Following the album's release, the Screaming Jets went to the UK where they based themselves for over two years, touring there and throughout Europe with a variety of hard rock and heavy metal bands. During a series of shows with Ugly Kid Joe, Heaney was fired and replaced for the rest of the tour by one-time Judas Priest drummer Dave Holland.
The band's next album Tear of Thought, which featured Heaney's drumming, was initially slow to gain acceptance until a cover of Boys Next Door's "Shivers" saw the Screaming Jets back in the charts. Heaney was permanently replaced in the line-up by former BB Steal drummer Craig Rosevear and after a US tour with Def Leppard Lara was replaced by Melbourne musician Jimi "The Human" Hocking, who had previously fronted his own band, Jimi Human and Spectre 7, that released an album and two singles at the turn of the decade.
While the Screaming Jets remained only moderately successful overseas, in Australia they were one of the top-drawing live bands of the early-mid 1990s and perhaps the last remaining example of the pub rock acts that had ruled the country's live scene in the late 1970s - mid 1980s. While their single releases rarely scored high on the charts, they won significant airplay on rock radio and the band's tours were wildly successful. In 1995 the Screaming Jets' self-titled album made history when it became the first CD launched via live Webcast.
By the late 90s the Screaming Jets were touring less often and had not released an album of new material since 1996. Hocking had left in 1997 to be replaced by former Judge Mercy guitarist Izzy Osmanovich and after an extensive Australian tour in 2000, Rosevear left to be replaced by Col Hatchman. Although no longer the force they had once been, the Screaming Jets could still draw large crowds and in 2001 were selected to tour with Kiss and Alice Cooper; at the end of that year the band announced an extended break from all touring and recording, playing a final series of shows.
In December 2002, the Screaming Jets did another brief tour in support of a self-financed live album that had been recorded the previous year, but then did not play live again until mid-2004. Since then have continued to record and tour, though more sporadically than during the early 1990s and have also signed a record publishing deal with Universal Records.
Sacrifice
The Screaming Jets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Change my old life, wash my hands.
Up and down, turned around.
Am I ever gonna land.
Dreamin of my new way every day Is this my shelter.
Am I right.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ.
I could never make that sacrifice.
I'm Drowning in the mire.
Up and down twist me around.
A feather could have knocked me down.
Faces flash before me black.
At my back cut me some slack.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ
You toss your coin but I roll my dice.
I could never make that sacrifice.
Falling through this vacuum in my back room lost in space A crack in a face of tone.
I see a king on a tin can throne.
I've seen the light from your fallen eyes
While crimson dries
Got so much to learn
Want your money to burn.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ.
I could never make that sacrifice.
You toss your coin, gonna roll my dice
And I could never make that sacrifice
The lyrics of The Screaming Jets's song Sacrifice speak of an individual in crisis, searching for a new way of life while struggling to let go of their old one. The imagery of "spinning in a nose dive" and "sinking in this whirlpool" convey a sense of being out of control and drowning in despair. The singer dreams of a new way of life but is unsure if their path is the right one. The lyrics also touch upon the pressures of conforming to a certain way of living, using the comparison of living like Jesus Christ as an impossible sacrifice for the individual.
The imagery used in the song is vivid and symbolic, portraying the mental state of the singer trying to find their way. The mention of "faces flash before me black" suggests a haunting and overwhelming presence of past mistakes or trauma, while the line "I see a king on a tin can throne" could be interpreted as a commentary on the superficiality and shallow nature of modern-day society. The lyrics are open to interpretation and can be applied to various situations of struggle and self-discovery, making the song relatable to a wider audience.
Line by Line Meaning
Spinning in a nose dive.
I am feeling like I am spiraling out of control and heading for a crash.
Change my old life, wash my hands.
I want to start fresh and leave my old ways behind.
Up and down, turned around. Am I ever gonna land.
I feel like my life is full of ups and downs and I'm not sure when I'll find stability.
Dreamin of my new way every day Is this my shelter. Am I right.
I am hopeful for a new direction in my life but unsure if it's the right choice.
You want me to live like Jesus Christ. I could never make that sacrifice.
You expect me to be perfect like Jesus, but I know I am flawed and cannot meet those expectations.
Sinking in this whirlpool and I'm Drowning in the mire.
I feel like I'm sinking deeper and deeper into troubles I cannot get out of.
Faces flash before me black. At my back cut me some slack.
I'm haunted by my past mistakes and need some understanding and forgiveness.
You toss your coin but I roll my dice.
You have your plan and beliefs, but I am willing to take risks and make my own choices
Falling through this vacuum in my back room lost in space A crack in a face of tone.
I feel like I'm isolated and alone, and I'm unable to see the positive side of things.
I see a king on a tin can throne. I've seen the light from your fallen eyes While crimson dries
I see how people in power can be misguided and selfish, and I've experienced disappointment and pain from those I've trusted.
Got so much to learn Want your money to burn.
There's still a lot I need to figure out, and I'm not interested in materialistic things.
And I could never make that sacrifice.
I know that I cannot live up to your unrealistic standards and expectations
Lyrics ยฉ MUSIC & MEDIA INT'L, INC.
Written by: DANNY MARQUEZ, DAVID BOWERS, DOUG MOORE, SEAN GARDEN, STEVE FAULKNER, TRACY THORSTAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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