The Band, whose songs are primarily sung in English, performed their first concert on November 20th, 1989. The band displayed a bewildering array of influences, including Can, Captain Beefheart, Mingus-styled jazz, J.J. Cale, Leonard Cohen and Velvet Underground. Consequently, they incorporate a wide variety of styles into their work. dEUS have become one of the most successful (and influential) Belgian rock bands.
Many musicians became well-known after having been members of dEUS: Stef-Kamil Carlens (Moondog Jr., Zita Swoon), Rudy Trouvé (Kiss My Jazz), Danny Mommens (Vive La Fête), Craig Ward (The Love Substitutes), Jules de Borgher and Tim Vanhamel (Millionaire, solo). The current line-up (as from the album Pocket Revolution) includes Mauro Pawlowski (who became famous as solo artist and before with the band Evil Superstars) on guitars and vocals, Alan Gevaert on bass and Stephane Misseghers on drums.
Erik Drew Feldman and David Bottrill have acted as producers.
dEUS has made 8 studio albums up to now:
Worst Case Scenario (1994),
In A Bar, Under The Sea (1996),
The Ideal Crash (1999)
Pocket Revolution (2005)
Vantage Point (April 21st 2008)
Keep You Close (September 20st 2011)
Following Sea (June 1st 2012)
How To Replace It(February 17th 2023)
Other releases include:
My Sister = My Clock (1995) and
No More Loud Music - The Singles (2001), a best-of compilation.
Before Pocket Revolution (2005), dEUS took a "sabbatical" for over 6 years. In these years, Barman was busy with his second passion: film. He wrote and directed Anyway The Wind Blows, a movie received well by critics in Belgium. The key-song of the soundtrack for the film was Summer's Here by Magnus, a project by Tom Barman together with CJ Bolland.
More info can be found on their official website, www.deus.be
Favourite Game
dEUS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girls are fretting
But he's getting away
With re-fuck
This city crawler
Would like to howler
He's not a brawler
Like burning down a flat
To light a cigarette
Rest your eyes
Got no tears for a love song
Rest your eyes
Got it coming on
Rest your eyes
Got no tears for a love song
Rest your eyes
Got it coming on
How late the favourite game
Eleven on the clock of fun and shame
Into the black anew
We need a big blow to kill a little flame
Tell me what you gonna do
Come on now, baby, can you put me through
Come on now, baby, can you put me through
It's suck, squeeze, bang and blow
I feel at home in your pressure dome
Let's jettison in unison [?] monotonous drone
It's like, it's like
Burning down a flat
To light a cigarette
Rest your eyes
Got no tears for a love song
Rest your eyes
Got it coming on
Rest your eyes
Got no tears for a love song
Rest your eyes
Got it coming on
How late the favourite game
Eleven on the clock of fun and shame
Into the black anew
We need a big blow to kill a little flame
Tell me what you gonna do
I don't wanna look at the receding moon
Tell me what you gonna do
Come on now, baby, can you put me through
Come on now, baby, won't you put me through
Come on now, baby, won't you put me through
Oh, let me hype this dream
My own promo machine
Wipe your belly clean
Like a "Behind the scenes"
We've been there before
I always been your whore
But now I want it more
I am bored and lonely tonight
The lyrics to dEUS's "Favourite Game" are enigmatic, highlighting the disparity between the external appearance projected by the people present at a show and the internal turmoil they are experiencing. The stanza "The sponsor's sweating, The girls are fretting, But he's getting away with re-fuck" shows how the sponsors and models present at a show are in a state of anxiety and nervousness, but the lead singer is not affected by it and is getting away with any mistake he makes. He wants to convey that he is not just a performer but someone who has something to say, just like what's highlighted in the stanza "He's not a brawler, But he's got something to say."
