The one permanent fixture amidst the Fall's ever-changing line-up was Mark E. Smith (1957 – 2018). Smith's lyrics are free, unboxed and unpredictable, touching on an extremely wide range of subjects and places, and caring little for being tied down to easily digestible messages.
Smith's singing could put off some people, but others find it a uniquely expressive instrument. Smith was not a conventionally great vocalist, but his keen sense of rhythm, his energy and personality more than made up for this.
The Fall's music changed depending on the line-up at a given time. Always experimental, Mark E. Smith claimed to invent several musical genres, including house music; "we were doing that years ago" and even the internet. "He told me I didn't understand, that we were from the bleak industrial wastes of North England, or something, and that we didn't understand the Internet. I told him Fall fans invented the Internet. They were on there in 1982." One thing that is for sure is that The Fall (and their fans) always pushed the boundaries, and were never afraid to experiment.
The Fall were a favorite group of DJ John Peel, recording 24 sessions for his BBC1 radio program over the years.
The Fall's back catalogue consists of 29 studio albums, and is very fragmented with a seemingly endless number of compilations and semi-official live albums.
In 2006, British music-critic Dave Simpson published an entertaining account of a journalist's attempt to track down all 43 former members of The Fall in the Guardian. Many previous members have been fired, often with little or no notice. Simpson's ongoing effort was subsequently described at greater length in his book "The Fallen" (2008). His effort to track down the final unaccounted stragglers of at least 50 previous members of The Fall - including drummer Karl Burns - continues in his blog. Having decried Simpson's book as a "hatchet job" in the pages of Pseud. Mag., a Fall fan-mag, Mark E. Smith countered in short order with his autobiography "Renegade: The Lives and Tales of Mark E. Smith" (Viking, 2008/Penguin 2009).
Mark E. Smith died on 24 January 2018, aged 60.
Key Albums include:
# Live At the Witch Trials (debut)
# Dragnet
# Totale's Turns (It's Now Or Nevr)
# Grotesque (after the Gramme)
# Perverted By Language
# Hex Enduction Hour
# This Nation's Saving Grace
# Middle Class Revolt
# Bend Sinister
# Extricate
# The Infotainment Scan
# Country on the Click aka The Real New Fall LP
# Fall Heads Roll
# Reformation Post TLC (new)
Compilations/Singles/B-Sides:
# 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats
# The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004
# Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 1) and Totally Wired: The Rough Trade Anthology (disc 2)
# 458489 A-Sides
# 458489 B-Sides
Legend Of Xanadu
The Fall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll hear my words
On the winds 'cross the sand
If you should return
To that black barren land that bears the name of Xanadu
First without hope was our love
Then I saw it was lost from the start
It was the jewel that was nestling in the heart of Xanadu
Only shadows move in places where we used to go
And the buildings open to the sky
All echo to the sky as if to show
Our love was for a day
And soon to pass away in Xanadu
In Xanadu
On holiday
In Xanadu, in Xanadu, in Xanadu
What was it to you that a man laid down his life for your love?
Were those clear eyes of yours ever filled with pain and grief?
Did you ever give yourself to one man in this whole wide world?
You left me but you will find your way back
To that black barren land that bears the name of Xanadu
You'll hear my voice cross the winds on the sand
If you should return
To Xanadu, to Xanadu, to Xanadu
To Xanadu
The lyrics to The Fall's song "The Legend of Xanadu" tell a story of lost love and regret set against the backdrop of a barren, desolate land called Xanadu. The singer speaks of the futility of trying to legislate against wrongful encouragement, suggesting that some things cannot be controlled or prevented. The song then shifts to the singer reminiscing about a past love that was doomed from the start. The love is described as a jewel that was nestled in the heart of Xanadu, a metaphor for a beautiful, but ultimately unattainable, ideal.
The second half of the song takes on a more accusatory tone as the singer questions the object of their affection. They ask if their love was ever worth the sacrifice of another's life, if they ever experienced pain and grief, and if they ever truly gave themselves to another person. Despite the hurt and heartbreak, the singer still holds out hope that their love will return to Xanadu, echoing their voice across the winds on the sand. The Legend of Xanadu is a melancholic and thought-provoking song that explores the longing and regret that can come with lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
You cannot legislate against wrongful encouragement
There are some things you can't control, like when someone encourages wrongful acts.
You'll hear my words on the winds 'cross the sand
Even though we are no longer together, my thoughts and feelings will still reach you through the wind.
If you should return to that black barren land that bears the name of Xanadu
If you ever go back to the place where we fell in love, which is now a dark and barren land, known as Xanadu.
First without hope was our love
Our love was doomed from the start and was never going to work out well.
Then I saw it was lost from the start
I realized that our love was destined to fail from the very beginning.
It was the jewel that was nestling in the heart of Xanadu
Our love was once precious and valuable, like a jewel that was hidden in the heart of Xanadu.
And the footprints leave their traces
Even though our footsteps have faded away, the memory of our love still remains.
Only shadows move in places where we used to go
The places where we used to go are now empty and abandoned, with only shadows moving around.
And the buildings open to the sky
The buildings that used to be full of life and vibrant are now empty and open to the sky.
All echo to the sky as if to show our love was for a day
The buildings seem to be echoing our love, but it was short-lived and only lasted for a day.
And soon to pass away in Xanadu
Our love was destined to fail from the very beginning and disappeared quickly like everything else in Xanadu.
On holiday in Xanadu, in Xanadu, in Xanadu
We came to Xanadu for a holiday, but it turned out to be a place of disappointment and sadness.
What was it to you that a man laid down his life for your love?
Was it worth it to you that someone died for your love, when it was doomed from the start and only brought pain and grief to everyone involved?
Were those clear eyes of yours ever filled with pain and grief?
Did you ever feel sadness and regret for what happened between us, or were you always oblivious to the pain you had caused?
Did you ever give yourself to one man in this whole wide world?
Did you ever truly love someone and give yourself to them, or were you always chasing after something that was unattainable?
You left me but you will find your way back to that black barren land that bears the name of Xanadu
Even though you left me behind, you will eventually end up going back to Xanadu, where our doomed love affair began.
You'll hear my voice cross the winds on the sand
My voice will continue to reach you through the wind, even though we are no longer together.
If you should return to Xanadu, to Xanadu, to Xanadu, to Xanadu
If you ever go back to Xanadu, the place where we fell in love and eventually separated, Xanadu will be waiting for you.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALAN BLAIKLEY, KEN HOWARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind