Their sound has been described as an amalgamation of psychedelic rock, industrial, synth-pop and avant-garde. They have released over 40 records and continuously tour the world.
Members of the band have also collaborated with Nurse With Wound, The Dresden Dolls, Jarboe, HNAS, Jim O'Rourke, Skinny Puppy's cEvin Key, forming The Tear Garden. Ka Spel accompanied Skinny Puppy for a small part of their 1988 European 'Head Trauma' tour in Sweden. Key also appears on the 1994 album 9 Lives to Wonder.
A Space Between
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lived a milli-milli-milli-second; never born again.
Though no one saw him coming, plenty witnessed his remains -
laid a wreath yet they never knew him... Me? I'm just the rain,
laid poor Billy to eternal rest, eternal rust.
I soaked the dust that covers him, I wait for all the others.
They all have names...
in '66. He flew to bits. He tore it down (bubonic bliss!).
And me? I'm just the kiss our maker blew to put him out.
To eternal rest. Eternal rust. To dust, to ash. I cover up
and wait for all the others. We all have names...
Georgie was cut on Hitler's knee. He ran for weeks, turned shades of green...
They kidnapped me and made him clean... On Winter nights, I still hear him scream.
I cover up. I wait for all the others.
Jane? Her mother was a hurricane who swept the plains and sneezed away
a continent with me (the sea). The team that made a myth by hiding it.
Became a hit on Broadway but it wasn't quite the same - they all FORGOT our names.
We ALL have names.
The Legendary Pink Dots' song "A Space Between" is a haunting reflection on the transience of life and the inevitability of death. Each of the four verses introduces a different character who has met their end, while the chorus insists that "We all have names." The first character, Billy, is described as having lived only for a "milli-milli-milli-second" and is largely unknown even in death. The singer, who identifies as "just the rain," laid Billy to rest and now waits for the others. Red Harry, who represents the casualties of the bubonic plague, is also laid to rest by the rain's kiss, while Georgie's death is linked to his role in World War II. The final character, Jane, is the daughter of a hurricane and is associated with the sea. All four characters met tragic ends, and the chorus reminds us that although they may have been forgotten by the world, they all had names and stories.
The lyrics of "A Space Between" are dense with metaphor and allusion. The unnamed narrator represents forces of nature - rain, wind, and sea - that are often associated with mourning and grief. The characters whose stories are told are similarly imbued with symbolism. Billy's death suggests the fleeting nature of existence, while Red Harry represents the destructive force of the plague. Georgie's experiences during World War II are evocative of sacrifice and trauma, while Jane's mother - the hurricane - is a powerful and destructive force. The chorus reminds us that despite their individual stories and the various forces that led to their deaths, they are all united in their humanity and dignified by their names.
Line by Line Meaning
Billy was a car crash - all he ever knew was pain.
Billy's existence was a vehicle accident; his life was filled with nothing besides agony and misery.
Lived a milli-milli-milli-second; never born again.
Billy's life was so short that it was almost non-existent; he never got the chance to be reborn or renewed.
Though no one saw him coming, plenty witnessed his remains - laid a wreath yet they never knew him... Me? I'm just the rain, laid poor Billy to eternal rest, eternal rust.
No one expected Billy's demise, but many people saw the aftermath of his death and left symbols of their mourning. However, despite the grief, no one truly knew who he was. The rain's role is to put Billy's remains to rest permanently and let him rust.
I soaked the dust that covers him, I wait for all the others. They all have names...
The rain serves to clean up Billy's remains and is a constant force that awaits the arrival of other creatures. All living beings have an identity and a name.
Red Harry was a bright young spark that flew and burned old London Town in '66. He flew to bits. He tore it down (bubonic bliss!).
Red Harry was an energetic and enthusiastic figure who caused mayhem and chaos in London in 1966, and his actions resulted in the destruction of the town. He had an explosive end, and his actions were considered to be thrilling and delightful.
And me? I'm just the kiss our maker blew to put him out. To eternal rest. Eternal rust. To dust, to ash. I cover up and wait for all the others. We all have names...
The rain symbolizes the kiss of death that extinguished Harry's impact once and for all. He is now laid to rest, subject to erosion and decay. The rain is present and expects to process the remains of other unknown beings, but all life has a name.
Georgie was cut on Hitler's knee. He ran for weeks, turned shades of green... They kidnapped me and made him clean... On winter nights, I still hear him scream.
