-crossed lovers
Cut across one another
And make their way home one by one.
He may fire imagination into your eyes
I know strong personalities are hard to find
You messed up mine;
We've got a good thing let's keep on trying
Baby you're gonna miss me when the radio comes 'round to my time.
The Dream Academy's "The Party" is a song that examines the complexities of relationships in a social setting. It begins by setting the ominous tone with the line "there's danger in the air" and describes how people are pairing off and dancing to music. The singer reminds his partner, "you came here with me," indicating a sense of possessiveness and perhaps jealousy.
As the song progresses, we see that the singer is deliberately pushing his partner away by acting out of bounds and trying to wind her up. He feels like he’s being attacked in return, but he pretends not to notice this fact, sitting in a corner with a metaphorical knife in his back.
The lyrics throughout the song show a sense of frustration, futility, and regret, which culminates in the line "we've got a good thing, let's keep on trying." Despite all that’s happening at the party, the singer is unwilling to let go of his relationship, allowing the reason behind the party to go unnoticed.
Line by Line Meaning
There's danger in the air
The environment is tense and potentially hazardous
They walk around in pairs
People are pairing up and leaving others out
Dancing to the Dansette
Dancing to the beat of the music
Well God Almighty don't forget
A plea to a higher power for protection and guidance
You came here with me.
Remember that we are together
While Cinderella's getting hypnotised
While others are being caught up in the moment
By the Italian with grey-green eyes
By an attractive person
I stand deliberately out of bounds
I am intentionally distancing myself
Winding you up just to bring you down
Provoking you in order to lower your spirits
To my level
To the level of negativity I am feeling
So I'm sitting in a corner with a knife in my back
Feeling betrayed and vulnerable
Pretending not to notice that I'm under attack
Ignoring the hurtful behavior of others
When a positive lack of direction breaks upon my shoulders
Feeling lost and unsure of what to do
You may dance with him all night long
You may choose to spend your time with someone else
Live your romance out in a popular song
Enjoying a fleeting moment of passion
But baby you're gonna miss me when the radio comes on
Realizing the value of what has been lost
And they're playing my song.
When I am the focus of attention once again
The boys are queuing up at every one-night stand
Men are looking for casual hookups
To issue their final demands
Making their intentions clear
The stand's telling them about this guy
A person is being described as desirable
And so they're standing with her but they're keeping their eyes
Giving the appearance of interest but actually looking elsewhere
On some other girl
Thinking about someone else
Me, I'm trying to hold it down
I am trying to remain calm
By thinking about the words to some other song
Distracting myself with other thoughts
When I'm forced into making polite conversation
Engaging in polite conversation out of obligation
I open the window to get some ventilation
Seeking fresh air and a change of scenery
Try to break away from the intellectual starvation.
Attempting to escape from boredom and lack of stimulation
Meanwhile the taxis are calling
At the same time, people are leaving
And the angels are falling
The situation is becoming chaotic and negative
Down into the garden of truth
Descending into a place of honesty and authenticity
Where two star-crossed lovers
Two people who are meant to be together
Cut across one another
Intersecting paths
And make their way home one by one.
Finding their way back to each other
He may fire imagination into your eyes
Someone may captivate and excite you
I know strong personalities are hard to find
It is rare to find someone with a confident and dynamic personality
You messed up mine;
You have had a negative impact on my life
We've got a good thing let's keep on trying
Despite the difficulties, we should continue to work on our relationship
Baby you're gonna miss me when the radio comes 'round to my time.
You will realize what you have lost when I am successful again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICK LAIRD-CLOWES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind