After the acclaimed goth rock band Dreadful Shadows decided to split and go their separate ways, Sven and Norman collaborated with ex-Dreadful Shadows producer Thommy Hein on a project called Helix. However, since the Helix name was under copyright by another band, they were forced to rename themselves Zeraphine - taken from the Hebrew bible's concepts of the 'seraph' (or seraphim), which is a class of angel in traditional Judaism. This concept was purposely taken as an ironic gesture, given Sven's lyrics are often critical of organized religion. Once Zeraphine, the band signed onto the Drakkar Entertainment record label.
Originally, additional band members Manuel Senger (guitars), Michael Nepp (bass), and Marcellus Puhlemann (drums) joined the project as studio musicians. This changed after their debut album was released, and each member began contributing music and ideas to all following releases.
Zeraphine's debut album, 'Kalte Sonne' (2002), gained notoriety for it's lyrics; unlike Dreadful Shadows, whose songs were written entirely in English, Sven elected to pen an album completely in German, citing that "I simply tried to transfer my style of writing to my mother tongue and I liked it quite a lot. I always thought it would be impossible." Their following album, 'Traumaworld' (2003), saw Sven return to English, with only two songs written in German. Tonally, the album's lyrics were harsher, as the band drew inspiration from their feelings on the Iraq war. However, when it came to promoting the album, the more upbeat 'Be My Rain' (2003) was chosen as the single. A music video was made for 'Be My Rain' (consisting of live footage), and a limited promo CD was released, featuring album, radio, and club mixes of the title track, and a cover of the Depeche Mode song 'In Your Room'.
In 2004, Zeraphine joined HIM on an acclaimed tour of Europe, which exposed the band to an even wider audience. In anticipation for the tour, Zeraphine hit the studio again to record the single 'New Year's Day' (2004), featuring a cover version of the U2 song, and two other original tracks. Promptly after the tour finished, Zeraphine again entered the studio and churned out another single, 'Die Macht In Dir' (2004), which promised a full album at the beginning of the following year; The single, as well as the title track, consisted of alternative versions of 'Kaltes Herz', 'Die Macht In Dir', (and on the limited edition release) 'Until I Finally Drown'. 'Blind Camera' (2005) was released with a positive response by both fans and critics, and sent Zeraphine on the road once more, headlining their own trip across Europe. A particular point of well-reception was the balance in German and English lyrics - nearly half the songs on 'Blind Camera' are written in German. The record itself was written as a semi-concept album, dealing with themes such as perception and reality.
In 2006, Zeraphine announced that they were severing their ties with their label, Drakkar Entertainment, so that they could have more creative control over their next record. 'Still' (2006), released on the Phonyx Records label (a record label managed by the band themselves, and producer Thommy Hein), was handled with noticeably less 'polish' than their previous albums. This was per the band's decision to move to a less studio-oriented, more live sounding style of recording. Two editions of the album were released, a regular and an enhanced version; the enhanced featuring an additional song, and the music video (and outtakes) to the title track and single, 'Still'. The record's title is meant to represent both it's German and English meanings, commenting on the duality of the album's lyrical content.
The band was decidedly less active in 2007, when Sven and Norman rejoined Dreadful Shadows for live shows exclusively. Also during this time, Sven began working on a side project, an electronic solo project titled Solar Fake. A compilation album was also released during this time, titled 'Years in Black' (2007), by Phoynx Records and Drakkar Entertainment; It contained songs from all four albums, and while no unreleased material was put on it (an update on their official website cited such an act as a 'fan rip-off'), the currently out-of-print radio mix of 'Be My Rain' was added in place of the album version. Zeraphine continued to tour and do festivals throughout 2007 and 2008, with a few new songs slipping into setlists during the later half of 2008.
As of March 2009, it is rumored that the band is working on a fifth album.
Be My Rain
Zeraphine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Appearing so frail, if you ever were
And you told me a thousand things
I've never dreamt about
When your eyes fell grey
Could it be I made them shine for awhile?
Now you're gone, as if you ever meant to stay
Be my rain
To wash the pain and the truth away
Be my rain
Be my rain
Embrace my world, everlasting
We were talking through the night
No one could say a word
Of what had passed or should be said
As if time stood silent,
The dawn never came
And the skies are empty
Since we stopped
Far away,
We cannot share the love within us
You're far away,
And rising up to start
again
The lyrics of "Be My Rain" by Zeraphine depict a moment of intimacy between two individuals who are having a deep conversation. It starts with the singer holding their partner in their arms, who appears to be fragile, and they express their surprise at the things they have been told. The lines "When your eyes fell grey, could it be I made them shine for awhile?" suggest that the singer had a positive effect on their partner.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the need for the partner to be a source of comfort, using rain as a metaphor. The rain is supposed to wash away the pain and the truth, which could refer to the hardships and challenges that the singer and their partner have faced. The lyrics describe this act of washing away the bad stuff as a never-ending process and ask the partner to embrace the singer's world in an everlasting way.
The second verse of the song alludes to a conversation that the two individuals had, which was so intense that no one could speak after it was finished, and time stood still. The dawn never came, and the skies remained empty. This could suggest that the conversation was so heavy, and it lasted throughout the night, that it created a stillness that persisted even after the conversation ended. The lines "Far away, we cannot share the love within us / You're far away, and rising up to start again" could be referring to the fact that the singer has lost their partner, and they are trying to move on while still hoping that their partner will come back to them.
Line by Line Meaning
When you fell into my arms
You came to me seeking help when you were vulnerable.
Appearing so frail, if you ever were
You seemed weak, but I wasn't sure if you were always that way or if it was just the moment making you seem vulnerable.
And you told me a thousand things
You confided in me and shared aspects of yourself that I had never known about before.
I've never dreamt about
The things you shared with me were completely unexpected and not something I ever could have imagined.
When your eyes fell grey
You lost your spark and your eyes became dull.
Could it be I made them shine for awhile?
I wonder if the brief period of time we shared together brought some happiness into your life that made your eyes light up again.
Now you're gone, as if you ever meant to stay
You left without any indication of wanting to stay, as if you were never really invested in our connection to begin with.
Be my rain
I need you to come back into my life and heal my pain.
To wash the pain and the truth away
I want you to help me forget about the pain that we both experienced and the difficult truths that we shared.
Embrace my world, everlasting
Please come back and be a permanent presence in my life.
We were talking through the night
We spent hours discussing our lives and our experiences.
No one could say a word
It was as if time had stopped and no one else was around to disturb our conversation.
Of what had passed or should be said
We were both stuck in the moment, unable to move forward or address what needed to be said between us.
As if time stood silent
We were so preoccupied with our conversation that the rest of the world seemed to disappear.
The dawn never came
Our conversation lasted so long that it felt like the sun would never rise.
And the skies are empty
Now that you're gone, it feels like there's no hope left in the world.
Since we stopped
Everything has felt empty and meaningless since we stopped talking.
Far away,
You are no longer near me.
We cannot share the love within us
We had a connection, but we can no longer express our feelings for each other.
You're far away,
You have physically or emotionally distanced yourself from me.
And rising up to start again
You are preparing to move on with your life without me.
Contributed by Leo E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@shortym988
Omg I'm so happy I discovered this band such a beautiful song 😍😍😎😎
@nowhere-girl
It sure is. I didn't know aboutthis band until I found this song.
@Dark__Matter
Please take a look at Solar Fake, same performer (Sven Friedrich) and same kind of sound and music. :)
@robinpheiffer3404
Then have u heard
SOLAR FLAKE same vocalist ❤❤❤❤❤❤
@_Shadoh_
@@robinpheiffer3404 AND also Dreadful Shadows, his former goth rock band! It's fantastic!
@Katykatakatekatrinakasia
'Be my rain' I listened in 2003 the frist time and then I got acquainted with Zeraphine and Dreadful Shadows.
@MaraGerosa
I belive in the angels! ...dear Sven!
@WhileAKyle85
This song started it all for me and Zeraphine. ^_^
@haddamuriel4013
Love this song💕
@HolyWoman666
Beautiful and perfect!