The Church — Myrrh
Album: Under the Milkyway [best of]Avg rating:
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Total ratings: 142
Length: 4:07
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Emerald haunt in overdrive
Nightmare descent into Jericho city
Camel dust heralds our arrival
New Christ beneath the drumkit moon
Oh Lord we are threatened again
In the slipstream pull of the federal men
Plummet in some seamless night
Down here to Earth, it's hopeless then
Apache gunman in the boiling crowd
Who never got to meet you last time
We're interrupted by the telephone
You didn't think they were invented then
Oh, Lord, we need miracles
We need more wine and gold
We need slaves and roads and personal favors
We need microphones and manifolds
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
So now, we're cruising down this shuddering highway
With a dead sun shining on my back
And we talk about the way people treat us back there
Their hollow laughter, the pain in their eyes
Oh, my Lord, I trust your intentions
But money strangles our love
Struggling like a fool with my junk and my jewels
You would have thought I'd had enough
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
Nightmare descent into Jericho city
Camel dust heralds our arrival
New Christ beneath the drumkit moon
Oh Lord we are threatened again
In the slipstream pull of the federal men
Plummet in some seamless night
Down here to Earth, it's hopeless then
Apache gunman in the boiling crowd
Who never got to meet you last time
We're interrupted by the telephone
You didn't think they were invented then
Oh, Lord, we need miracles
We need more wine and gold
We need slaves and roads and personal favors
We need microphones and manifolds
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
So now, we're cruising down this shuddering highway
With a dead sun shining on my back
And we talk about the way people treat us back there
Their hollow laughter, the pain in their eyes
Oh, my Lord, I trust your intentions
But money strangles our love
Struggling like a fool with my junk and my jewels
You would have thought I'd had enough
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
How can you be so invisible?
Give me the nerves to see
Privilege on privilege
An unwanted discovery
Comments (36)add comment
World-class musicians & songwriters. Go see them live. Will settle any & all debates.
How about the song Church by Lyle Lovett.
I love this song--and the album "Heyday" is one of The Church's best.
Roverfish wrote:
Ah, back when the Cure and Church could do no wrong. And sounded a lot alike on songs like this too, no? Not everyone's cup of tea, I admit, but great to hear with these ears.
and Echo and the Bunnymen too!
plutodazed wrote:
Ah.... the Church. Their Starfish album brings back fond memories. 
However, this semi-average song, which wasn't on that CD, is lacking in feeling.
Really. I uploaded "The Unguarded Moment", which I feel is a much better song than this...it got the boot. Well, that's what I thought.
However, this semi-average song, which wasn't on that CD, is lacking in feeling.
Love that driving bass line.
am I the only one hearing a bit of The Cure in this?
nice song, but nothing significant.
Ah.... the Church. Their Starfish album brings back fond memories.
However, this semi-average song, which wasn't on that CD, is lacking in feeling.
However, this semi-average song, which wasn't on that CD, is lacking in feeling.
mediamarv wrote:
When the Church first started showing up on MTV in the 80's, that was not the full name....anyone remember what it was?
I could be mistaken, but I think they were always the Church. There was also Lords of the New Church, the Church Lady and the Church of the Poison mind, but I digress.
I am a big Church fan, but i must admit - each album has had a few gems of songs, many losers. This, however, is a real gem.
Just bought HeyDay a few mos. ago; how could i have missed it for all these years?
Steve Kilbey's vocal style sometimes seems great, often a little too disaffected and ironic.
e.g. his voice is great for a song like Ripple.
When the Church first started showing up on MTV in the 80's, that was not the full name....anyone remember what it was?
drover wrote:
...
It's cliche by now, but the consensus exists for a reason (and I gotta go with the consensus on this one): Starfish was far and away their most solid album, though every album from Blurred Crusade through Starfish were fine efforts. (Of Skins and Heart was lame.) I would also throw Gold Afternoon Fix in with the list of fine efforts though it seems most fans and critics are united in their contempt for GAF. After that it gets hit-or-miss for me, mostly miss. I do prefer their more generic-rock (though still unique) pre-Starfish to their post-Starfish spacey stoner mysticism or whatever. Starfish took the best of both and made one of the best albums of the 80s.
I'm with you (for the most part). Blurred Crusade, Heyday, and Starfish all stand out. Though, I did go through a period when Remote Luxury was my favorite album. The Church were a great group. I also like a good amount of MWP's solo stuff (i.e., Rhyme and Spirit Level).
I saw Kilbey and Willson-Piper do a free concert in Franklin Park (Washington, DC) about 10 years ago, after the band disintegrated. They were still good ...on their old stuff. Man, those guys must have done boatloads of psychedelics. I think I recall reading something where Kilbey said that ALL their songs were written on or about LSD. Probably kidding/exaggeration, but anyway...
