We previously featured Andrea Pizzo and The Purple Mice for the thought-awakening and zeitgeist opus, The Machine, and the cinematic and philosophical masterpiece, Hidden Figures, so naturally, we couldn’t wait to experience their latest release, Come Out Lazarus 1 Life Is Over, and share our thoughts. ]
Come Out Lazarus 1 Life Is Over opens with the spiritual frequency of a didgeridoo and a cerebral Sanskrit mantra of “Na jayate mriyate va kadacin…”, which translates as, “The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die…”, before expanding with textured drums and reverberating guitar riffs.
Andrea shares the lyrics, It seemed like a hotel for the broken hearts, white walls, empty corners, cleanliness in all parts, and he was there, weaker and weaker fighting for his life, yet not giving up…”
In essence, Come Out Lazarus 1 Life Is Over is about the fragile boundary between death and rebirth. It is told through a story that unfolds at Christmas, aptly released at this time. The song begins in a hospital-like space, where a man is slowly dying but refuses to surrender.
We deeply appreciate how it is framed by the Bhagavad Gita’s idea that the soul neither begins nor ends. The lyrics suggest that physical decline is not the end of one’s existence. As fate intervenes, the narrative shifts to the outside world. This is where another man dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident – and underscores how unpredictable and arbitrary life and death can be.
Eventually, the two destinies converge through a heart transplant, whereby the death of one man becomes the literal salvation of another. This “great strange gift” transforms notions of despair into hope. They echo the biblical resurrection of Lazarus, whilst grounding it in modern medicine.
The final verses of the song move inwards, describing an out-of-body, dream-like state during surgery. Ultimately, the song reflects on sacrifice, continuity of life, and the mystery of consciousness. It’s genius.
The accompanying music video reflects this perfectly, adding to the cinematic experience of the song with a sublime strings arrangement. We always appreciate what Andrea Pizzo and the Purple Mice create. It is full of intention and philosophical depth, bringing to life the essences of Bowie and Dylan with its own conscious spin. We have added Come Out Lazarus 1 Life Is Over to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and TRIPPY playlist, whilst we continue to stream Andrea Pizzo and the Purple Mice‘s album, Transhumanity.