The chorus "Rest your eyes, Got no tears for a love song, Rest your eyes, Got it coming on" indicates that the singer does not want to perform soft ballads that bring tears, but instead, something that makes people groove. The lyrics "How late the favorite game, Eleven on the clock of fun and shame, Into the black anew" mean that his favorite game starts late, and it's full of fun and shame. The line "We need a big blow to kill a little flame" is suggesting that they need something larger to quench the fire the size of a small flame, possibly referring to a major setback required to end a small issue.
Overall, the song presents a commentary on the state of the modern music industry, where image and style often sideline substance, as well as personal struggles that performers face.
Line by Line Meaning
The sponsor's sweating
The sponsor is feeling nervous or anxious
The girls are fretting
The girls are also feeling nervous and worried
But he's getting away
Despite their worries, the person being referred to is able to escape or avoid punishment
With re-fuck
The person is able to get away with their actions, even though they may be unethical or immoral
This city crawler
The artist is referring to themselves or someone else as someone who spends time in the city and moves around a lot
Would like to howler
The person wants to express themselves loudly and passionately
He's not a brawler
The person is not violent or aggressive
But he's got something to say
Despite not being violent, the person wants to speak up and be heard
Like burning down a flat
The person is willing to take extreme or destructive actions to achieve their goals
To light a cigarette
The artist is suggesting that their actions are illogical or unnecessary, like using a major event to accomplish something small
Rest your eyes
The singer is encouraging someone to relax and take a break
Got no tears for a love song
The person is not emotional or sentimental
Got it coming on
The person has something exciting or impressive happening soon
How late the favourite game
The person is reflecting on how long they have been playing their favorite game or indulging in their favorite activity
Eleven on the clock of fun and shame
The time is 11 o'clock, which the person associates with both fun and shame
Into the black anew
The person is entering a new phase of their experience, which they describe as dark or negative
We need a big blow to kill a little flame
The person needs a major event or change to help them move on from something that is no longer serving them
Tell me what you gonna do
The person is asking someone else for a solution or plan of action
Come on now, baby, can you put me through
The person is asking someone to challenge them or push them further
It's suck, squeeze, bang and blow
The person is referencing the four stages of an internal combustion engine, using it as a metaphor for their own experiences
I feel at home in your pressure dome
The person is comfortable with someone else's intensity or pressure
Let's jettison in unison [?] monotonous drone
The person is suggesting that they and someone else break out of a routine or monotonous cycle together
Oh, let me hype this dream
The person is excited about an idea or possibility
My own promo machine
The person is comparing themselves to a promotional machine, suggesting that they are capable of creating excitement and buzz
Wipe your belly clean
The person is encouraging someone to let go of past mistakes or regrets
Like a 'Behind the scenes'
The person is referencing a behind-the-scenes or making-of feature, implying that there is more to the story than what is currently visible
We've been there before
The person has experienced a similar situation or feeling in the past
I always been your whore
The person has always done what someone else wanted or expected of them, possibly at the expense of their own desires or needs
But now I want it more
The person is asserting their own wants and needs, and is no longer content to just go along with someone else's plan
I am bored and lonely tonight
The person is feeling tired of their current situation and is yearning for a change or connection with someone else
Contributed by Ava B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Silvade14
This should have millions of views, why it doesn't? >:( Awesome song, badass lyrics.
@odcmarco
I believe in dEUS
@EditorsFan
This song was the 3rd release, but only in belgium. 'Eternal Woman' is the 2nd international release. That's why you probably didn't realize! But i DO think that this is the best song of the record!
@Manuelfdpereira
THey ROCK , THey rock :D
@00Ivanov
This is just briliiant! Repeat!
@Hooikt2500
They are from Belgium...and i'm from Belgium and when i hear this im proud on it
@Koranenmerg
Favo track van dit album!
@VicinityofObscenity
misschien wel het beste nummer van de plaat. Feest!
@SuuzieQ
keb nooit geweten dat ze Belgisch waren, man wat zijn hun goed zeg! 7 days, 7 weeks is tot nu toe mn favortiet:D
@garfreeek
the other tracks i'v heard so far will probably need to grow on me, but this one really doesn't, it's amazing!