(end rambling)
Nice to hear some pre-Starfish Church. Anyone else notice they seem to really prefer single-word song titles? For instance:
Numbers; Chromium; Radiance; Reprieve; Invisible; Myrrh; Tristesse; Columbus; Tantalized; Disenchanted; Roman; Maven; Angelica; Lullaby; Eastern; Authority; Destination; Lost; Spark; Antenna; Reptile; Welcome; Comedown; Ritz; Grandiose; Ladyboy; Afterimage; Interlude; Sealine; Telepath; Maya; June; Reversal; Summer; Pharoah; Metropolis; City; Essence; Disappointment; Transient; Grind; Anasthesia; Ricochet; Louisiana; Buffalo...
I could go on.
joe1 wrote:
Bollocks!!!!!...it is a crap song that wouldn't make the top 500 of 'early eighties crap'.....get a fecking life you two....
This really is CRAP.........a cast iron '1'.....anyone disagree apart from the two with no idea?....
Do me a favor, cupcake: put together a list of the "top 500 early eighties crap." Then take a look at that list and ask yourself how many of those bands are still around like The Church is.
jdorn1 wrote:Blurred Crusade is the Best of the recordings hands down.
It's cliche by now, but the consensus exists for a reason (and I gotta go with the consensus on this one): Starfish was far and away their most solid album, though every album from Blurred Crusade through Starfish were fine efforts. (Of Skins and Heart was lame.) I would also throw Gold Afternoon Fix in with the list of fine efforts though it seems most fans and critics are united in their contempt for GAF. After that it gets hit-or-miss for me, mostly miss. I do prefer their more generic-rock (though still unique) pre-Starfish to their post-Starfish spacey stoner mysticism or whatever. Starfish took the best of both and made one of the best albums of the 80s.
Kilby and Wilson-Piper alone have tons of talent. Together these four guys created a unuque sound that varied from song to song, album to album and still sounds good today, nearly 20 years after their "HEYDAY". Pun intended!
Blurred Crusade is the Best of the recordings hands down.
Ah, back when the Cure and Church could do no wrong. And sounded a lot alike on songs like this too, no? Not everyone's cup of tea, I admit, but great to hear with these ears.
Something about Church brings into my mind early U2 or Chameleons. Maybe it's the quite similar guitar sounds and aching melodies so sorrowful and again somehow promising.
joe1 wrote:
Bollocks!!!!!...it is a crap song that wouldn't make the top 500 of 'early eighties crap'.....get a fecking life you two....
This really is CRAP.........a cast iron '1'.....anyone disagree apart from the two with no idea?....
Amusing fellow, that Joe....
mucre wrote:
the church are solid
far removed from depeche mode-- church has some great guitar work
best album is 'blurred crusade'
My brother Carl is a huge Church fan from way back. I dig them, too, but not like he does. Anyhoo, guess what I found him at an online auction for Christmas last year?
I actually was able to buy the Gold Record for Blurred Crusade presented by the Australian Recording Industry to the Church when the record went gold. It was the absolute most satisfying gift I have ever had the pleasure of watching someone unwrap. Not often that you can bring your stoic 32 year old brother to tears...
To me, this group stood out in its time--and I think their music can survive time as well. I loved them and I still love them. Especially when I'm in dark moods.
Platypus wrote:
i hear nothing very distinctive about this, personally. just sounds like bad 80's synth-pop to me.
uhh, I don't think there's any synthesizer in this.
The Church is a class act and they continue to rock! Check out Forget Yourself....now!
oh god, how could anyone hear this and not join the cult of The Church?
joe1 wrote:
Bollocks!!!!!...it is a crap song that wouldn't make the top 500 of 'early eighties crap'.....get a fecking life you two....
This really is CRAP.........a cast iron '1'.....anyone disagree apart from the two with no idea?....
Just because the Church isn't a staple of 80's "top pop", doesn't mean it doesn't hold any musical or creative merit you twit
I like the church a lot, this is not their best work, however.
But let's get one thing straight. It is 80's, but it is not synth pop. There are no synths. That sustained noise you hear is a guitar played with an eBow. And that sound does not make it a Fripp knock off any more than anyone who uses a pick is a knock off of anyone else.
I like them, but.... not so much this song.
Dr._Crane wrote:
Distinctive style - perhaps the only group where the octave singing harmony doesn't immediately bring Squeeze to mind. These guys really create a certain spacey mood...something about the guitar harmonics, vocals, etc.
I second that.
Fripp? Sounds more like early Echo & The Bunnymen to me...
the church are solid
far removed from depeche mode-- church has some great guitar work
best album is \'blurred crusade\'
Originally Posted by brighthue:
Another Fripp wannabe .
I sure don't hear that. Too bad, even fake Fripp is better than none.
This sounds of its time, but enjoyable nontheless.
Originally Posted by Platypus:
i hear nothing very distinctive about this, personally. just sounds like bad 80's synth-pop to me.
Agreed. Like Depeche Mode. Ugh.
Another Fripp wannabe .
Saw the church twice. the second time they were considerably more famouse and had toured a lot. he completely forgot the lyrics to a tune. Obviously overworked.
Dot
i hear nothing very distinctive about this, personally. just sounds like bad 80\'s synth-pop to me.