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.
Seven
The God Machine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Slowly fades
While we refuse change
All things
Come and go
This we know
This we know
You can find a reason
And you can make excuses
For all bad things
And you can justify
Before present occurs
So you can walk away
Before I begin to hurt
Can't you see that I still believe
That as long as you dream
Some things will always be
So please don't poison me
Please don't poison me
With your bitterness
You look
But you see right through me
Like I don't exist
I don't exist
But I point
And say you are a liar
You are a liar
Someday
the scales will fall
From our eyes
And we will see
The truths we've denied
And we'll question our beliefs
And we'll question our lives
And we'll finally learn to let go
And we'll finally learn to survive
In the lyrics to The God Machine's song Seven, the band touches on the themes of love, change, and bitterness. The opening line speaks of the fading of love while we refuse change. It's as if the band is saying that we hold onto things too tightly, and by doing so, we prevent ourselves from moving forward. They continue to emphasize this in the next lines, stating that all things come and go, and we should accept this as fact.
The second stanza is a caution to not let bitterness poison us. It's a plea to not let our negative emotions overpower us and destroy what we have. The line "please don't poison me with your bitterness" could be seen as a reference to a toxic relationship or someone who is always negative. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the idea that one day, we will all learn to let go, question our beliefs and finally learn to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
All love
Love in all forms, romantic or platonic, is encompassed in this statement. The reference is to the intangible emotion that we sometimes rely on to carry us through life's greatest challenges.
Slowly fades
Just like everything else in life, love must also come to an end. No matter how hard we try, or how strong our connection is, time eventually makes it fade away.
While we refuse change
Humans are creatures of habit and prefer the comfort of familiar scenarios over the uncertainties of the unknown. We often cling on to what we know, even if our hold on it is the cause of our decline.
All things
This phrase alludes to everything tangible in our lives, ranging from people to things and events, that come into our lives and depart in varying periods of time.
Come and go
As nothing is permanent, everything that arrives in our life also ultimately leaves our life. People, relationships, positions, careers, and everything we associate ourselves with, all have a beginning and an end.
This we know
Since nothing lasts forever, we all subconsciously know that everything we have in life must one day come to an end regardless of how connected we feel towards it.
You can find a reason
When one selectively focuses on a particular occurrence, they can always find a reason, a justification of sorts, for it to have happened. This is an acknowledgement of human nature to always search for a rationalization behind everything that happens.
For anything
A continuation of the previous line, emphasizing that any occurrence or event can be explained once one starts to look for a reason behind it.
And you can make excuses
Just as one can find a reason/excuse for any occurrence, similarly they can also be guilty of making excuses for the bad things that happen in their life. This is a natural tendency to avoid culpability.
For all bad things
All bad things and unfortunate scenarios have justifications that we tell ourselves to avoid the negative feelings they may cause. This is an acknowledgement of humans' tendency to avoid negative feelings at any cost.
And you can justify
One can find reasons and excuses for anything negative that happens before it even occurs; we can mentally prepare ourselves to think of negative outcomes in a positive light.
Before present occurs
The present state is a result of past events, but an individual can prepare themselves for future negative events before they happen.
So you can walk away
For an individual, being pre-emptive and walking away from a situation that seems to be leading towards negativity, is better than waiting for it to happen and facing difficult consequences.
Before I begin to hurt
It is better to terminate a relationship, situation or any association which may inevitably lead to pain and negativity earlier on rather than allowing it to proceed and cause damage.
Can't you see that I still believe
This is a plea to be heard and understood that even though the negative outcomes of situations are apparent, there is still a strong desire to hold on to the innocence of the past and the good that it brought to the individual's life.
That as long as you dream
A reference to the power of positive thinking that suggests as long as we keep believing, having hope, and dreaming, the good in life will keep coming to us.
Some things will always be
Even though things come and go, there are some things that will always remain constant in our lives, such as values, morals, certain memories or people.
So please don't poison me
The phrase is suggesting that we should avoid poisonous attitudes or negativity consumed by others, which is often inherited and tends to bring people down.
With your bitterness
The bitterness in people's attitudes and personalities tends to rub off on others, and people should avoid this as it will cause more harm than good.
You look
An indication that those who cannot understand others, their charms, and their good memories together, will never be able to see what is special, and will always view them as someone or something to be dismissed.
But you see right through me
Though they see 'me,' they cannot understand, appreciate or believe in what they have seen. Instead, they see the worst and the negative aspects of an individual.
Like I don't exist
An expression of how powerless individuals feel if they are not appreciated, understood, or felt by others. They feel invisible and insignificant.
I don't exist
When others around us do not acknowledge us, or our existence, it is easy to begin seeking to exist elsewhere -- be it in their head or elsewhere.
But I point
Even though one may feel invisible or insignificant, they still possess the power to observe, analyze and understand those who are attempting to dismiss them.
And say you are a liar
One can counterattack the negativity from others by exposing their lies and revealing the truth about their intentions towards themselves.
Someday
Even though today may be difficult and hard, there is always the optimism that someday things will take a turn for the better. It is a message of hope and inspiration.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GARY PROPER-SHEPPARD, JIMMY FERNANDEZ, RON AUSTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keimling70may9
All love
Slowly fades
While we refuse change
All things
Come and go
This we know
This we know
You can find a reason
For anything
And you can make excuses
For all bad things
And you can justify
Before present occurs
So you can walk away
Before I begin to hurt
Can't you see that I still believe
That as long as you dream
Some things will always be
So please don't poison me
Please don't poison me
With your bitterness
You look
But you see right through me
Like I don't exist
I don't exist
But I point
And say you are a liar
You are a liar
Someday
@seanwade8446
Lucky enough to see them twice in the 90s. Still listening 30 years later. No one like them before or since.
@tehf00n
I never got to see them but I still listen. I have my favourite bands, but The God Machine are the only ones to reach into my soul and say "Hi, I know what you are going through".
@tehf00n
One of the best songs of all time if you can handle it.
@archive303
listen...,
@TH-yx5eb
No doubt.
@philipbrickey7227
Best album of the 90s!
@jimmytan9485
One incredible band, two masterpiece albums.
@lililolopuu
One of the best band ever, only two albums, you know why. So sad.
@MrsZebra86
I once saw/heard/feel them perform in Paradiso, Amsterdam. Most intense concert I ever attended.
@tmaaac1
Literally moved to tears by this. Haven't experienced that with music in a while... so good to feel it again