Marillion “Fugazi,” the title cut from their second album

Fugazi Marillion

Writer(s): Fish, Mark Kelly, Steve Rothery, Pete Trewavas, Ian Mosley (see lyrics here) Released: March 12, 1984 (album cut) First Charted: -- Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2.5 video, -- streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Marillion released its first album, Script for a Jester’s Tear, in 1983. It established them as a formidable player in the neo-progressive rock movement of the ‘80s. With their second album, Fugazi, they produced a slightly harder-edged sound while still staying close to what made them successful in the first place. Like on their first album, Marillion churn out their best song with the anthemic title cut. It was “a highlight of the band’s live set for many years to follow.” AMG The song even explores the same themes as “Script for a Jester’s Tear”as lead singer Fish continues to struggle with substance abuse and failed romance. The song “details Fish in mid-panic attack on the underground en route to the Marquee in Wardour Street. On a come-down from LSD, Fish said, ‘Viewing the other occupants of the carriage, it summed up the album and my views on life at the time.’” JC “Initially based purely on the observations of the other travellers, Mark Kelly’s piano gives way to steadily more edgy synth lines. From here, we move outside the carriage to consider unhappy relationships, racial unrest, prostitution, and our treatment of war veterans. Then, as the whole world dissolves into a fearful smear of guitar string scrapes, screams, and doom-laden keyboards, Pete and Ian paint a quasi-militaristic regime of cold war nuclear paranoia.” JC “Finally, as Fish desperately askes to be shown inspiration for a way out of this terrible mess, the band become the pipers of the apocalypse and Fish is swept along with the crowd, as it marches blindly on its way to its doom.” JC Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Marillion AMG All Music Guide album review by John Franck JC Jon Collins (2003). Separated Out. Helter Skelter Publishing: London, England. Pages 53-54. Related Links: First posted 8/5/2022.