The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 … Read Full Bio ↴The Legendary Pink Dots are a Netherlands-based band formed in August 1980 in the UK who, although distinctly underground, have been musically influential over the years. The band name was derived from pink dots of nail varnish on the piano in their squat, where founding members Edward and April lived. The band has as its focal point vocalist Edward Ka-Spel, who is, along with Phil "The Silverman" Knight, one of the original remaining members of the band. In the mid eighties the band resettled in the Netherlands, where they still reside today. Apart from Edward and Phil, the line-up has gone through many changes. Members such as Ryan Moore, a Canadian bass player, who joined in 1991 after the recordings of the Last Man to Fly with the Tear Garden (he joined as a session musician), went on to form their own labels and musical projects. See Twilight Circus and M Records. Their music is nothing if not original and it is difficult to categorise, but comparisons may be drawn with bands like Pink Floyd and Can.

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.

As Long as it's Purple and Green
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

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There's a riot in the cell block...
Bugs are sliding down the phone.
Mutating sores and spores and shellshock
Virus Martha hunts alone.
We're wearing spacesuits on the subway
We take our pleasures from a screen
Care you for something intravenous? Go ahead! I'll plug you in...
Christ I need a cigarette but there's no door etched on this glass

Because these standard regulation suits are cheap - they have no class
I'd like to ride a horse through Utah blowing smoke rings five miles wide
But they cordoned off the airport and I cannot get a ride
"Get a life!" you say. I'm trying
I'm insured up to my neck, and if the whole world just capsizes, please be sure, I shall collect
If I want to visit Venus all I have to do is click
You see, this mad chaotic universe is at my fingertips
One day I will bring you discipline
I'll save you with this disc. Like me it is incorruptible
Like me, it takes no risks

I said I will bring you discipline
I'll save you with this disc. Like me it is incorruptible
Like me, it takes no risks

So get a life
Get a life...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Legendary Pink Dots' song "As Long as it's Purple and Green" paint a picture of a dystopian future where society has decayed and technological advancements have taken over daily life. The first line, "There's a riot in the cell block," evokes imagery of a prison or possibly a hospital, and the following lines only add to the sense of chaos and decay. The bugs sliding down the phone may be a metaphor for the breakdown of communication between people, or it may be a literal manifestation of the technological advancements gone awry. The reference to Virus Martha hunting alone adds to the unease and sense of being hunted by something unknown.

The second stanza shifts the focus to a more personal level, describing how the singer and others in this society have adapted to their surroundings. They wear spacesuits on the subway and take pleasure from a screen, highlighting how people have become disconnected from the world around them. The reference to something intravenous also suggests a reliance on drugs or other substances to cope. The following lines express a desire for something more, such as riding a horse through Utah blowing smoke rings, but this freedom is not possible within this society. The line "Get a life! you say. I'm trying" shows a level of awareness of the situation, but also a sense of hopelessness that things can ever change.

The final stanza brings the focus back to the singer's desire to bring "discipline" to the world. The repeated lines of "I said I will bring you discipline / I'll save you with this disc. Like me it is incorruptible / Like me, it takes no risks" suggest a sense of righteousness, almost religious in nature. The line "So get a life / Get a life..." could be interpreted as either a dismissive comment towards the listener or a call for action to break free from this dystopian world.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a riot in the cell block...
There's chaos and disorder in the world around us.

Bugs are sliding down the phone.
Things are not functioning properly, and there are technical problems.

Mutating sores and spores and shellshock
Disease and illness are evolving and spreading uncontrollably.

Virus Martha hunts alone.
A virus or disease is spreading, and there is no cure yet.

We're wearing spacesuits on the subway
We are disconnected from what is happening around us, and we need protection.

We take our pleasures from a screen
We have become addicted to technology, and we derive pleasure from it.

Care you for something intravenous? Go ahead! I'll plug you in...
We are so reliant on technology that we will accept anything to keep it going, even if it harms us.

Christ I need a cigarette but there's no door etched on this glass
We are trapped and unable to escape from our technological prisons.

Because these standard regulation suits are cheap - they have no class
We have accepted subpar products and services because they are cheap and easy to use.

I'd like to ride a horse through Utah blowing smoke rings five miles wide
We long for the freedom and simplicity of the past, when life was not so complicated.

But they cordoned off the airport and I cannot get a ride
The barriers and rules of modern society prevent us from experiencing true freedom.

"Get a life!" you say. I'm trying
People criticize us for being too obsessed with technology, but we are trying to find a way out.

I'm insured up to my neck, and if the whole world just capsizes, please be sure, I shall collect
We live in a world where everything is insured and everything has a price, even in times of disaster and chaos.

If I want to visit Venus all I have to do is click
Technology has made even the most impossible dreams seem within reach.

You see, this mad chaotic universe is at my fingertips
We have the power to control and manipulate everything around us, but it is making us lose touch with reality.

One day I will bring you discipline
We hope to one day be able to tame and control the chaos around us.

I'll save you with this disc. Like me it is incorruptible Like me, it takes no risks
We believe technology can save us, because it is reliable and immune to the chaos of the world.

I said I will bring you discipline I'll save you with this disc. Like me it is incorruptible Like me, it takes no risks
We still have hope that technology can bring order and salvation to our chaotic world.

So get a life Get a life...
We are being told to disconnect from technology and find meaning in other things, but for us it is easier said than done.

Contributed by Leo I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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