The group was formed in 1988 by Dr. Alex Paterson (full name Duncan Robert Alex Paterson) and Jimmy Cauty (one half of The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu and later The KLF). The Orb's first release was the acid house anthem "Tripping on Sunshine".
In May 1989, The Orb released the "Kiss EP", which was heavily influenced by New York's KISS FM. Paterson began DJing around London, England at this time when he met Paul Oakenfold. At Oakenfold's behest, Paterson began DJing at Land of Oz, the chill-out room at Heaven.
Paterson mixed samples of BBC nature recordings, NASA space broadcasts and everything in between into the music of ambient pioneers such as Brian Eno. Around this time, Paterson met Steve Hillage and Hillage later contributed guitar to the Orb's "Blue Room" single. In return Paterson worked on Hillage's System 7 project.
In October 1989 The Orb released the 22-minute single "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From the Centre of the Ultraworld", which contains large chunks of Minnie Riperton's "Loving You". The single managed to reach the lower end of the UK chart. Although Paterson and Cauty had been working on a debut album, the two split in April 1990. Cauty removed Paterson's contributions to the album and released the remainder as "Space".
Killing Joke's Youth, who'd recently found dancefloor success with Blue Pearl assisted with the single "Little Fluffy Clouds", but existing commitments made it impossible for him to be anything more than a part-time member. In his place, Paterson recruited Kris Weston (aka Thrash), a young studio engineer who had worked on "Little Fluffy Clouds" and recently left Fortran 5.
In April, 1991, The Orb's debut album, "Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld" was released in the United Kingdom to critical acclaim. The double-album obtained a top 30 placing in the UK.
"U.F.Orb" was released in July, 1992. It featured the 39 minute 59 second "Blue Room" which was their third single to reach the UK charts, although the album version was only 17 minutes long. Early pressings of the album were available in three differently coloured sealed plastic packs (black (10,000) and blue (5,000) in the UK and green (1,000) in the US) containing an additional disc with the soundtrack from Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld (Patterns & Textures edition), a mail order only long form video released by the Orb.
During 1993 and 1994 The Orb were dismayed by Big Life's intention to re-issue some of the Orb's earlier material. As a result, Paterson and Thrash opted out of their contract and Paterson signed an international deal with Chris Blackwell's Island Records. The double-album "Live '93" soon followed. It was a mix of recordings made in Glastonbury, Copenhagen and Tokyo. The album's credits included, Simon Phillips, Nick Burton, Kris Weston, Fluff and of course Paterson.
In June, 1994, they released their first studio album for Island, "Pomme Fritz (The Orb's Little Album)". The album reached number six on the UK, but critics hated it, even comparing Paterson to Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett.
August, 1994 saw the release of a collaboration between Robert Fripp, Paterson, Weston, and Thomas Fehlmann, hence the name FFWD or Fripp, Fehlmann, Weston and Duncan. Weston's input was already diminishing by this time and following the release of FFWD, he finally parted company with Paterson. He was replaced by Thomas Fehlmann.
"Orbus Terrarum" was released in March, 1995. In February, 1997, following an ambitious world tour, they released "Orblivion".
The retrospective "U.F.Off" came in October, 1998 and was initially available in a Limited Edition double CD.
"Cydonia", although recorded in 1999, was delayed by Island until its release in February, 2001. Several different versions of the album were leaked on the Net some time before the official release.
The 2004 released album "Bicycles & Tricycles" strongly departed from their earlier ambient sound, and incorporated strong hip-hop influenced rhythms, including rap on one of the tracks.
In 2005 The Orb released a new studio album, "Okie Dokie It's The Orb On Kompakt", which focused heavily on the microhouse and pop ambient sounds that the Kompakt label is well known for.
2005 also saw the release of "Orbsessions Volume 1", which was an album of rarities from throughout The Orbs' career.
Sadly, Andy Hughes, long-time mixer and producer of many of The Orb's works, passed away on June 12 2009, following a 'short illness'.
Centuries
The Orb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du
Some legends are told
Some turn to dust or to gold
But you will remember me
Remember me for centuries
Is all it will take
We're going down in history
Remember me for centuries
Hey ya, oh hey
Hey ya
Remember me for centuries
Mummified my teenage dreams
No, it's nothing wrong with me
The kids are all wrong
The story's all off
Heavy metal broke my heart
Come on, come on and let me in
The feelings on your mind like my fingerprints
And this is supposed to match
The darkness that you felt
I never meant for you to fix yourself
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du
Some legends are told
Some turn to dust or to gold
But you will remember me
Remember me for centuries
And just one mistake
Is all it will take
We'll go down in history
Remember me for centuries
Hey ya, oh hey
Hey ya
Remember me for centuries
And I can't stop 'til the whole world knows my name
'Cause I was only born inside my dreams
Until you wait for me, as long as there's a light, my shadow's over you
'Cause I, I am the opposite of amnesia
And you're a cherry blossom
You're about to bloom
You look so pretty, but you're gone so soon
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du
Some legends are told
Some turn to dust or to gold
But you will remember me
Remember me for centuries
And just one mistake
Is all it will take
We'll go down in history
Remember me for centuries
Hey ya, oh hey
Hey ya
Remember me for centuries
We've been here forever
And here's the frozen proof
I could scream forever
We are the rebel youth
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du du du, du du du-du
Du du
Some legends are told
Some turn to dust or to gold
But you will remember me
Remember me for centuries
And just one mistake
Is all it will take
We'll go down in history
Remember me for centuries
Hey ya, oh hey
We're going down in history
Hey ya
Remember me for centuries
The Orb's song "Centuries" is a melancholy reflection on the way fame and memory interact. The song's speaker acknowledges the fleeting nature of reputation and how some people are remembered in history while others are forgotten. He recognizes that the legend and the truth of a person's story can eventually turn to dust or turn to gold. The lyrics reflect on the fact that all it takes is one mistake, one act of stupidity, to erase everything a person has accomplished in life - how one's achievements can suddenly turn to ash in their mouth.
