A chance meeting with Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance led to an invitation to support that band on a UK tour, and then a recording contract with their record label, 4AD.
Their first two full length albums, self-titled Clan of Xymox and Medusa, comfortably settled Xymox into their own niche of blooming melodics and smooth grey lyrical originality, with Ronnie's songwriting coming as a fresh and very welcome abstract to the plastic and packaged synthpop of the late 80s. In 1989, Ronnie saw a chance to evolve and left 4AD, releasing Twist of Shadows which proved to be their most complete and mature offering thusfar, and was their most successful yet.
With the next two albums, Phoenix and Metamorphosis, fans were left with something of an out of body experience - as Xymox was sounding nothing like themselves. Metamorphosis was truly that however, its failure created a catalyst for Moorings to jump to yet another label, part ways with his bandmates, and pickup Mojca Zugna on bass. Zok records re-released Metamorphosis and a new EP - Headclouds. Moorings took a four year break to introspect and write, and gave fans the wondrous gift that is Hidden Faces, admittedly the logical followup to Medusa.
The new millenium ushered in success for Creatures, Notes From the Underground, Farewell, Breaking Point, The Best Of Clan Of Xymox and the latest DVD release Visible (2008) which serve to define what Clan of Xymox has become now - a velvet lined room smelling of roses and clove, the distant chime of crystal engaging crystal, and the slow lilting line of smoke forming nameless shapes as it draws you ever in.
Current Live Lineup:
Ronny Moorings - words, guitar, piano, voice
Mojca Zugna - bass, voice
Yvonne de Ray - keyboards
Mario Usai - guitar
Discography (as Clan Of Xymox):
1985 - Clan Of Xymox
1986 - Medusa
1997 - Hidden Faces
1999 - Creatures
2000 - Live
2001 - Subsequent Pleasures (reissue only CD)
2001 - Notes From The Underground
2001 - John Peel Sessions
2002 - Remixes From The Underground
2003 - Farewell
2004 - The Best Of Clan Of Xymox
2006 - Breaking Point
2008 - Visible DVD
2009 - In Love We Trust
2011 - Darkest Hour
2012 - Live at the Castle Party (Audio CD& DVD) Special Issue
2012 - Kindred Spirits (cover versions)
2014 - Matters Of Mind, Body And Soul
2017 - Days of Black
2020 - Spider on the Wall
As Xymox:
1983 - Subsequent Pleasures (Vinyl, 12" Limited to 500 copies)
1989 - Twist Of Shadows
1991 - Phoenix
1992 - Metamorphosis
1993 - Headclouds
1994 - Remix (bootleg)
A Single Day
Xymox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She didn't say too much
I know how you feel
I know what you think
We share our history
We killed our mystery
The words we speak
The games we play
I need a change from what I know
I lost my way long time ago
You knew it in your heart
You knew it from the start
It had to end this way
I can't bear a single day
Time stands still, today seems a year
Hand of faith, your time has come
All love turns to dust
The torch always rusts
Sure, we'll be friends
Words, drifting on words
I need a change from what I know
I lost my way long time ago
You knew it from the start
You knew it in your heart
It had to end this way
I can't bear a single day
It had to happen
It had to happen this way
The lyrics in Xymox's Single Day are melancholic and contemplative as they speak of lost love and the inevitability of its end. The first two lines suggest physical intimacy that is cold, either literally or metaphorically, as there is a lack of warmth or emotion. The next few lines reveal a shared history and an unspoken understanding of each other, indicating that there was once a deeper connection that has since faded away. The chorus highlights the need for change and the sense of being lost, as well as the bitterness of a relationship that has ended, rendering the idea of a single day unbearable.
The second verse begins with an allusion to the passing of time, which seems to stand still or even drag on when one is in emotional pain. The phrase 'hand of faith' could be interpreted as either an inevitability or a moment of reckoning where a decision is made that cannot be undone. The image of love turning to dust is haunting, and the idea that even the torch of love rusts suggests decay and destruction. The final lines of the verse acknowledge the possibility of remaining friends but suggest that it may not be enough as they both drift away from each other, lost in their own words.
Overall, the song presents a poignant and sad portrait of a relationship that has reached its end. The lyrics encapsulate the emotions of disappointment, regret, and sorrow when a lost love, once full of passion and hope, fades away.
Line by Line Meaning
She feels my frozen touch
I am emotionally distant and she is aware of it
She didn't say too much
She chooses not to confront me about my emotional distance
I know how you feel
I understand the emotions she is trying to conceal
I know what you think
I know that she is thinking our relationship is doomed
We share our history
We have a shared past that binds us together
We killed our mystery
We've unraveled the intrigue and mystery surrounding our relationship
The words we speak
Our conversations are superficial and lacking in depth
The games we play
Our relationship is riddled with mind games and emotional manipulation
I need a change from what I know
I am tired of the familiarity and predictability of our relationship
I lost my way long time ago
I have been lost and unmotivated for a while
You knew it in your heart
She was aware of my lack of direction
You knew it from the start
She sensed something was off from the beginning of our relationship
It had to end this way
The end of our relationship was always inevitable
I can't bear a single day
I am unable to withstand the pain of our relationship any longer
Time stands still, today seems a year
Our relationship feels stagnant and uneventful
Hand of faith, your time has come
The end of our relationship is fated and unavoidable
All love turns to dust
Our love has crumbled into nothingness
The torch always rusts
Even the most passionate flame eventually fades
Sure, we'll be friends
Despite the end of our romantic relationship, we can still be friends
Words, drifting on words
Our conversations lack substance and fail to address the real issues in our relationship
It had to happen
Our breakup was inevitable
It had to happen this way
Our relationship had to end in this manner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANKA WOLBERT, PIETER NOOTEN, RONNIE MOERINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Taiga 69
It's an absolute hidden gem - Headclouds is an underrated masterpiece <3
Alfred Jüngling
.... marvelous...., more than this...., memories....!!!
Many thanks for this wonderful piece of music.....!!!
🎶✨🎶
Abar Ak
😏👍
Silence Blue
They only have good songs! 🖤👌
Abar Ak
for me even album "consolation" good songs... 😎