The band consisted of three members, Robin Proper-Sheppard (born Gary Sheppard) (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Fernandez (bass) and Ronald Austin (drums), and they first performed officially under the name The God Machine in 1991. They released an EP, Purity with the record label Eve, and were later given contracts with the label Fiction. They released two albums in their career, both with their trademark dark and industrial-sounding alternative rock, before Jimmy Fernandez suddenly died from a cancerous brain tumor in 1994. Robin went on to form The Flower Shop Recordings label, and bands Sophia and The May Queens.
The first full-length album, Scenes from the second storey, was released in 1993.
Their second album, One Last Laugh in a Place of Dying, was recognized by Alternative Press as one of the "90 greatest albums of the 90s" (#88) in their December 1998 issue.
Their San Diego incarnation was called Society Line and also featured guitarist Albert Amman, who left the band before its move to London.
Painless
The God Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It says you're always late and you can't miss this train
Well I open my mouth but I hear no sound
And you said life could be painless
And I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
And she said life could be painless
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
But I open my mouth but you hear no sound
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
You said life could be painless
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
The lyrics to The God Machine's song "Painless" seem to speak to a sense of disconnection and disillusionment with the messages we often receive in society about what life should be like. The singer is haunted by a shadow on their wall that seems to remind them of their failures and shortcomings; the shadow suggests that they're always late and that they can't miss a train, as though they're already behind on their journey through life.
But when the singer tries to speak, they find that they can't hear their own voice. It's as though they're trapped in a world of silent, invisible expectations that they can't possibly meet. They turn to someone else - perhaps a loved one or a friend - for guidance and reassurance, but they're met with a bitter truth: "life could be painless," the other person tells them, "but that's not what I've found."
These lyrics are powerful and relatable in their honesty and vulnerability. Many of us struggle with feelings of inadequacy and anxiety as we try to navigate the world around us, and the idea that life should somehow be "painless" can feel like a cruel hoax. Overall, the song seems to be a reminder that there's no one "right" way to live, and that it's okay to acknowledge our own pain and frustration as we try to find our place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a shadow on my wall that tells me the time
I have a visual reminder of the time, but it also serves as a reminder that I am constantly aware of how you are always late
It says you're always late and you can't miss this train
The shadow is mocking you for your tardiness and reminds me that you have no choice but to catch this train
Well I open my mouth but I hear no sound
I try to speak up, but my words fall on deaf ears, leaving me with no choice but to continue to suffer in silence
And you said life could be painless
You promised me that life would be easy and without suffering
And I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
Unfortunately, I must admit that I have not found your promise to be true and that life is anything but painless
And she said life could be painless
Someone else told me that life could be painless
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
But like your promise, this also turned out to be untrue and life is still full of suffering
But I open my mouth but you hear no sound
Once again, my attempt to speak up falls on deaf ears, leaving me to suffer in silence
And you said life could be painless
You continue to promise me that life can be easy, but I am beginning to lose hope in your words
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
Despite your promises, I have yet to find a life without pain and suffering
You said life could be painless
Once again, you promise me that life can be painless
I'm sorry but that's not what I've found
And once again, I must admit that your promise has not come true and life is still full of pain and suffering
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.