A triple-song tribute the Mark Hollis, founder songwriter and frontman of the extraordinarily innovative and influential 80s band, whose death, at 64, was recently reported. Hollis, from Tottenham in north London, conceived an art-pop that had a maturity and longevity unlike anything else around at that time or now. His work became highly influential on bands ranging from Radiohead to Elbow. Blending mellotron and sounds that mimic animals, birds and the natural world, soft, lilting bass, understated guitar licks and Hollis’s fragile, high, emotive singing voice with minimal, repetitive lyrics, it’s a music that strives, but still feels perfectly paced.
It’s My Life, the title track from the 1984, using all of these elements is indeed a love-torn, defiant, cri-de-coeur of existence . Life’s What You Make It, from 1986’s The Colour of Spring, was written alongside his principal creative partner, organ player and producer Tim Friese-Greene, and was inspired by Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. Desire is the third track from 1988’s East of Eden, an album that divided critics and confounded marketing people, but stands the test of time as a masterpiece, inspirational to many other bands, from Sigur Rós to Mogwai, mixing rock, jazz, dub, electronica, classical and minimalism in a landscape of erupting mountains and glacial, soft textures and tempos. After their final album, in 1991, Laughing Stock, Hollis released another experimental solo album in 1998, and then left the music business. Despite life itself being ultimately fragile and temporary, his musical legacy remains resonant and timeless.
Funny how I find myself in love with you
If I could buy my reasoning I'd pay to lose
One half won't do
I've asked myself, how much do you
Commit yourself
It's my life, don't you forget
It's my life, it never ends (It never ends)
Funny how I blind myself, I never knew
If I was sometimes played upon, afraid to lose
I'd tell myself, what good you do
Convince myself
It's my life, don't you forget
It's my life, it never ends (It never ends)
I've asked myself, how much do you
Commit yourself?
It's my life, don't you forget
Caught in the crowd, it never ends
It's my life, don't you forget
Caught in the crowd, it never ends
It's my life, don't you forget
Caught in the crowd, it never ends
Baby, life's what you make it
Can't escape it
Baby, yesterday's favourite
Don't you hate it?
(Everything's all right)
Life's what you make it
(Everything's all right)
Baby, life's what you make it
Don't backdate it
Baby, don't try to shade it
Beauty's naked
(Everything's all right)
Life's what you make it
(Everything's all right)
What you make it
Baby, life's what you make it
Celebrate it, anticipate it
Yesterday's faded, nothing can change it
Life's what you make it
(Everything's all right)
Life's what you make it
(Everything's all right)
Life's what you make it
(Everything's all right)
(Everything's all right)
(Everything's all right)
Make it, make it
(Everything's all right)
Life's what you make it
Desire
Whispered, spoken
In time
Rivers, oceans
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
I'm just content to relax than drown within myself
Of mind
Sheltered, broken
Denied
Gifted, stolen
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
Ain't got a bed of excuse for myself
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
Ain't got a bed of excuse for myself
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
That ain't me, babe
I'm just content to relax than drown within myself
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