Actively involved in the Liverpool punk rock/new wave scene, Johnson played bass with Big in Japan and released several solo singles on the Eric's label, before finding fame as the lead singer and lyricist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who enjoyed considerable controversy and commercial success during their heyday in the early 1980s.
Holly left the group in 1987 after growing increasingly unhappy with their musical direction, but was immediately the subject of an injunction from the group's record company, ZTT Records, which cited his prior recording agreement and effectively barred him from releasing solo material with new label MCA Records.
Johnson famously embarked on a protracted legal battle with ZTT, the case finally being settled in Johnson's favour in 1989, the judge ruling that ZTT's original contract had constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade. The result represented a landmark legal outcome within the music business. Johnson's relationship with ZTT owners Trevor Horn and Jill Sinclair apparently broke down irretrievably due to the court case.
Johnson finally released his first solo album, Blast, which reached number one in the UK and spawned three hit singles. However, relations with MCA cooled over dissatisfaction with promotional budgets for his second solo album, Dreams That Money Can't Buy, released in 1991 after Johnson had left the label.
In November of that year, Johnson discovered he was HIV positive. This triggered a temporary withdrawal from the music business and public life in general. His condition was made public in April 1993. In 1994 his critically acclaimed autobiography, A Bone In My Flute, was published.
Since the mid 1990s, Johnson has worked primarily as a successful painter. His works have been exhibited at the Tate Liverpool, and The Royal Academy. He has contributed to Modern Painters magazine and the Paul Smith sponsored CARLOS magazine. He has continued to make music via his own Pleasuredome label, such as 1999's Soulstream, an album that includes a re-recording of "The Power Of Love", Johnson's de facto signature song.
Holly's 3 MCA albums have now been released on itunes via Universal.
Deep in Love
Holly Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Girls Dress Up The Boys All Fight Ooh Ooh Ooh
I Couldn't Care Less About Your Wild Behaviour
I'm Not Looking For A Fix, I'm Not Looking For A Saviour
And The Sun Will Shine On The Rich And Poor
And The Reaper Don't Mind What Your Fightin For
Make Your Dreams Come True Animate Your Imagination
Till The World Turns Blue, Cultivate Your Concentration
'Cause I'm In Tune With You
Don't You Confuse Me
'Cause I'm Deep In Love, Deep In Love, Deep In Love With You
Puppy Dogs Dance And Messiahs Fall
Love Bombs Will Bop, I Love Them All
Your The Future Generation, You Watch Too Much T.V.
Don't Hesitate, The Future Create
WhileYou Sit Inside, Don't Be Left Holding The T.V. Guide
Your Love Consumes Me
'Cause I'm In Tune With You
Don't You Confuse Me
'Cause I'm Deep In Love, Deep In Love, Deep In Love With You
In This Modern World, Full Of Model Girls And Boys
We've All Wound Up Like Consumer Toys
They're Scheming For You To Buy
Products That Never Lie
The Greatest Distraction, That Makes You Feel High
Consume, Improve Your Live, Consume, Well You've Got Taste
COnsume, What A Sales Device Consume
You Buy So Much , Next Thing You Need Everything
Well Times Are Hard You've Reached The Limit On Your Credit
Card Ooh Ah
Your Love Consumes Me
'Cause I'm In Tune With You
Don't You Confuse Me
'Cause I'm Deep In Love, Deep In Love, Deep In Love With You
The lyrics of Holly Johnson's song Deep In Love describe a night out with friends, but with a deeper meaning about the effects of consumerism on society. The first verse starts with a description of a nightclub, where the girls dress up and the boys fight. The singer is not interested in the wild behavior and is not looking for a fix or a savior. The second verse talks about the future generation, which is addicted to television and consumer products. The singer encourages them to create their future and not to be left holding the TV guide.
The chorus is a declaration of the singer's love, which consumes him because he is in tune with his partner. He does not want to be confused, showing his commitment to this relationship. The last verse talks about the effects of consumerism on society, with people becoming like consumer toys. The singer encourages people to consume consciously, with taste and not to fall into the trap of buying everything they see. The last lines talk about the credit card limit, showing how consumerism leads to a cycle of debt.
Overall, Holly Johnson's Deep In Love is a song that reflects on the effects of consumerism on society and encourages people to live consciously and create their future.
Line by Line Meaning
Mascara Madness On Sarurday Night
The excitement of dressing up and getting ready for a night out with friends
The Girls Dress Up The Boys All Fight Ooh Ooh Ooh
The dynamic at social events where people dress up and have fun, sometimes leading to playful scuffles
I Couldn't Care Less About Your Wild Behaviour
The singer is uninterested in other people's reckless actions and does not desire to be a part of that lifestyle
I'm Not Looking For A Fix, I'm Not Looking For A Saviour
The artist is content and does not need someone or something to save them
And The Sun Will Shine On The Rich And Poor
The sun shines equally on everyone, regardless of social status or wealth
And The Reaper Don't Mind What Your Fightin For
Death doesn't care about the things people fight for, as they will all eventually pass away
Make Your Dreams Come True Animate Your Imagination
Encouragement to pursue one's dreams and use their imagination to animate their life
Till The World Turns Blue, Cultivate Your Concentration
Continue to focus on what you want until it becomes a reality or until the world changes
Your Love Consumes Me
The intensity of the love felt by the artist
'Cause I'm In Tune With You
The artist and their partner are in sync and share a deep connection
Don't You Confuse Me
The singer does not want to be misled or misunderstood
'Cause I'm Deep In Love, Deep In Love, Deep In Love With You
The artist is completely and wholly in love with their partner
Puppy Dogs Dance And Messiahs Fall
Unpredictability of life, where the unexpected can happen to anyone, even those in positions of power
Love Bombs Will Bop, I Love Them All
The beauty and charm of love and affection from others, no matter how they express it
Your The Future Generation, You Watch Too Much T.V.
Addressing the younger generation's reliance on technology and the media to guide their lives
Don't Hesitate, The Future Create
Encouragement to seize the moment and create their own destiny
WhileYou Sit Inside, Don't Be Left Holding The T.V. Guide
Don't be left behind watching others make the most of their lives, while you sit idly by
In This Modern World, Full Of Model Girls And Boys
Commentary on the pressure to look and act like the media's idealized models
We've All Wound Up Like Consumer Toys
Feeling like society has treated individuals like mindless consumers
They're Scheming For You To Buy
Corporate interests are always thinking of ways to get people to spend their money on unnecessary products
Products That Never Lie
The artist is criticizing the marketing tactics of companies that falsely advertise their products
The Greatest Distraction, That Makes You Feel High
Consumerism provides a temporary high but ultimately results in dissatisfaction
Consume, Improve Your Live, Consume, Well You've Got Taste
Society encourages people to consume in order to improve their lifestyle and status
COnsume, What A Sales Device Consume
Consumerism is a powerful tool used by businesses to make profits
You Buy So Much , Next Thing You Need Everything
Consumerism leads to a desire for more and more, resulting in never-ending spending and debt
Well Times Are Hard You've Reached The Limit On Your Credit
In tough economic times, people are often faced with the consequences of spending beyond their means
Card Ooh Ah
An expression of surprise or shock in response to financial difficulties
Contributed by Asher K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.