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.

Blue
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everything we feared was swept inside a little box
pushed out of sight for many years while we would talk about tomorrow.
Two pedestals, a crowded room, we'd both lay out our past
but only touch a glass divide that grew a little wider every night.

But your memory was hungry and I watched you court your shadows in reverse.
And from my corner, I would curse but never say a word.

And still I like to think that we shared.
Still I like to think we truly cared.
And sure we had our dreams, but never dared.

Tell me, lover, what's in like in there?
In the Blue Room.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Legendary Pink Dots's song Blue are open to interpretation, but they seem to describe a relationship that started with high hopes for the future, but with time evolved into a distant and lonely reality. Everything that worried the couple was kept in a "little box" that was out of sight, but not out of mind. They still talked about tomorrow, but the feeling that something was missing only grew stronger, and they could only communicate through a glass divide that created a gap between them. The singer watched his lover slowly losing touch with reality, consumed by his own memories, but never intervened.

The chorus of the song expresses a nostalgic longing for what was lost, a recognition that they did share something meaningful, even if it was fleeting. The blue room seems to represent a space of emotional honesty and vulnerability that they both yearn to return to but cannot: "sure we had our dreams, but never dared. Tell me, lover, what's it like in there? In the Blue Room". The song suggests that the relationship may have ended or changed beyond repair, but the hope that they could recapture that feeling of connection and intimacy remains.

Overall, Blue is a poignant and introspective song that explores the complex emotions that can arise in a relationship that doesn't quite work out. The lyrics suggest a sense of regret and sadness for what could have been, but also a recognition of the closeness and mutual understanding that once existed between the two people.

Line by Line Meaning

Everything we feared was swept inside a little box
All of the fears we had about our relationship were contained in a tiny box and ignored while we talked about the future.

pushed out of sight for many years while we would talk about tomorrow.
We avoided dealing with our problems for a long time by focusing on the future and not the present.

Two pedestals, a crowded room, we'd both lay out our past
We both had high expectations for our relationship and would share our past experiences with each other.

but only touch a glass divide that grew a little wider every night.
As time passed, there was a growing divide between us that prevented deeper connection even as we shared intimate details of our past.

But your memory was hungry and I watched you court your shadows in reverse.
You were haunted by your past and I watched as you dwelled on your regrets.

And from my corner, I would curse but never say a word.
I was frustrated with the situation but never spoke up about it.

And still I like to think that we shared.
Despite the growing divide, I still want to believe that we had a deep connection at some point.

Still I like to think we truly cared.
I want to believe that we both cared deeply for each other.

And sure we had our dreams, but never dared.
We had hopes and aspirations for our relationship, but were too scared to take action on them.

Tell me, lover, what's in like in there?
I am asking you to share what it's really like to be in your own mind and deal with your personal struggles.

In the Blue Room.
The Blue Room represents the place where all of our deepest fears and issues reside, and where we may be too scared to face them head on.

Contributed by Keira G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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