Despite McShane being the focus, the songs were mostly written and sung by Italian vocalist Maurizio Bassi, although controversy exists (as in many 'studio'-based groups) over McShane's level of co-singing and co-songwriting. The songs are considered a key example of the "italo disco" sound.
Baltimora first appeared during the summer of 1985, sweeping over Europe before finding release in the United States via EMI. The time it took for EMI to finally break "Tarzan Boy" in America resulted in the song earning a six month stay on the Hot 100, ultimately peaking at #13 in the early spring of 1986. His first album, 'Living in the Background', arrived some time later. The group, despite successful touring and frequent dance club plays, quickly fell off of the radar.
However, "Tarzan Boy" made a second run up the Hot 100 in the spring of 1993, climbing to #51 thanks to its appearance in the movie 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III'. No such resurgence occurred when the song appeared again in a movie a few years later in the 1997 Chris Farley comedy 'Beverly Hills Ninja'. "Tarzan Boy" did catch the attention of millions again in a Listerine commercial, which featured the song playing (minus the lead vocals) while a computer-animated bottle of blue minty mouthwash swung around on vines in a colorful digital jungle.
Jimmy McShane died on March 29, 1995 as a result of AIDS complications. Maurizio Bassi remained involved in the music industry, although finding mainstream success elusive. His son, Matteo Bassi, is also a musician.
----
Baltimora is also the stage name of Italian singer-songwriter and record producer Edoardo Spinsante (born 2001), most known for winning the fifteenth season of the Italian talent show X Factor.
Pull The Wires
Baltimora Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Each time I call your name
Oh darling, I can't help it
I'm walking on the moon
Never ending story
Woman meeting man
I'm losing concentration
Hey, you pull the wires
Of my love, in every way
Hey, my desire
Is your love, right away
You pull the wires, moving me, baby
Of love's desire, loving you
Oh-oh, pull the wires
I will surrender right away
You've got to me, oh-oh
Loving you baby
Why do I remember?
Memories bring me down
High and low emotions
Are moving me around
Never ending story
Woman meeting man
Oh darling, I can't help it
Together you and I
Hey, you pull the wires
Of my love, in every way
Hey, my desire
Is your love, right away
You pull the wires, moving me, baby
Of love's desire, you're turning me all around
Oh, my desire
You're even more than I can say
You're all for me
When I'm down and all alone
You're my soul and inspiration
At night you are my star
Out on the sea, oh
You guide me every day
And love in every way
Come on, come on stay with me, oh-woah-oh
You pull the wires, that move me baby
Of love's desire, loving you,
Oh-oh, pull the wires
I will surrender right away
You've got to me
You've got to me, oh-oh
The lyrics of Baltimora's song Pull The Wires are all about the emotions of a man who is head over heels in love with a woman. The first verse speaks of the excitement and anticipation that he feels whenever he calls out her name, and how he is so overwhelmed that he feels like he's walking on the moon. The second verse continues with the theme of love, but this time the man is losing concentration and finds himself in a state of confusion about what's happening to him. The chorus then hits, and we hear about the woman's power over this man's emotions and how she controls him in every way, tugging on the wires of love and desire that move his heart.
The bridge is a reflection on the memories that the man has of the woman, and how they bring him both up and down emotionally. But despite the challenges that he faces, the man is hopeful that things will work out between him and the woman, as they are together in this never-ending story of woman meeting man. The final verse of the song then expresses the man's gratitude towards this woman, who is his soul and inspiration, and who guides him and loves him in every way.
Line by Line Meaning
Feel my heart awake
My heart beats faster every time I think of you
Each time I call your name
You're always on my mind
Oh darling, I can't help it
I'm deeply in love with you
I'm walking on the moon
My love for you has me feeling like I'm floating
Never ending story
Our love story has no end
Woman meeting man
Our love story is about a woman and a man falling in love
I'm losing concentration
My love for you is so strong that it's hard for me to focus on anything else
What's happening to me?
I can't explain how deeply in love with you I am
Hey, you pull the wires
Your love controls me in every way
Of my love, in every way
My love for you is strong and all-encompassing
Hey, my desire
All I want is your love
Is your love, right away
I want your love right now
You pull the wires, moving me, baby
Your love moves me in ways I can't explain
Of love's desire, loving you
My love for you is the strongest desire I have
Oh-oh, pull the wires
You have complete control over me
I will surrender right away
I will give myself to you without hesitation
You've got to me, oh-oh
You have captured my heart
Loving you baby
I'm deeply in love with you
Why do I remember?
Why do I keep thinking about you?
Memories bring me down
Thinking about you makes me sad because I miss you
High and low emotions
My emotions are intense and ever-changing
Are moving me around
My emotions are controlling me and causing me to be confused
Together you and I
We're meant to be together
When I'm down and all alone
When I'm feeling sad and lonely
You're my soul and inspiration
You're the one who lifts me up and inspires me
At night you are my star
You bring light into my life and guide me even in the darkness
Out on the sea, oh
No matter where I am, you're always with me
You guide me every day
You're my constant support and encouragement
And love in every way
You show me love in every action and every word
Come on, come on stay with me, oh-woah-oh
Please stay with me and never leave
You're even more than I can say
I can't express how much you mean to me
You're all for me
You're everything to me
Contributed by Annabelle Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.