electronic :: songs :: dark angel

(marr and sumner)

you don’t want me but i don’t care
i’m independent when there’s no-one there
i’m not a substitute and it’s wearing thin
why can’t you see that i won’t give in

there’s a rumour, how can it be true
the way that people talk it’s as if they knew
and though i try i hope you understand
if i’m alone with you it could get out of hand

please, don’t make me wait
in front of you, love comes too late
we’re in a spin, confused within
it must be fate, love comes too late

i believe it was meant to be
but when you threw me out i guess it made me see
it would be a drag from my point of view
that’s the kind of thing that i’d expect from you

what can i do, i’ll never be the same
another day without you would drive me insane
it’s a real-life drama that i can’t work out
don’t think about it, let me take you out

please, don’t make me wait
in front of you, love comes too late
we’re in a spin, confused within
it must be fate, love comes too late

please, don’t make me wait
in front of you, love comes too late
in a spin, confused within
it must be fate, love comes too late

it must be fate, love comes too late
comes too late, comes too late
comes too late, comes too late
comes too late

album version—5:29

raise the pressure

denise johnson’s rich, deep voice rides along the resolute key change four minutes into this gem from raise the pressure, sensualizing and enhancing the music—songs like get the message, a new religion and until the end of time all benefit hugely from her vocal prowess. this track boasts a particularly lush arrangement, offset by a tinny piano motif after its poignant intro that requires multiple listens to acclimatise to. the orchestral surge during the ‘real-life drama’ line is, conversely, very subtle and moving.

dark angel may have originated from the doomed 1993 sessions involving johnny marr and ian mcculloch of echo and the bunnymen that resulted in “nine really great songs”—the tapes of which subsequently went missing with a vanload of liquid oxygen en route from manchester to liverpool. apparently one of the songs was called ‘dark age’, which indicates that, at least musically, the ensuing dark angel is a johnny marr composition. (marr didn’t refute this assumption when someone asked him about it during a q&a session for his official website in the early naughties.)

whatever its origins it’s a stunning piece of music, with backing vocals that evoke new order’s temptation and i want to wake up by pet shop boys—both of which, coincidentally or not, are two of johnny’s favourite songs by each band (his intoxicating 1993 remix of the latter track also features denise johnson). in 1996 he stated that the line “don’t think about it, let me take you out” was his favourite lyric from the whole album: “bernard describes it as being about nothing but i think that line is fantastic for exactly that reason.

“it’s a million miles from muso but probably a lot harder to get just right. that direct message of having a good time without being inane about it is the whole essence of dance to me. it just reminds me of playing dance records before going out when i was young. you didn’t want anyone’s opinion on anything, you didn’t want personal angst. there’s a lot to be said for simple, direct lyrics like let the music play or into the groove. i defy anyone to say those are crap records simply because they’re not conveying some intellectual sentiment.” .