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/
To Mourn the Death of Colour
The Tear Garden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through many sunsets, dancing bones, gargling architects
A night that's old, a floor that's floating
I'd like to make a bet
That you will drag me to your room
My bloody bride
And get me bleeding for the pill
The precious pill, so switch it off now
Switch it off now, I'm sick of counting sheep
Switch it off now, I'm down here on my knees, saying please
The needle is a lady, and a lady needs respect
With trembling hands, she feels uneasy, she's liable to fret
And then to punish, then to tease
She'd strip you, shoot you in the knees
But she will never ever leave
Switch it off now, let me sleep
Switch it off now, I said I'm sick of counting sheep
Switch it off now, I'm down here on my knees
I'm saying please
Please ...
The Tear Garden's "To Mourn the Death of Colour" is a haunting song that evokes a sense of desperation and despair. The lyrics seem to be the ramblings of a person who is struggling with addiction and is trying to resist the urge to give in to their cravings. They describe the physical and emotional toll that addiction takes on a person, as well as the seductive pull of the drugs themselves.
The opening lines set the stage for the rest of the song, with the singer acknowledging that they have been battling their addiction for a long time. They describe the various hallucinations and illusions that they have experienced over the years, such as "dancing bones" and "gargling architects." These images suggest that the singer's addiction has distorted their perception of reality and made it difficult for them to distinguish between what is real and what is not.
The chorus of the song is a plea to be released from the grip of addiction. The singer begs for relief from the constant mental anguish of "counting sheep" and the physical pain of withdrawal. They compare the needle to a "lady" who demands respect but is also capricious and cruel. Despite the harm that it causes them, the singer cannot help but be drawn to the drug's power.
Line by Line Meaning
Been here long enough now, I'm fighting the effect
I have been in this state for a while and I am trying to resist its influence
Through many sunsets, dancing bones, gargling architects
I have encountered many different experiences and people
A night that's old, a floor that's floating
I am in a place that feels unsteady and uncertain
I'd like to make a bet, that you will drag me to your room
I am willing to wager that you will take advantage of me
My bloody bride, and get me bleeding for the pill
You will harm me and make me dependent on drugs
The precious pill, so switch it off now
I need to stop taking the addictive drug
Switch it off now, and let me sleep
I want to rest and recover from the drug's effects
Switch it off now, I'm sick of counting sheep
I am tired of struggling to fall asleep
Switch it off now, I'm down here on my knees, saying please
I am begging for help and relief from my addiction
The needle is a lady, and a lady needs respect
Drugs are often given personified names to make them seem less harmful
With trembling hands, she feels uneasy, she's liable to fret
I cannot control my urge to use drugs and it causes me anxiety
And then to punish, then to tease, she'd strip you, shoot you in the knees
Drugs can be dangerous and cause harm to the user
But she will never ever leave
Once someone becomes addicted to drugs, it can be difficult to break free
Switch it off now, let me sleep
I want to avoid the harmful effects of drug addiction and rest
Switch it off now, I said I'm sick of counting sheep
I am tired of trying to fall asleep in spite of my addiction
Switch it off now, I'm down here on my knees, I'm saying please
I am desperate to overcome my addiction and need help to do so
Please...
I am begging for assistance
Contributed by Grayson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.