The group takes its name from Shakespeare. In particular Hamlet's soliloquy To be, or not to be, where it refers to dying; "coil" is used in its archaic sense of "disturbance, trouble":
"What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause."
Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1, line 67.
Acid Bitter and Sad
This Mortal Coil Lyrics
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We are wet. we are stripped to the bone.
It's out of our hands, the dream we're bound to dream.
We are wet, always alone
The lyrics to This Mortal Coil's song "Acid Bitter and Sad" are melancholic and introspective, reflecting on the pains and sorrows of life. The half-moon is described as "aching, bitter and sad," which could symbolize the singer's own emotional state or perhaps the state of the world around them. The use of the first-person plural pronoun "we" suggests that the singer is not alone in their suffering, but rather that many people are experiencing the same pain and isolation.
The line "We are wet, we are stripped to the bone" is particularly evocative and suggests that the singer is exposed and vulnerable. This vulnerability could be emotional or physical, but either way, it seems to be linked to the pain and sorrow that the singer is feeling. The final two lines of the verse, "It's out of our hands, the dream we're bound to dream. We are wet, always alone," further emphasize the sense of powerlessness and isolation that the singer feels. They are caught in a dream that they cannot control or escape, and even in the company of others, they feel alone.
In summary, the lyrics to "Acid Bitter and Sad" are a haunting reflection on the pains and sorrows of life, expressed through evocative imagery and a sense of emotional vulnerability.
Line by Line Meaning
The half-moon is aching, bitter and sad.
The moon appears to be in a state of emotional pain, feeling bitter and unhappy.
We are wet. we are stripped to the bone.
We are completely drenched with rain and have nothing left, we are exposed to the core.
It's out of our hands, the dream we're bound to dream.
The dream that we are meant to pursue is beyond our control, we must chase it regardless.
We are wet, always alone
We are constantly soaked and isolated from the world around us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN FRYER, NICHOLAS JOHN FRYER, RUSSELL IVO WATTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@albertodf1234
year 2022 and still the best song EVER - along with the video
@gregretro
Actually, those were new vocals on the later version - the track from the 3rd TMC album was "Bitter", the middle piece in this song. For those of you that didn't realize, there are three songs here: "Acid" - The haunting intro without vocals "Bitter" - The middle section where the vocals come in. The song changes key slightly between these two parts. "Sad" - The outro section, without vocals. I think this song in its entirety is STILL in my Top 20 favorite songs ever, 25 years later.
@CaffeineNightOwl
brings back some memories. when Ivo was there, you could buy records from 4ad blind back then and would never be disappointed.
@texta_text
True
@rentheseus
I agree This Mortal Coil is like no other. Listen to them for 20yrs now and cant find anyone that produces the same music. True artists don't copy works done by others they produce their music from the heart, mind and soul.
@Funkywallot
Timeless ! 23 year old musicvideo that still got 100% estethic value,
@lazybelphegore6748
the half moon is aching, bitter and sad
we are wet, we are stripped to the bone
it's out of our hands, the dream we're bound to dream
we are wet, always alone
@bluestate69
lonely is an eyesore is my favorite comp of all time. its just an amazing collection.
@jamesreyome6091
There were several cave trips I was privileged to have been on in the 80s where this tune ran through my head throughout. Evocative is too gentle a word for it. It is brilliant to this day.
@christabcook
What do you mean 'cave' trips? I'm just curious! I recall a few trips I took where some of my favorite songs were repeating in my head, it'd add to the vibe🙂