13. Peter Murphy | "Cuts You Up"

"Cuts You Up" by Peter Murphy from the album Deep (1990)

While David Bowie was forging ahead with Tin Machine as the ’90s dawned, it was the Godfather of Goth who was all too willing to take his place. Always a fan of Ziggy Stardust, Peter Murphy appropriated those tones and vocal mannerisms for “Cuts You Up,” which became his biggest stateside hit to date. His hair dyed a stark and ghostly blond, coupled with his pale and gaunt features, made him still the perfect visual doppelganger. The song is pop in nature, but Murphy’s lyrical poetry is pure goth: “You pour yourself over me/Like sun through the blinds.” It’s a tale of love, sure, but as a thematic whole, it’s all about how the feeling carves your psyche apart.
 Michael Christopher