Georgie was wounded by Hitler and suffered from the aftermath for several weeks. His physical and emotional pain was so intense that he became sickly colored. The singer was also a victim of abduction who had to witness Georgie undergoing severe treatment. Even though Georgie is gone, the singer still remembers his agony every winter night.
I cover up. I wait for all the others.
The rain still waits to conceal and cleanse the remains of various beings.
Jane? Her mother was a hurricane who swept the plains and sneezed away a continent with me (the sea). The team that made a myth by hiding it. Became a hit on Broadway but it wasn't quite the same - they all FORGOT our names. We ALL have names.
Jane is the offspring of a hurricane that caused a tremendous flood that affected the artist (the sea) and led to the disappearance of a continent. A group of individuals chose to make a narrative out of it, which ended up becoming popular, but they failed to acknowledge the voices and the identities of the affected creatures. Nonetheless, all living beings have names and deserve recognition.
Contributed by Audrey R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
marqizaa
Billy was a car crash - all he ever knew was pain. Lived a milli-milli-
milli-second; never born again. Though no one saw him coming, plenty
witnessed his remains - laid a wreath yet they never knew him... Me? I'm
just the rain, laid poor Billy to eternal rest, eternal rust. I soaked the
dust that covers him, I wait for all the others. They all have names...
Red Harry was a bright young spark that flew and burned old London Town in
'66. He flew to bits. He tore it down (bubonic bliss!). And me? I'm just
the kiss our maker blew to put him out. To eternal rest. Eternal rust. To
dust, to ash. I cover up and wait for all the others. We all have names...
Georgie was cut on Hitler's knee. He ran for weeks, turned shades
of green... They kidnapped me and made him clean... On Winter nights, I
still hear him scream. I cover up. I wait for all the others. Jane? Her
mother was a hurricane who swept the plains and sneezed away a continent
with me (the sea). The team that made a myth by hiding it. Became a hit on
Broadway but it wasn't quite the same - they all FORGOT our names. We ALL
have names.
myopicvision
On of my Favorite albums ever. Listened to this album Throughout the 90's and still do. Not a lot of people here in the states know of them. Mostly back then a lot of Ministry and Depeche Mode kind of stuff. This was goth before goth. Love the dots.
Paolo Vallejo
not goth, jesus
PopolBruh826
they are probably the weirdest band I would consider myself a fan of. just have a look at the discography my god
ivan roseland
@Dasein 23 ASMR I think I got lucky. Back in 89 me and my girlfriend picked up Rabies and Tired Eyes Slowly Burning on the same day. Rabies was good and all, but Tired Eyes Slowly Burning was amazing. One thing led to another and well.. dots fans..
Dasein 23 ASMR
it was rough back then, if you lived in the burbs. no youtube, no streaming, and few and far between were the indie stations where you could suffer lloyd cole for hours just in case somebody messed up and played something new that was *good*. i swear i have ptsd from growing up in the 80s and 90s :)
marqizaa
unique band and my fav album...listened to it over and over again end of 90's and beginning of 2000
Folklore And Wit
A polish DJ Tomasz Beksiński introduced the band to us. Each week he would play a whole album of a band. Where he dug them out from, I haven't a clue but am I happy he did. RIP T. Beksiński ( he committed suicide, the poor soul ).
tor kenneth Moen
magnificent, absolutely perfect....
D-Ward
Hermosa canción de pesadillas tardías.
marqizaa
Billy was a car crash - all he ever knew was pain. Lived a milli-milli-
milli-second; never born again. Though no one saw him coming, plenty
witnessed his remains - laid a wreath yet they never knew him... Me? I'm
just the rain, laid poor Billy to eternal rest, eternal rust. I soaked the
dust that covers him, I wait for all the others. They all have names...
Red Harry was a bright young spark that flew and burned old London Town in
'66. He flew to bits. He tore it down (bubonic bliss!). And me? I'm just
the kiss our maker blew to put him out. To eternal rest. Eternal rust. To
dust, to ash. I cover up and wait for all the others. We all have names...
Georgie was cut on Hitler's knee. He ran for weeks, turned shades
of green... They kidnapped me and made him clean... On Winter nights, I
still hear him scream. I cover up. I wait for all the others. Jane? Her
mother was a hurricane who swept the plains and sneezed away a continent
with me (the sea). The team that made a myth by hiding it. Became a hit on
Broadway but it wasn't quite the same - they all FORGOT our names. We ALL
have names.