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/
The Running Man
The Tear Garden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's twisted flying through the air
The voices that I hear are muffled
There's no-one left but me to share their secrets
I fix my eyes upon the dials
And run through the uncharted miles
Of nothing. I chase my tail I'm chasing trails
Of hollow promises
I'm kept alive (somehow)
I stay tranquilized
I leave - I never quite arrive
Your precious smile is fading.
I'd love to think that there's an end
Right around the bend
But every turn's a tunnel.
I descend.
I'm the running man...
The Tear Garden's "The Running Man" explores the idea of loneliness, isolation, and the emotional burden that we carry with us as we go through life. The song's opening lines, "Me - I have my cross to bear, it's twisted flying through the air" sets the tone for the song, as the singer acknowledges that they have a personal burden to bear that is difficult to carry. As the song progresses, the singer talks about how they perceive the world around them, how they feel alone and disconnected from others, and how they are searching for meaning and purpose but are constantly frustrated in their efforts.
The idea of being a "running man" is a metaphor for the singer's life - they feel as though they are always on the move, always chasing after something that they may never find. They feel trapped in a cycle of chasing things that they cannot capture, which leaves them feeling hopeless and lost. The line "I'm kept alive (somehow)/I stay tranquilized" suggests that the singer is barely hanging on, and that they are only able to keep going because they are medicated or numbed in some way. The final line, "I'm the running man," is a nod to the fact that the singer feels as though their identity is defined by this endless quest to find meaning and purpose.
Overall, "The Running Man" is a poignant and introspective song that speaks to the human experience of searching for something that may never be found.
Line by Line Meaning
Me - I have my cross to bear
I acknowledge that I have my own struggles and difficulties to face alone
It's twisted flying through the air
My burden is constantly shifting and changing, making it hard to handle
The voices that I hear are muffled
The advice and guidance of others is hard to understand or interpret
There's no-one left but me to share their secrets
Others have entrusted me with their secrets, but I have no one to share them with
I fix my eyes upon the dials
I focus on the tasks at hand, trying to keep control and in touch with reality
And run through the uncharted miles
I am trying to make progress in unfamiliar territory
Of nothing. I chase my tail I'm chasing trails
I am running in circles, trying to find a way out of my problems
Of hollow promises
The hope and promises I have received from others are empty and unfulfilled
And it's lonely here.
I am completely alone, without companionship or support
I'm kept alive (somehow)
I am barely holding on, surviving through sheer willpower and determination
I stay tranquilized
I numb myself to the pain and isolation through artificial means
I leave - I never quite arrive
I am always moving on, but never truly reaching my destination
Your precious smile is fading.
The memory of someone who used to bring me joy is slowly fading away
I'd love to think that there's an end
I still hold onto the hope that there is a way out of my problems
Right around the bend
I hope that a solution is just within reach
But every turn's a tunnel.
Every new development only leads to more confusion and darkness
I descend.
I am sinking deeper into despair and hopelessness
I'm the running man...
I am in a constant state of motion, always on the move and never finding peace
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Ogilvie, Dwayne Goettel, Edward Sharp, Kevin Crompton, Martijn De Kleer, Philip Knight
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind