This Corrosion

"the Ring"

Possibly a reference to the Ring of Niebelung from Richard Wagner's epic ring cycle. The wearer of the ring is conferred huge power, but in return for the power is required to forego human love. The sound of 'This Corrosion' is very Wagnerian: the bombastic, overblown choral chants are typical of Wagner's work.

"kissed and toll'd"

Kissing a ring is a way of showing deference, especially toward one in power. This is a typical way of greeting the Pope, for instance. "Toll'd" is a way of announcing a death by ringing (tolling) a bell; this is also a pun on 'Kiss and Tell' which is a euphemism for gossiping and petty betrayal. Wayne Hussey's behaviour during The Sisterhood episide neatly fits this description. Hussey can be viewed as laying claim to something that was not his (the Sisterhood name), and then not using the power effectively. The two ways of using the Ring can be likened to the two meanings of this line: Eldritch uses The Ring as a means of ultimate power ("kissed and toll'd"); the bell toll'd for Hussey's version of The Sisterhood, and RCA were forced to kiss Eldritch's in the form of a cheque for 25 grand . Meanwhile, "kiss and tell" is all too descriptive of the embarrassing teary confessional that was typical of The Mission's modus operandi .

"And the we'll turn round"

Pun on "wheel" and "we'll". This is suggestive of gaining revenge.

"Gimme dream child"

Eldritch again, impatiently, demands the return of The Ring. The 'dream child' is therefore the possessor of The Ring: Wayne Hussey. It's a very accurate and perceptive description of Hussey.

"On the loan and on the level"

This is an adaption of the Ozymandias quotation used in Dominion with 'loan' substituted for 'lone'. This probably refers to Hussey's 'loan' of the 'Sisterhood' name; Eldritch is therefore comparing the fate of the Hussey Sisterhood with Ozymandias' colossal wreck. Ouch!

"sing This Corrosion to me".

The 'Corrosion' is sung, and refers to the tarnished version of The Sisters' sound that The Mission were selling ( 'selling the don't belong' ).

"On daze, like this".

Obvious pun on 'daze' and 'days'.

"The highered hand".

This is a pun on 'hired' and 'highered'. The 'hired hand' could be an assassin. The 'highered hand' implies a moral authority, although it could mean domineering and dogmatic as in 'high-handed'. I think it's the former as '...hand/On heart' would seem to imply truth and honesty. Either way, ultimately 'This Corrosion' is regenerative as Eldritch closes the song screaming "Like a healing hand".

Source: http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/1217/

Seems to be a lot of talk about floodland being tagetted at the Mission. Got to say, Im not yet convinced, i can see how it could be interpreted that way. Just not yet convinced.

This song is actually an attack on Wayne Hussey.

A fantastic centerpiece to a great album. This song never fails to raise gooseflesh on me, especially during the choral crescendo towards the end.

This song is just cool as hell, if it was written basically as a joke then that just makes it even more awesome. Love that final verse, and at the very end when he screams out "like a healing hand!"

This song is a lot of fun! It shows a lighter side to the Sisters, and it works very well. The nonsense lyrics are a fun to sing aloud.

I hear Peter Murphy and Andrew both referred to as the "Godfather of Goth", this song and "Lucretia My Reflection" are the proof that it's Andrew ~first, last, and always~

Unheilig do a quite excellent cover of this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efDRiRx9hOw

The lyrics to this song don't mean anything at all, It is just meant to be an instrument.

And of course to make us wonder.

Agreed. It's a parody of lyrics by Hussey his imitators, impressive sounding words and cliche fragments strung together with little thought as to meaning.

Lots of references to hands, royalty and religion here.