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)
Twisted
Xymox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you twist my words
This world can get so shallow
I feel so tired
I still loose myself in other voices
I can't help myself
The mirror must fall
It's falling to pieces
I don't want to be with you
A million night faces
Turning inside out
The lies in their hands
All I do is smile
I don't want to be like this
A million night faces
Turning inside out, inside out
The names on the wall
The pain to remember
I am not what I seem
I have to balance
I have to think
Can I give you something more ?
Christ on the cross
The faceless bodies
And angels calling to me
Please seduce me
Please let me use you
And I feel twisted
I don't want to be with you
A million night faces
Turning inside out, inside out
All I do is smile
Too many secret smiles
Heh , heh, sarah
Too many secret smiles
Heh , heh, sarah
I feel so twisted
I feel so twisted
Too many secret smiles
Heh , heh, sarah
So twisted,
Etc ...
The lyrics to Xymox's Twisted describe a feeling of exhaustion and disillusionment with the world, specifically with the way people twist words and manipulate truth. The singer feels lost in the voices of others, and the mirror they have been using to see themselves is falling apart. They don't want to be with the person they are addressing in the song, but they are also aware of their own inner turmoil and the many false faces they wear to protect themselves. The use of the phrase "a million night faces turning inside out" creates a vivid image of the singer's perception of the people around them, and the chorus of "I feel so twisted" emphasizes the feeling of confusion and disconnect.
The verses of the song contain references to religion, with mentions of Christ on the cross and angels calling to the singer. These religious elements are intertwined with images of pain and seduction, creating a sense of both longing and despair. The use of the name "Sarah" in the final lines of the song seems to be a nod to a specific person, perhaps someone the singer is close to or someone who has contributed to their current emotional state.
Overall, the lyrics to Twisted convey a sense of emotional turmoil and disillusionment with the world, while also incorporating religious and sensual imagery to create a complex emotional landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
I think it started
The singer is reflecting on the beginning of something, which is yet to be revealed
The way you twist my words
Someone has manipulated the singer's words and caused confusion or misunderstanding
This world can get so shallow
The world can be superficial and lacking in depth or substance
I feel so tired
The artist is physically or emotionally exhausted
I still lose myself in other voices
The artist finds solace in the words of others and forgets their own troubles
I can't help myself
The singer is unable to resist their impulses or desires
The mirror must fall
The singer wants to break away from their current reality and start anew
It's falling to pieces
The artist's reality is breaking apart and coming undone
And I feel twisted
The artist feels emotionally and mentally distorted or conflicted
I don't want to be with you
The artist wants to distance themselves from someone or something else
A million night faces
The singer sees many different people or personalities in the darkness
Turning inside out
The faces or personalities are being revealed or changing
The lies in their hands
The singer sees deceit or dishonesty in the actions of others
All I do is smile
The singer puts on a facade and suppresses their true emotions
I don't want to be like this
The singer is dissatisfied with their current state and wishes to change
The names on the wall
The artist sees names or memories that are tied to a physical space
The pain to remember
The artist feels emotional pain when recalling those memories
I am not what I seem
The singer's true identity or intentions are hidden from others
I have to balance
The singer must weigh their options and consider multiple perspectives
I have to think
The artist must reflect and contemplate before making a decision
Can I give you something more ?
The artist wonders if they can provide something beyond appearances or superficiality
Christ on the cross
The artist refers to a symbol of sacrifice and redemption
The faceless bodies
The singer sees people who lack individuality or identity
And angels calling to me
The artist hears a divine or spiritual message
Please seduce me
The singer desires something enticing or alluring
Please let me use you
The singer asks for permission to exploit or take advantage of someone else
Too many secret smiles
The singer notices that others may have hidden intentions or emotions
Heh , heh, sarah
A phrase or name that may hold personal significance for the artist or writer
I feel so twisted
The artist feels mentally and emotionally tangled or conflicted
So twisted, Etc ...
The singer implies that there is more to their turmoil and confusion than can be expressed in words
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANKA WOLBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
dorionwilde
Absolutely crazy that they left this off of the album. Anka rules.
John Crawford
a hidden treasure... should have been on the album
ELXOSE80
Gracias por compartir esta maravilla de tema.
**10**/Fav
777pusher
Agreed! One of my top 3 Xymox tunes.
Clifford Hutchinson
One of my fav's by XYMOX,the good ole days!! Twisted!!
Filipe Barros
absolutely brilliant !
Chuck Morton
I remember getting a promo CD at a club for this album ... I listened to it and threw it away ... but I really love Twisted ... I don't remember it on the CD
Joan Garcia Tubau
GRACIAS POR PUBILCAR ESTA MARAVILLA.
Jakob Padilla
Love this song.....reminds me of my Yorba Linda days!!!
zimriel
I started a channel just to 'like' this. Thank you for uploading it.