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.

Our Lady In Cervetori
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sounding the bell in the corridor. Sweeping the floor with her hair.
She sprinkles hot ashes and salt on the stairs as she walks. We all walk
behind her. The city sleeps restless below ; one thousand dark stars
flashing random. We swing on the wires, we lie in the road but the cars
just fly by us - they dodge and drive on. We slide down the gutters. We
hide with the rats in the catacombs. We swim through the eggshells and
matchsticks and toothpicks - We retreat to the underworld, down where it's
warm. Wherever our lady will lead us, wherever our lady will need

us...It's heaven in hell and nothing will scare us, no nothing will
scare me again. Wherever our lady will lead us, wherever our lady will

need us...It's heaven in hell and nothing will scare us, no nothing will
scare me again.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Legendary Pink Dots's song Our Lady In Cervetori describe a surreal and dream-like journey where the singer and a group of others follow a mysterious woman, "our lady", through the city. The woman is depicted as a strange and powerful entity who uses her hair to sweep the floor and sprinkles hot ashes and salt on the stairs as she walks. The people following her engage in various reckless and dangerous activities, such as swinging on wires and lying in the road, but remain unharmed. The tone of the song is one of awe and freedom, as the group is led by this mysterious woman to the warmth and safety of the "underworld". The chorus repeats the idea that "nothing will scare us" and that wherever the lady leads them, it will be heaven even in hell.

The lyrics can be interpreted in many ways, but they seem to capture a sense of rebellion and surrender to the unknown, a willingness to embrace danger and uncertainty in order to find something greater beyond. The character of the lady is left ambiguous, but she could be seen as a kind of goddess or spirit guiding the group through the chaos of the city, leading them to a hidden realm of safety and freedom.

Line by Line Meaning

Sounding the bell in the corridor.
Our Lady is making her way through the corridors as we follow her, and sounds her presence by ringing the bells.

Sweeping the floor with her hair.
She is so pure and divine that even her hair can sweep the floor immaculately.

She sprinkles hot ashes and salt on the stairs as she walks.
Our Lady leaves a trail of hot ashes and salt, which symbolizes the purifying and protective qualities she radiates as she walks.

We all walk behind her.
As faithful devotees, we follow our Lady wherever she goes, entranced by her beauty and grace.

The city sleeps restless below ; one thousand dark stars flashing random.
The city is still and silent, and the stars shine coldly above. The contrast between the coldness of the world around us and the warmth of Our Lady is palpable.

We swing on the wires, we lie in the road but the cars just fly by us - they dodge and drive on.
We feel like we are birds, soaring through the sky, but even as we play, the cars on the roads below are oblivious to us.

We slide down the gutters.
We create our own amusement wherever we go, even if it means sliding down dirty gutters.

We hide with the rats in the catacombs.
Our Lady takes us on a journey deep into the underworld, where we find unlikely friendship with the rats.

We swim through the eggshells and matchsticks and toothpicks -
Our Lady's magic is so potent that she can make even the most delicate objects strong enough to support us as we swim.

We retreat to the underworld, down where it's warm.
Despite the coldness of the world above, Our Lady takes us to a place where we can feel safe and warm.

Wherever our lady will lead us, wherever our lady will need us...It's heaven in hell and nothing will scare us, no nothing will scare me again.
No matter where Our Lady takes us, we know that it is for our own good, and that we will always be safe in her care.

Wherever our lady will lead us, wherever our lady will need us...It's heaven in hell and nothing will scare us, no nothing will scare me again.
Our faith in Our Lady is unbreakable, and we feel unafraid even in the face of the toughest challenges.

Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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