The Furs initially used Martin Hannett as a producer, but their initial self-titled album from 1980 was eventually produced by Steve Lillywhite. The LP quickly established the band on radio and was a top 20 hit in the UK. The album also found success in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Australia. The US version of the album was re-sequenced, but failed to have as strong a commercial impact.
The Furs found success in the U.S. market with the 1981 release, titled 'Talk Talk Talk', which made its impact on the US album charts and received critical acclaim worldwide. In the UK, the album was a solid hit which spun off two charting singles, "Dumb Waiters" and the original version of "Pretty in Pink". The latter song served as inspiration for the 1986 John Hughes film of the same name, and was re-recorded for the platinum-selling soundtrack.
In 1982, the band was reduced to a four-piece with the departures of Morris and Kilburn. (Ex-Birthday Party drummer Phill Calvert would briefly join the group around this time.) The band's remaining members moved permanently to New York, where they recorded the album Forever Now with producer Todd Rundgren. This album contained "Love My Way", a breakthrough Top 40 hit in both the US and the UK. Ely left the band after this release, though he would return for the 1988 single "All That Money Wants" and the 1989 album Book of Days.
The Furs' 1984 release Mirror Moves was produced by Keith Forsey, and featured the songs "The Ghost in You" and "Heaven". Both charted in the UK, and "Heaven" became the band's highest charting UK hit at the time -- but inexplicably, "Heaven" was never released as a single in America. Instead, Columbia Records opted for "Here Come Cowboys", despite both international success and heavy MTV airplay on "Heaven." "Here Come Cowboys" failed to chart, but "The Ghost In You" was a hit on the US pop charts. The band had become popular in Canada as well, CFNY, Toronto's new wave radio station, listed Mirror Moves as the #1 LP of 1984.
By this time, the band had become somewhat of a staple on US college and modern rock radio stations. As well, they were building mainstream success, fairly consistently placing singles in the pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic, though they would "have more impact on future musicians than they ever did in the marketplace." In 1986, the band re-recorded a version of "Pretty in Pink", which was their biggest hit to that time in the US, and their biggest-ever UK hit.
Richard Butler later claimed that the success of "Pretty in Pink" caused the band to be pressured into entering the studio to record a follow-up release before they were ready. The result was Midnight to Midnight, an album which Butler characterized as "hollow, vapid and weak". A more overtly commercial effort than the Furs had ever recorded before, the album also featured the single "Heartbreak Beat", which was their highest charting top 40 US hit.
However, the Furs were dissatisfied with their new commercial direction, and subsequently returned to a rawer sound with "All That Money Wants", a 1988 track especially recorded for a 'best-of' collection. 1989's Book of Days saw a return to the old-school style and the temporary return of Vince Ely. 1991's World Outside was similarly more of a "back to basics" approach.
From 1988 on The Furs' chart success continued with three #1 hits on the US Modern Rock chart between 1988 and 1991.
The band splintered in 1991, with the Butler brothers going on to found Love Spit Love. After spending most of the decade apart, Butler, Butler and Ashton re-formed The Psychedelic Furs in 2000, and released a live album Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which also featured a new studio recording, "Alive (For Once In My Lifetime)." A DVD version of the performance included live versions of "Alive" and three other previously unreleased songs: "Anodyne (Better Days)," "Cigarette" and "Wrong Train."
Since then the Furs continue to tour the world along with former Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer, ex-Information Society and World Party keyboardist Amanda Kramer and saxophonist Mars Williams who returned to the band after a stint in the late 1980s.
Showing the band's significant influence as a part of the new wave and post-punk movements, their songs have been covered by numerous other artists. Examples include Annie Lennox, Buffalo Tom, Icehouse, Powderfinger, Regenerator, and Robyn Hitchcock.
Heaven
The Psychedelic Furs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven
Is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
There's too many kings
Want to hold you down
Gone underground
There's a hole in the sky
Where the sun don't shine
And a clock on the wall
And it counts my time
And heaven
Is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
There's a song on the air
With a love-you line
And a face in a glass
And it looks like mine
And I'm standing on ice when I say
That I don't hear planes
And I scream at the fools
Want to jump my train
And heaven is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven is the whole of the heart
And heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah heaven
Ah heaven
Yeah heaven
The song "Heaven" by The Psychedelic Furs talks about how heaven represents a feeling of a whole and complete heart, where one is not torn apart. The song is about how there are a lot of people in the world who want to hold you down, but being in a state of mind where you feel whole, it doesn't affect you. The lyrics describe different elements of the environment, such as a hole in the sky where the sun doesn't shine, a clock on the wall that counts one's time, and a song on the air with a love-you line. The song also describes a feeling of loneliness and isolation, but at the same time, the singer doesn't want anyone to jump on their train.
The lyrics suggest that happiness is the state of wholeheartedness, a feeling that can only be achieved when one is not torn apart by external factors. Being in such a state frees one from the shackles that society tries to impose on us, and one can scream at the world without being affected adversely. The song "Heaven" encourages listeners to find happiness in their hearts and not be affected by the negativity in the world, leading them to live a life free of shackles.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven
The ultimate blissful state of being, where everything is perfect and fulfilling.
Is the whole of the heart
It encompasses the essence of what makes us happy and fulfilled, something we feel in every fiber of our being.
And heaven don't tear you apart
It doesn’t cause any pain, anxiety or suffering but rather brings one together and strengthens their connection with themselves and others.
