1) Underc… Read Full Bio ↴There have been multiple groups that have used this name.
1) Undercover was a Hard Rock/AOR group by a ex-Vandenberg singer Bert Heerink from Netherlands who make 2 albums in the 90s. One was Undercover (1990), a cover album, and second record was All Line Up (1994).
Personnel:
Bert Heerink Vocals
Dick Kemper Bass, Vocals
Ronald Bekking Guitars, Vocals
Ivo Elfers Drums
Cyril Whistler Guitar, Vocals
2) Undercover was a UK based pop-house group who hit the UK #2 spot in 1992 with their Stock, Aitken, Waterman produced cover of Baker Street. Pop covers of Never Let Her Slip Away and I Wanna Stay With You followed before the demise of the S/A/W 'Hit Factory,' but by then, Undercover's star was starting to fade anyway. They released two studio albums, Check Out the Groove and Ain't No Stoppin' Us!.
3) Undercover was one of the pioneering acts in Christian music. Formed in the early 1980s by Joey "Ojo" Taylor in southern California, Undercover brought a new punk sound to the Contemporary Christian music scene that differed from the Christian rock and Christian metal bands of the time. Through more than two decades and a few lineup changes, the band released eight studio albums and two live albums, and is considered by many to be pioneers in what would later be called Alternative music in the Christian world.
While the band has seen several members come and go (and come again), Taylor has said on more than one occasion that the band decided sometime after 1994's Forum that "Undercover is Ojo, Gym, Sim, and Gary," emphasizing that any other lineup, if any, would in the future be called something else.
Undercover played two reunion shows in California in August 2005. Their first eight albums have been collected into two sets, Anthology 1 (the first four albums on two CDs), and Anthology 2 (the next four albums on four CDs).
Original releases
Undercover. 1982, MRS Records.God Rules. 1983, A&S Records.Boys and Girls Renounce the World. 1984, A&S Records.Branded. 1986, Blue Collar Records.3-28-87 (live album). 1988, Broken Records.Balance of Power. 1990, Broken Records.Devotion. 1992, Brainstorm Artists International.Forum 1994, WAL.Live at Cornerstone 2000. 2000, Millennium 8.I Rose Falling. 2002, Galaxy21 Music.
Re-releases and anthologies
Volume 1 (compilation of Undercover and God Rules). 1988, Broken Records.
Volume 2 (compilation of Boys and Girls Renounce the World and Branded). 1988, Broken Records.
Anthology Volume 1 (compilation of first four original releases). 1996, Innocent Media.
Anthology Volume 2 (compilation of next four original releases). 1997, Innocent Media.
Cornerstone 2000 (re-release). 2002, Galaxy21 Music.
4) A Japanese band that changed their name to C-999 in 2004. Please tag them as ｕｎｄｅｒｃｏｖｅｒ.
5) A Denver band that was well known for playing covers and has branched into creating their own music. The band is led by two sisters.
Build A Castle
Undercover Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And try to make my kingdom stand
Soon in time dominion passes
To another man
Did I ever take the time to hold your hand
To live before I die
And did I ever take the time
A million fires burn without a flame
A million fires known to him by name
We are pilgrims in this land
Numbered like grains of sand
And all our days on earth are like
A vapor - understand
The lyrics of Undercover's song "Build A Castle" are a reflection of the transient nature of things we hold dear in our lives. The first verse sets the tone for the song by talking about building a castle, a seemingly grand and permanent feat. However, the very act of building the castle implies that its maker will eventually pass it on to another person. This is a metaphor for how we approach life, how we work hard to acquire power and possessions, only for them to slip away from our grasp as time goes by.
The second verse of "Build A Castle" is more contemplative in nature. The singer recognizes that amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life, they may have missed out on the simple joys of spending quality time with their loved ones. The lines "did I ever take the time to hold your hand / to live before I die" reflect a sense of regret for not having made more meaningful connections with others. The verse goes on to acknowledge the vastness and unknown power of the universe, as the line "a million fires burn without a flame" connotes.
The final verse of the song acknowledges human mortality and our ephemeral existence on earth. The metaphor of us being "pilgrims in this land / numbered like grains of sand" is a message that we must make the most out of the time we have in this world. The line "and all our days on earth are like / a vapor - understand" is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life, and how we must cherish every moment we have with our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
If I build a castle with my hands
If I use my physical abilities to construct a castle
And try to make my kingdom stand
And attempt to establish my own rule over others
Soon in time dominion passes
But over time, my control will inevitably be taken over by someone else
To another man
To another person who is more capable or powerful than me
Did I ever take the time to hold your hand
Did I ever take the time to show you affection and love
To live before I die
To make the most of my time on earth and live my life to the fullest
And did I ever take the time
And did I ever give you the attention and care you deserved
To look into your eyes
To deeply understand you and connect with you on an emotional level
A million fires burn without a flame
There are countless sources of passion and energy that are not visibly expressed
A million fires known to him by name
But God is aware of each and every one of these sources of passion and energy
We are pilgrims in this land
We are travelers passing through this physical world temporarily
Numbered like grains of sand
Our individual value is relatively small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things
And all our days on earth are like
Our time on earth is fleeting and short-lived
A vapor - understand
It is important to recognize the temporary nature of life and to make the most of every moment we have
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.