The song's chorus encourages the listener to aspire to be remembered, to leave a strong impression that lasts centuries. They want to be immortalized in history so people can constantly remember their name, and the singer is willing to do anything to become that person. He promises to keep pushing until the whole world knows his name, that he will not stop until he achieves that goal. The song eventually turns more personal as the singer expresses their own doubts and fears about becoming a person worth remembering. The song's final lines are "We've been here forever / And here's the frozen proof / I could scream forever / We are the rebel youth." These lines juxtapose the urgency of youth with the idea of a frozen eternity, highlighting how these two motifs push and pull against each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Some legends are told
There are many different stories that have been passed down through the ages.
Some turn to dust or to gold
Some stories are forgotten over time, while others become famous and celebrated.
But you will remember me
Despite the passage of time, the singer is confident that people will still remember them.
Remember me for centuries
The singer wants to be remembered as someone who made a lasting impact on history.
And just one mistake
The singer is aware that one mistake could ruin their reputation and legacy.
Is all it will take
The singer recognizes that their entire reputation can hang on a single misstep.
We're going down in history
The singer sees themselves and their actions as having a place in history, whether good or bad.
Hey ya, oh hey
This is a shouted encouragement, a way for the singer to engage with their audience and make them a part of this moment.
Mummified my teenage dreams
The singer has given up on dreams they had when they were younger, presumably to focus on what they want to accomplish now.
No, it's nothing wrong with me
The singer is proclaiming that they are healthy and sound of mind.
The kids are all wrong
The singer believes that most young people today are misguided or making poor choices.
The story's all off
The singer believes that the stories often told about them or similar figures are inaccurate or incomplete.
Heavy metal broke my heart
The singer is likely alluding to a personal experience in which heavy metal music let them down or disappointed them in some way.
Come on, come on and let me in
The singer is urging someone to let them into their life or give them a chance.
The feelings on your mind like my fingerprints
The singer is suggesting that they have left an impression on someone's thoughts or emotions, similar to the way fingerprints stay on an object.
And this is supposed to match
The singer is trying to make a connection with someone but feels like they might be missing the mark or not understanding the situation.
The darkness that you felt
The singer is referring to a difficult or emotional time in the other person's life.
I never meant for you to fix yourself
The singer is suggesting that they never intended to solve the other person's problems or make them feel better, and that it was the other person's own responsibility to do so.
And I can't stop 'til the whole world knows my name
The singer is driven to become a household name or a famous figure, and will not stop until they achieve this goal.
'Cause I was only born inside my dreams
The singer believes that they were destined for stardom, and that they have always been meant for greatness in their own mind.
Until you wait for me, as long as there's a light, my shadow's over you
The singer is suggesting that they will always be a presence in the other person's life, even if they are not together or in touch.
'Cause I, I am the opposite of amnesia
The singer is saying that they are memorable and will stick in people's minds, the opposite of being easily forgotten.
And you're a cherry blossom
The other person is compared to a cherry blossom, which is beautiful but also fleeting.
You're about to bloom
The singer sees potential in the other person and believes they are on the verge of realizing their full potential.
You look so pretty, but you're gone so soon
The singer admires the other person but is also aware that they will not be around forever.
We've been here forever
The singer feels like they have been around for a long time and that their presence is almost timeless.
And here's the frozen proof
There is evidence that the singer has been around for a long time and has accomplished something meaningful.
I could scream forever
The singer has so much energy and passion that they feel like they could shout or perform endlessly.
We are the rebel youth
The singer and their followers are viewed as rebellious or non-conformist to the rules of society.
We're going down in history
The singer and their followers are doing something that is noteworthy or memorable and will be recorded in history books.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG Rights Management
Written by: Peter Wentz, Patrick Stump, Joseph Troham, Andrew Hurley, Jonathan Rotem, Suzanne Vega, Raja Kumari, Justin Tranter, Michael Fonseca
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@timthetanker9390
Centuries by The Orb (from Cydonia in 2001)
Lyrics by Dr. Alex Paterson and Aki Omori (who also sings here)
"So if nowhere was somewhere
And every moment we share 'cos we care
Then and only for a century
My memories shall be
Moments create and undo
As our minds can renew
Then forever I shall live
In the memories of friends
For it's only a century away---
If my mind turns a path of pain
Then my love may cry and die
So to take a chance in love
Shows life has just begun.
For it's only a century away--"
Then the Sample:
"We interrupt this program to bring you a bulletin from the Mutual news room...According to an announcement from Moscow Radio...
John Dennison of 643 Water Street had his house made upside down."