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
Sirens
dEUS Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chopping days out of centuries
But you get them underneath
Cause they ain't so tough I heard things about 'em
The dark sea is a careless host
From north poll to pacific coast
Pure blood is the viking's toast
And the sirens always sing
The chants from heaven
Not expecting to be heard
But the love that it won't bring
Will make hearts sever
Of those who go...
The sweet call of the distant shore
They don't know what they're wishing for
If they knock on the devil's door
They better make sure they got something to say
Everybody has a life to fill
They hate waiting and they can't sit still
And what is time but something to kill
Until it's nothing left and the night has the last laugh
They all know when it comes to you
The lucky ride only takes a few
Why have a soul when it's yours to loose
You gotta pick your fight you got work to do
Some say that they're running away
From what or where now they wouldn't say
In their minds they're never late
Cause there ain't no-one that is waiting for them
And the sirens always sing
The chants from heaven
Not expecting to be heard
But the love that it won't bring
Will make hearts sever
Of those who go...
Pale riders in a lonely nest
I bet their spanish doesn't work for this
And a banner that they can't resist
But they're not so tough I heard things about them
Some say that they're running away
From what or where now they wouldn't say
On a road trip you cannot stray
But you can get lost trying to find your way home
Of virtue and a sin
The sails will shiver
And promises will burn
And underneath the skin
The heart will quiver
Of those who roam
And the sirens always sing
The chants from heaven
Not expecting to be heard
But the love that it won't bring
Will make hearts sever
Of those who go...
The song "Sirens" by dEUS is a thoughtful reflection on the perils and pleasures of roaming through life. The lyrics contain multiple references to ancient and mythical stories, drawing parallels between the wanderers of the past and the modern-day travelers. The opening lines set the tone for the song as the lumberjack is seen as a metaphor for human beings' tendency to cut short their lives in the quest for material gains. However, the singer cryptically suggests that there could be an alternative path that is not so destructive.
The dark sea is described as a careless host, highlighting the dangers that lurk in the uncharted waters of life. The reference to the Viking's toast reflects the human desire for conquest and adventure, even if it comes at a cost. The sirens' calls are heard as a harbinger of doom, a warning against falling prey to the temptation of the unknown. The chorus of the song brings together all these strands of thought, pointing out how the sirens' love will not bring happiness but, instead, lead to heartbreak and chaos.
The verses highlight different aspects of our wandering nature, the desire to escape and the inexorable passage of time. The wanderers may be seeking something, but the singer suggests that they may be lost, trying to find their way home. Ultimately the song speaks to the human spirit of exploration, the need to discover, but also warns against the blindness that may come with such wandering.
Line by Line Meaning
Lumberjack's looking out for trees
The lumberjack is focused on cutting down trees
Chopping days out of centuries
The trees the lumberjack is cutting down have been around for hundreds of years
But you get them underneath
He is able to cut them down because he is chopping them at the base
Cause they ain't so tough I heard things about 'em
The lumberjack believes the trees are not very strong and have weaknesses
The dark sea is a careless host
The sea can be dangerous and unpredictable
From north poll to pacific coast
This danger exists across the globe
Pure blood is the viking's toast
Vikings drink to the idea of pure blood or ancestry
But his heart will cry if it goes without it
If they do not have pure blood or their ancestry is in question, it causes them emotional pain
And the sirens always sing
The sirens are always calling to people
The chants from heaven
The call of the sirens is heard as a heavenly song
Not expecting to be heard
However, the sirens do not expect anyone to listen to their calls
But the love that it won't bring
The love that people search for when answering the siren's call
Will make hearts sever
This search will leave hearts broken
Of those who go...
Of those who are called and answer
The sweet call of the distant shore
The siren's call is like the call of a distant shore, sweet but possibly dangerous
They don't know what they're wishing for
People may not realize what they are getting into when answering the siren's call
If they knock on the devil's door
Answering the siren's call can be like knocking on the devil's door, a potentially dangerous decision
They better make sure they got something to say
People who answer the siren's call should have a reason for doing so
Everybody has a life to fill
Everyone has a purpose or reason for being alive
They hate waiting and they can't sit still
People are impatient and restless
And what is time but something to kill
People view time as something to pass or use up
Until it's nothing left and the night has the last laugh
Eventually, time will run out and the end of life will come
They all know when it comes to you
People know when they have met someone special
The lucky ride only takes a few
Some people get lucky and find what they are looking for quickly
Why have a soul when it's yours to lose
People question the value of having a soul when they feel like it can be easily taken away
You gotta pick your fight you got work to do
People have to choose their battles and focus on what they need to accomplish
Some say that they're running away
Some people feel like they are running away from something
From what or where now they wouldn't say
However, they may not be sure what they are running from or where they are going
In their minds they're never late
These people feel like they are never too late to start something new
Cause there ain't no-one that is waiting for them
They do not feel like they are letting anyone down by leaving
Pale riders in a lonely nest
These people are like pale riders, wandering through life
I bet their spanish doesn't work for this
They may not be able to communicate or fit in with their surroundings
And a banner that they can't resist
Despite feeling out of place, they still feel drawn to certain things
But they're not so tough I heard things about them
They may not be as strong as they think
On a road trip you cannot stray
While on a journey, it may be difficult to change course
But you can get lost trying to find your way home
Trying to find your way home can be a difficult and confusing experience
Of virtue and a sin
People are capable of both good and bad actions
The sails will shiver
The sails of a ship are affected by both wind and emotion
And promises will burn
Promises made may be difficult to keep, leading to disappointment and pain
And underneath the skin
Beneath the surface, people experience deep emotions
The heart will quiver
These emotions can affect people on a profound level
Of those who roam
Of those who wander or search for something in life
And the sirens always sing
The sirens are always calling to people
The chants from heaven
The call of the sirens is heard as a heavenly song
Not expecting to be heard
However, the sirens do not expect anyone to listen to their calls
But the love that it won't bring
The love that people search for when answering the siren's call
Will make hearts sever
This search will leave hearts broken
Of those who go...
Of those who are called and answer
Contributed by David P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.