The Shamen were preceded by Alone Again Or, the Love-inspired name under which they recorded their first singles. After their name change, further singles picked up airplay from John Peel. Released in June 1987, The Shamen's first album Drop illustrated their love of 60s psychedelia, with influences such as Love, Pink Floyd and the 13th Floor Elevators.
By mid-1987, frontman Colin Angus was discovering the sounds of early house music pioneers such as S-Express and M/A/R/R/S and increasing his knowledge of the latest studio gadgetry. By September 1987, the Shamen were applying these techniques to their own music, mixing rock guitars, techno and hip-hop rhythms and sampled radio voices to create the prototype rock-dance sound which was to prove so influential to other indie dance groups like Pop Will Eat Itself, Jesus Jones and EMF. However, the newfound sound proved too radical for co-founder and vocalist Derek McKenzie, who the left the band in late 1987 to study at university. The Shamen were suddenly one crucial player short. Help was at hand in the charismatic form of Will Sinnott (23 December, 1960 - 23 May, 1991), who joined the group in October 1987, on bass and keyboards, freeing up Colin Angus to handle vocal and guitar chores.
Knature of a Girl was the first record by the Shamen to feature Sinnott, but it wasn't until June's Jesus Loves Amerika single that the techno influence began to show. By this stage, Angus and Sinnott had become hooked on the acid house movement taking place in London, and its music and clubs were to exert a massive influence on the pair. Keith McKenzie and Peter Stephenson were less impressed by these new developments, and left the group the following summer, after the January 1989 release of the In Gorbachev We Trust album, which saw the group further enhancing their sound.
Angus and Sinnott relocated to London, allowing them to start afresh, and plunge headfirst into the emerging rave scene. 1989 was to be a busy year. They set out on their legendary Synergy tour, a nightclub experience combined with live music from The Shamen and others and DJing from the likes of Mixmaster Morris. The tour was to last nearly two years. They also released the Phorward mini album, a genre-defining release in the history of the acid house movement.
Their third album, En-Tact, was released in 1990, and it spawned the hit singles Move Any Mountain, Hyperreal and Make It Mine. Also notable was the appearance of rapper and DJ Mr.C (real name Richard West). The transformation into a successful rave act was complete.
In May 1991, The Shamen headed to Tenerife to film a video for Move Any Mountain. On May 23, Sinnott drowned in an accident off coast of La Gomera. However, with the Sinnott family's encouragement, the group decided to continue.
With Mr C now a full member of The Shamen, and Jhelisa Anderson providing guest vocals, the Boss Drum album followed in 1992. The LP featured a noted spoken-word collaboration, Re:Evolution with Terence McKenna, and The Shamen's biggest and most controversial hit: Ebeneezer Goode. Ebeneezer Goode was accused of promoting drug use owing to the refrain "Ezer Goode, Ezer Goode" - homophonic with "E's are good" ("E" being slang for the dance drug ecstasy) - and to double entendre drug references throughout the song. This echoed similar references in previous songs such as Synergy's "M D M A-zing... we are together in ecstasy". Despite - or maybe because of - the subsequent storm of publicity, the song stayed at the top of the UK charts for 4 weeks.
Although the single was a commercial hit, it was considered a 'novelty record' and severely impacted on the 'underground' credibility of the band. Subsequent singles such as Boss Drum and Phorever People were chart hits, but some long term fans believed they paled in comparison to earlier singles.
However, The Shamen's new mainstream popularity enabled them to release an unusually large number of remix singles, EPs, and LPs during the Boss Drum era, including the Face EP, the S.O.S. EP, and the On Air and Different Drum albums. On Air featured a series of popular tracks from En-Tact and Boss Drum as performed live on BBC radio; Different Drum was a remix album containing alternate versions of every track from Boss Drum. The tracks Boss Drum, LSI (Love Sex Intelligence), Phorever People, Ebeneezer Goode, and Re:Evolution were all released as singles in their own right.