There's too many kings
Refers to the powerful forces both outside and inside us that try to control us and restrict our freedom and happiness.
Want to hold you down
They want to suppress us and prevent us from reaching our true potential, making it impossible for us to achieve ‘heaven.’
And a world at the window
The world is outside of us, and it’s looking in through the window, and we feel trapped and unable to escape it.
Gone underground
It has become hidden and hard to access, forcing us to look deep within ourselves to find it.
There's a hole in the sky
The world is hurting and suffering, leaving a void in the universe that we struggle to fill.
Where the sun don't shine
The world is dark, and happiness is hard to find, like dawn never breaks through the gloom.
And a clock on the wall
Time is always ticking, and we feel like we have a limited time to find happiness and peace.
And it counts my time
Our time on earth is short and we can’t waste it yearning for an unattainable state of bliss.
There's a song on the air
A happy tune plays in the world, which reminds us of the love and emotional connection we seek.
With a love-you line
The song’s lyrics speak of love and connection, something we all yearn for in our hearts.
And a face in a glass
Our own reflection reminds us that we seek that love and connection in ourselves.
And it looks like mine
The reflection is a reminder that we can find ‘heaven’ by valuing ourselves and our own desires to fulfill our happiness.
And I'm standing on ice when I say
Speaking aloud our desire for a blissful existence isn’t easy and may feel dangerous and uncomfortable, like standing on thin ice.
That I don't hear planes
The noise and distraction of the modern world fall away when we seek out our personal version of ‘heaven.’
And I scream at the fools
We become frustrated with those who fail to see the inherent value of a fulfilling life and may try to pull us away from it.
Want to jump my train
They may try to force us off the path we are on to achieve that happiness and connection we seek.
Ah heaven
A word of blissful, happy affirmation as we realize that ‘heaven’ is worth pursuing and within our grasp.
Yeah heaven
A reaffirmation that we can find our own version of happiness and fulfillment if we keep seeking, even if it’s hard.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: OLIVER DAVIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spokenwordillusions5756
"Remember the good ol' 1980s,
When things were less complicated?
I wish I could go back there again,
And everything would be the same."
-Jeff Lynne, "Ticket To The Moon",
from ELO's album "Time"
Things may not have been simple then, but they were far simpler than now.
At least it's now okay to play the Psychedelic Furs again, and hopefully it won't fade away anytime soon........
@jeffreybarkin3177
STILL IS...
If We can Work BETTER TOGETHER TODAY for Tomorrow...
Strategic Plans that properly Incentivize our Communities are REQUIRED A.S.A.P.
Truly...
Encouraging Experienced Personnel to Work More with ensuring Our KIDS have Opportunities to AWAKEN to their ASPIRATIONS and DESIRES earlier to help Encourage REALIZATION.
Any Thoughts, including The HIPPIES of the SIXTIES and Vietnam Era?
REALLY CURIOUS...
Absolutely! ❤ 😅
@jimfletcher4520
As I listen I have a tear in my eye
I'm 61 ... and always hoped the world would be better when I died than when I was born
SADLY
ANYONE reading this will know how the Tory party and right wing media have corrupted and taken control of our system... now full of hate and fear .
We .. as oldies ... can stop this BS
RIGHT NOW ...
LOVE PEACE TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE .. NEVER GIVE UP ... NEVER SURRENDER
Up next PRETTY IN PINK ... XXX
@marinraygan
Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven
Don't tear you apart
Yeah, Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven
Don't tear you apart
There's too many kings
Wanna hold you down
And a world at the window
Gone underground
There's a hole in the sky
Where the sun don't shine
And a clock on the wall
And it counts my time
And Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven
Don't tear you apart
Yeah, Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven
Don't tear you apart
There's a song on the air with a
'Love you' line
And a face in a glass and it
Looks like mine
And I'm standing on ice when I say that I don't hear planes
And I scream at the fools wanna jump my train
And Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven
Don't tear you apart
Yeah, Heaven
Is the whole of our hearts
And Heaven don't tear you apart
Yeah, Heaven
Ah, Heaven
Yeah, Heaven
@chrishendry9657
2024 and this video still rocks! who else is still captivated by this amazing band?
@sarahbreisch4750
it's a great song but i'm sorry, the video is goofy
@chrishendry9657
@@sarahbreisch4750 hahahaha fair enough...but remember it was made 40 yrs ago.
@jimmay6786
At 54 , man we had it good. So miss those days. So much simpler ,in a way that todays youth will never know.
@justinhartnell6779
I never found anything simple about the eighties.
@spokenwordillusions5756
"Remember the good ol' 1980s,
When things were less complicated?
I wish I could go back there again,
And everything would be the same."
-Jeff Lynne, "Ticket To The Moon",
from ELO's album "Time"
Things may not have been simple then, but they were far simpler than now.
At least it's now okay to play the Psychedelic Furs again, and hopefully it won't fade away anytime soon........
@Alsatiagent-zu1rx
I think it's just that peoples pathologically inspired angst can be put to one side during youth. @@justinhartnell6779
@james6401
The 80s:
Penny sweets at the local shop Sunnier summers
Michael Jackson
The threat of nuclear war
@user-jr9og8ss8k
I'm 62. I was in my 20's in the 80's, and the alternate music from CFNY in Toronto was mind blowing after the crap from the 70's.þ
@arseniolupin8851
one of the best things about 50 years old,is the fact that i lived my teenage years in the 80's that is priceless and i am grateful !!!