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.

Hiding
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Simple expressions hide my ignorance. How can you tell how you feel, when
the words just don't exist? The pain and the anguish, the slaughtered
dreams, the harvest of ill-conceived, wretchedly-worded emotion. Look at
me, touch me; I'm human and awkward, longing to be found, incapable of
exposing myself.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Legendary Pink Dots's song "Hiding" reveal a deep sense of vulnerability and insecurity. The singer acknowledges that they struggle to express their emotions adequately, using "simple expressions" to hide their "ignorance." Despite feeling pain, anguish, and shattered dreams, the singer cannot find the right words to convey their emotions accurately. The inability to articulate their feelings causes them to feel awkward and isolated.

The words "Look at me, touch me" juxtapose the singer's desire to be seen and known with their incapacity to reveal their true self. They long to be found but feel incapable of exposing themselves. This fear of exposure or rejection leads to them hiding behind simple expressions and thereby remaining misunderstood.

The song speaks to a widespread experience of feeling unable to communicate fully, whether due to language barriers, emotional repression, or a lack of confidence. It suggests that this difficulty can be isolating and frustrating, hindering the singer's ability to connect with others fully.

Line by Line Meaning

Simple expressions hide my ignorance.
I appear to know less than I really do because I can't express myself properly.

How can you tell how you feel, when the words just don't exist?
It's hard to understand your own emotions when you can't find the right words to describe them.

The pain and the anguish, the slaughtered dreams, the harvest of ill-conceived, wretchedly-worded emotion.
My inability to express my emotions has led to a lot of pain and heartache, and I've made a mess of things by trying to communicate with words that don't capture what I'm feeling.

Look at me, touch me; I'm human and awkward, longing to be found, incapable of exposing myself.
I want to connect with others and be seen for who I am, but I'm afraid to open up and show my vulnerable side because I don't have the right words to express myself.

Contributed by Aaron M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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