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.
Wall Purges Night
The Legendary Pink Dots Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
choice of colours, inclinations, factions that see only red. He wants them
dead. He kills them in his mirror when it's dark... And when he thinks that
no-one is looking he spreads the spraypaint and leaves his mark. Swastikas
shout out from walls, they're tattooed on a million fists. Clenched
together, safe in numbers... waving from the precipice. Fodder! Plod on
down your icy path... A cannon is waiting for the fodder. Enlightenment
comes with a blast. A bang. A bangabangabang...
Another place. A different story. Fingers play with stale cigars. Business
creeks, the warehouse leaks, the chairman sold his daughter's car. He's
reading charts and sharpening knives for cutting when the time seems right -
for him alone. No pause for mercy if the victim's out of sight.
Equality is a word for cranks to shout out as the batons swing. It's
beautiful in theory... he knows it's not for him. He's got his fodder!
In higher places, clocks chime for the meeting of the lords. They stay
discreet as guilty secrets cause no shame behind closed doors. A portion for
the megabomb. A portion for the queen... can't forget the army or the law
'cos they have to keep the cities clean. And sure they know they'll get
their way as protests echo from the streets. (The blood is thicker from the
streets) His hired guns and sheets of armor gives them shelter through the
heat! The fodder...
But there are other bullets, other walls, where justice cries in shiny red.
Where reason dies and passion burns persuasion's just a hole in the head.
Purges after midnight... There's no discretion in the mass. A volley. A
silence as they cover up the mess.
Don't kid yourself. You're civilized - it could happen anywhere.
In choking cities, steaming jungles... maybe even here.
The Legendary Pink Dots' song Wall Purges Night is an eerie commentary on the dangers of extremism and the deadly consequences that result from it. The opening lines describe a person who identifies as a nationalist and seeks to rid his community of people whom he identifies as deviants based on their political views, color, or beliefs. He marks their presence with spray paint or stickers, just as he marks his territory. He kills them in his "mirror" symbolizing his own reflection and twisted ideologies that justify his violent acts. The swastikas that he paints all over the walls shout out from the walls and million fists as the symbols of his ideology. But the verses also underline the darkness and despair that such extremism breeds. The idea of the "fodder" used repeatedly in the song refers to the instrumentalization of human life, to be used and discarded in service of extremist ideologies.
The song's second verse deals with another setting, and instead of ideology, it portrays the violence that corporate greed can unleash, even when the victims are out of sight. The verse's language creates a somber mood, with fingers playing with stale cigars, and the warehouse leaking, conveying a sense of decay and desperation. The chorus of the song, "fodder, plod on down your icy path," highlights the helplessness of those who become mere means to an end for the powerful. In the bridge, the song warns of the danger of becoming complacent and believing that these acts of violence cannot happen here, reminding us that civilization is fragile.
Line by Line Meaning
Right hand raised. The left plants stickers - picking out the deviant.
A person marks perceived deviants with stickers in order to identify and target them.
A choice of colours, inclinations, factions that see only red.
The person is willing to kill anyone with differing opinions, affiliations or beliefs.
He wants them dead. He kills them in his mirror when it's dark...
The person fantasizes about killing his perceived enemies in secret.
And when he thinks that no-one is looking he spreads the spraypaint and leaves his mark.
The person vandalizes property with hateful symbols when he thinks nobody is around.
Swastikas shout out from walls, they're tattooed on a million fists.
There is a widespread prevalence of hatred and fascism in certain groups of people.
Clenched together, safe in numbers... waving from the precipice.
Hatred and violence can be more pronounced when people act as a group.
Fodder! Plod on down your icy path... A cannon is waiting for the fodder.
People who blindly follow their leaders are mere tools of destruction.
Enlightenment comes with a blast. A bang. A bangabangabang...
Real change requires significant, possibly violent upheaval.
Another place. A different story. Fingers play with stale cigars.
A new story with different people and circumstances occurs, but some people in power still engage in decadent and wasteful habits.
Business creeks, the warehouse leaks, the chairman sold his daughter's car.
The company is experiencing problems that affect both workers and executives.
He's reading charts and sharpening knives for cutting when the time seems right - for him alone.
The person in power prepares for actions that will only benefit himself.
No pause for mercy if the victim's out of sight.
The person in power will not hesitate to inflict harm on those who cannot fight back.
Equality is a word for cranks to shout out as the batons swing.
Calls for equality are often met with violence.
It's beautiful in theory... he knows it's not for him. He's got his fodder!
The person in power recognizes the beauty of equality but does not wish to let go of his power over others.
In higher places, clocks chime for the meeting of the lords.
People in higher positions of power meet in secret.
They stay discreet as guilty secrets cause no shame behind closed doors.
People in power feel no shame about their corrupt behaviors.
A portion for the megabomb. A portion for the queen... can't forget the army or the law 'cos they have to keep the cities clean.
People in power allocate resources towards their own inflated egos, as well as to military and legal institutions to maintain their power and control.
And sure they know they'll get their way as protests echo from the streets.
People in power do not fear protests from the common people, as they know they are in control.
(The blood is thicker from the streets) His hired guns and sheets of armor gives them shelter through the heat!
People in power protect themselves with force, perpetuating violence and bloodshed.
But there are other bullets, other walls, where justice cries in shiny red.
There are other places and times where people fight back against oppression.
Where reason dies and passion burns persuasion's just a hole in the head.
Some situations are too volatile and violent for peaceful solutions.
Purges after midnight... There's no discretion in the mass.
Violent purges occur under the cover of night, without regard for individual circumstances.
A volley. A silence as they cover up the mess.
Violent actions create chaos and destruction, requiring cover-ups.
Don't kid yourself. You're civilized - it could happen anywhere.
It is easy to believe that violence and chaos are isolated incidents that do not affect all people.
Contributed by Olivia A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.