Axis Mutatis in 1995, with new vocalist Victoria Wilson James replacing Jhelisa Anderson, did not make as much of an impact. Early special editions of this album featured a bonus disk, Arbor Bona Arbor Mala, a bizarre ambient album. The Shamen continued recording into the late 1990s, releasing two additional LPs with an increasingly experimental bent. Their penultimate studio album, the instrumental Hempton Manor, followed an acrimonious split with their label One Little Indian. It is alleged to have been recorded in seven days to conclude the recording contract with One Little Indian, and the first letter of each track spell out F**k Birket, referring to label founder Derek Birket, who wanted the group to move back into more commercial territory. UV, in 1998, was their last album. UV was released independently and marked a return to form with both modern techno production and classic Shamen song structures. Mr C. has since continued as an inspiring house DJ and become a successful night-club owner.
Heal
The Shamen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But that was long before the fall
I feel the same way now as ever
Somehow the both of us were wrong
We have to heal the separation
Tide and time will shape the changes
That many moons will see bestowed
Stranger than we can suppose
We have to heal the separation
We need to know the hour is right
For us to heal the deep divide
And I can feel the affirmation
So real the revelation
To heal the separation
Heal the separation
End the prohibition, make it happen
Time to put things right to synergize to reunite
Remember who we are and where we come from
Undo the damage done the change has got to come
Be now as then as one
The lyrics to "Heal" by The Shamen speak to the need for healing and reconciliation in a broken relationship. The song reflects on a past time when the individuals in the relationship were close and connected, but acknowledges that they have since become distant and separated. The line "Time was when we lay together, but that was long before the fall" implies a time of unity and shared intimacy that has been lost.
The lyrics convey a sense of longing to restore the connection and acknowledge that both parties played a role in the separation. The line "Somehow the both of us were wrong" suggests that both individuals contributed to the breakdown of the relationship. However, the song also emphasizes the importance of healing this separation, urging the need to move past the mistakes and find a way to come together again.
Line by Line Meaning
Time was when we lay together
There was a time when we were close and connected
But that was long before the fall
But that was a long time ago before things went wrong
I feel the same way now as ever
I still feel the same about you
Somehow the both of us were wrong
Somehow, both of us made mistakes
We have to heal the separation
We need to mend the divide between us
Tide and time will shape the changes
The passage of time will bring about changes
That many moons will see bestowed
Over a long period, many changes will occur
Stronger than we can imagine
These changes will be more powerful than we can imagine
Stranger than we can suppose
The changes will be stranger than we can anticipate
We have to heal the separation
We must reconcile and bridge the gap
We need to know the hour is right
We need to ensure the timing is appropriate
For us to heal the deep divide
In order for us to mend the significant rift between us
And I can feel the affirmation
I can sense the confirmation
So real the revelation
The truth revealed is so genuine
To heal the separation
To mend the divide between us
Heal the separation
Mend the divide between us
End the prohibition, make it happen
Put an end to the restrictions, make it possible
Time to put things right to synergize to reunite
It's time to correct things and come together in harmony
Remember who we are and where we come from
Recall our identities and origins
Undo the damage done the change has got to come
Reverse the harm caused, change must occur
Be now as then as one
Let us be united now as we were before
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cajun Lady
I need Colin to come back. The separation... 💔
Tennislovingcoffeeaddict
This song is so beautiful, love it.
muj rahman
Loved this when I first heard it...... Many moons ago. What a tune!.
Ghost Queen
So many happy moments The Summer of Love Cape Town early 90's...brilliancy!! <3 :)
P Wright
I wish to God Almighty that someone would upload the "Mighty Organs" remix of this song so that I can die a happy man . . . !!!!! Believe me -- Everyone will crap their pants when they hear it . . . !!
Probable Paul
Way aye Future Mon!
Cathal O'Connor
Is this it? https://beatportcharts.com/track/4338199/
Quantum Bikehanics
Agreed! a brilliant remix, just listened to it on play.sportify.com. Damn copyright, will be taken down if uploaded to YT. ..
flafau
excellent track!!!!Album version is better to me. Axis mutatis is awsome!!!!!!!
David Richardson
Have only just noticed that underscore sounds like the baseline (if it was sped up) to De'Lacy's 'Hideaway'. Surely that must have been taken as a sample???