An excerpt from a Nettwerk Records press release, July 1996:
The roots of The Tear Garden extend back to 1983 when Cevin Key, on the verge of forming Skinny Puppy, struck up a trans-Atlantic correspondence with Edward Ka-Spel, the lead vocalist and driving force behind The Legendary Pink Dots. Three years later, Ka-Spel visited Vancouver for a series of three live performances with Key as sound technician, and during his visit, they recorded The Tear Garden's self-titled debut EP.
In 1987, Ka-Spel returned to open for Skinny Puppy on their North American tour, after which the duo retreated to the studio for two weeks to produce the now classic electronic-psychedelic album, Tired Eyes Slowly Burning. It was during these sessions that the project's ranks began to expand, with guest appearances by Key's fellow Puppies Dwayne Goettel and Nivek Ogre.
Four years later, the Garden bloomed again, this time growing well beyond the Key/Ka-Spel partnership to include not only Goettel, but a wide assortment of friends, including most of the Pink Dots. This fruitful month-long collaboration spawned two releases: an album called The Last Man To Fly, and a (very long) EP called Sheila Liked The Rodeo.
Another four years passed. Four years that saw literal and figurative deaths (the departure of both Skinny Puppy and LPD from their long-time labels; the subsequent break-up of SP; the tragic passing of Dwayne Goettel) and births (Edward's son, Calyxx; Download; Key's return to Nettwerk).
In late December, 1995, in the midst of this turbulence, The Tear Garden gathered once more, perhaps to attempt to trigger the dawn of a tranquil new era. The result was To Be An Angel Blind, The Crippled Soul Divide, an album of fragile and powerful beauty that digs even deeper into the psychedelic underground than its predecessors, adding a range of influences from dub bass to country slide guitar, all the while retaining the dark electronic melancholy that has become the project's signature.
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Four more years passed. Tear Garden got back together in 1999 and in 2000, Crystal Mass was released. In 2001, a "best of" collection was issued by the Russian label Brudenia, Для Тех, Ҡто Прогулялся Бьі С Богами (which translates to "For Those Who Would Walk with the Gods") as well as an "outtakes" collection released by Cevin Key's Subconscious Communications label, Eye Spy with My Little Eye.
2007 saw the release of The Secret Experiment, once again on Subconscious Communications. This is from the "Vault 2" series but features new music.
Currently, Edward and cEvin wrapped up their sessions of 13 tracks, compiled into a brand new upcoming TG release, available through Subcon.
Discography
* Tired Eyes Slowly Burning (1987)
* Last Man to Fly (1992)
* Sheila Liked The Rodeo (1993)
* Bouquet of Black Orchids (1993)
* To Be an Angel Blind, The Crippled Soul Divide (1996)
* Crystal Mass (2000)
* Eye Spy With My Little Eye (2002)
* The Secret Experiment (2007)
http://brainwashed.com/teargarden/
Desert Island Disc
The Tear Garden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He'd kick your chair, he'd twist your arm, he didn't care
Did you ever wonder what became of Billy-Boy?
Wonderboy, the teacher's pet
Come in Billy, take a seat
Let's hear about the fun you had
This is your life
This is your life
This is your life
Remember George, who took it all against the wall?
As George the Frisbee, George the Ball?
He'd whistle as he'd fly
And you'd stand by and cheer the guys on
How's your karma?
Did you ever wonder what became of Rubber George?
This is your life
This is your life
Shake Georgie's hand, but watch his knife
This is your life
Remember Joan, you met her on the phone
That night alone you felt frustrated
Joan, the she-wolf in the shower
Always in the shower
Did you ever wonder what became of Joan the Moan?
This is your life
This is your life
Shake Joanie's gland, kiss her wife
This is your life
And it's over
The Tear Garden's song Desert Island Disc is a nostalgic exploration of childhood memories and how they have shaped us into who we are today. The lyrics mention several individuals from the past, such as Billy-Boy with his blood-red hair who used to kick chairs and twist arms. The singer wonders where he is now, and has a brief recollection of his former teacher's pet status. The lyrics move on to George, who was always willing to take one for the team and play ball or frisbee against a wall. The singer also muses about George's karma, and what may have happened to him. The third verse is dedicated to Joan, whom the singer met on the phone and had an encounter with that left him feeling frustrated. Joan is described as a "she-wolf in the shower" who was always in the shower, and the singer ponders what became of her. The chorus repeats the phrase "This is your life" as if to say that these memories are what make up the essence of who we are.
The song paints a picture of a time gone by, and the singer seems to be longing for something that has been lost. There's a sense of sadness and regret that runs throughout the song, as if the singer is grappling with the idea that these memories are all he has left of these people. The chorus serves as a reminder that life is fleeting, and that we should cherish the people and memories that we have before they're gone.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you recall that little boy with blood-red hair
Do you remember the mischievous boy with fiery hair?
He'd kick your chair, he'd twist your arm, he didn't care
He would bother and hurt you without any concern or remorse.
Did you ever wonder what became of Billy-Boy?
Have you ever thought about what happened to that boy named Billy?
Wonderboy, the teacher's pet
He was nicknamed Wonderboy and was the teacher's favorite student.
Come in Billy, take a seat
Billy, please come in and sit down.
Let's hear about the fun you had
Tell us about the enjoyable experiences you had.
This is your life
Your life is unfolding right in front of you.
Shake Billy's hand, kiss Billy's wife
Greet Billy and congratulate him on his marriage.
Remember George, who took it all against the wall?
Do you remember George, who was pinned against the wall and teased?
As George the Frisbee, George the Ball?
He was mocked and thrown around like a frisbee or ball.
He'd whistle as he'd fly
As he was being tossed around, he would laugh and whistle.
And you'd stand by and cheer the guys on
You would watch and encourage the other boys who were tormenting him.
How's your karma?
What goes around comes around; have you received your well-deserved retribution?
Did you ever wonder what became of Rubber George?
Have you ever wondered what happened to George after he was treated as a toy?
Shake Georgie's hand, but watch his knife
Say hello to George, but be wary of what he may do.
Remember Joan, you met her on the phone
Do you remember that person named Joan you talked to over the phone?
That night alone you felt frustrated
That night, when you were alone, you felt unsatisfied or unhappy.
Joan, the she-wolf in the shower
Joan was fiercely confident and unapologetic about her sexuality, even when showering.
Always in the shower
She liked to shower frequently or for long periods of time.
Did you ever wonder what became of Joan the Moan?
Have you ever wondered what happened to Joan and her lively personality?
Shake Joanie's gland, kiss her wife
Greet Joanie and congratulate her on her marriage, but also acknowledge her sexual identity.
This is your life
Your life is now complete and whatever happened is part of your story.
And it's over
This experience, or perhaps all of life, has come to an end.
Contributed by Aiden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@radioaddict5908
Love this song !
@MauroBenzoni
Great Album!
@onlyyesterday1967
Great
@MzBsg999
good dope? good track x
@MegaLollo66
:)) ..nyC :)))