House of Lords' eponymous debut was released in 1988, featuring a heavier sound than Giuffria with slightly less emphasis on keyboards, the debut received critical acclaim and the band toured with Cheap Trick and opened for Scorpions in 1989. The album featured one major hit, "I Wanna Be Loved" (Hot 100 #58). The Stan Bush penned "Love Don't Lie" was the second single but aside from some airplay on MTV it failed to ignite. Despite a successful tour, original guitarist Lanny Cordola left in 1990, replaced by Michael Guy.
Their next effort, 1990's Sahara, features Michael Guy and an impressive list of guest musicians. Other notable contributions to the album came from Doug Aldrich, Rick Nielsen, Chris Impellitteri, Mandy Meyer, David Glen Eisley, Robin Zander, Mike Tramp, Steve Plunkett and Ron Keel. The first single & video was the Blind Faith cover "Can't Find My Way Home" which did well on Album Rock radio peaking at #10.. The second single "Remember My Name" was a bigger hit at Top 40 radio hitting #72 on the Hot 100 and a Top 5 regular on DIAL MTV. Soon after the single peaked, Chuck Wright and Ken Mary (drummer) would leave.
1992's release Demons Down, described by Christian as his favorite release, features Dennis Chick (guitars), Sean McNabb (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums) as well as, sole original members, James Christian and Gregg Giuffria. The album spawned two singles for the title track and the ballad "What's forever for" which would have been massive in a pre-grunge climate. After recording demos to shop for a new label, the band parted ways.
From a business point of view, House of Lords never reached the same level of popularity that Giuffria did in the mid-eighties until Jeff Kent was called to pull the band out of its black hole at the Frontier Records, ready to drop the House of Lords after the bands disastrous ratings of "The Power And The Myth" CD. The sacking of original Giuffria vocalist David Glen Eisley by Gene Simmons was not the most clever decision, but accepted by Gregg Giuffria.
A new album was rumored to be released in 2002, with original members Lanny Cordola, Chuck Wright and Ken Mary. Two years later The Power And The Myth was released by Frontiers Records with lack luster ratings and songs, however Greg Giuffria had pulled out and keyboard work was done by guests Derek Sherinian, Allan Okuye, Sven Martin and Ricky Phillips.
In 2006 House of Lords released a truly new album with most all the melodies and lyrics written by Jeff Kent (formerly of Pierce Arrow, Dreams, CBS songwriter, MTM Songwriter, and Producer of countless songs and projects, including songs on Robin Beck's "Trouble or Nothin" CD, including the 20th Anniversary newly released version, her "Living on a Dream" CD lyrics written almost exclusively with Jeff Kent) and World Upside Down with a new lineup including Jeff Kent as a “full band member” pictured in his barrette on the CD cover as well as all over the inside jacket of credits. Jeff Kent also played all the Keyboard parts in spite of what their fans were told about Gregg Giuffria, who backed out at the last minute, but was paid for the use of his name and credits to keep the band’s continuity with their fans.
Soon to follow was a live album HOL released Live in the UK which was released in January 2007. To the band’s great pleasure, Melodicrock.com also included two of Jeff Kent's co-compositions on the double 20th Anniversary CD, regularly released by MELODICROCK.COM, the greatest authority on Heavy Melodic Rock music in the world today.
2008 was marked with the release of the long awaited next new studio album, where Jeff Kent was again solicited to write “all the lyrics and melodies” with the exception of one song on this new amazing CD. Even the title came from Jeff Kent's Lyric on the song “Come to My Kingdom”, used as the title of the entire CD Come to My Kingdom, which was again followed by a limited European, US tour. However, unfortunately, due to poor business decisions, this barely supported and promoted new album rated at 97% on Melodicrock.com's website. Jeff Kent's work on the World Upside Down CD raised the bar on Melodicrock.com to being rated at 96% after the bands poor effort on "The Power And The Myth." Recently, the band was asked to play for the first time in Brazil, together with White Lion and Tyketto (both for the first time in Brazil as well), in the Hard in Rio II Hard Rock Festival.
In 2009, the band plans to resume limited touring and continue the infamous Come to My Kingdom tour of Europe, starting in September 2009.
A Simple Plan
House of Lords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh... ooh...
Nobody can feel the pain
That's what you said
Nobody remains the same
Everything changes
Somebody's left in the rain
You have to live your life
Like the host of a grand parade
(Blinded by the lights)
I tried to shine a light
On the face of the masquerade
I am a, a simple man
I had a, a simple plan:
To love you, ooh...
Just to love you, ooh...
Nobody can change the game
To try is insane
Somebody cut to the vein
It's all erased
You couldn't understand
Why you're loneliest in the crowd
(Ooh, it broke your heart)
I tried to take your hand
And to help you to cry out loud
I am a, a simple man
I had a, a simple plan
Now I have blood on my hands
I loved you, yes, I loved you
I'll try to shine your light
On the face of the masquerade
(Face of the masquerade)
I am a, a simple man
I had a, a simple plan
Now I have blood on my hands
I am a simple man
(A simple man)
I am a simple man
I am a simple man
I am a simple man
I am a, a simple man
I had a, a simple plan
The House of Lords' song "A Simple Plan" talks about the pain and changes that come with life. The first verse speaks about how nobody can empathize with one's pain while the chorus implies that love is what the singer seeks in life, but it proves to be anything but simple. The second verse talks about how somebody got hurt again and the futility of trying to change things.
The lyricist then offers a piece of advice to live life like the host of a grand parade: always keep everything bright and adorned. However, there is more to this than that. The significant part is that the singer tries to show the real face of the masquerade to the world. The masquerade here refers to the societal construct of presenting a fake facade to the world while hiding one's true self. The singer tries to remove this facade and bring forth the reality in front of everyone.
The chorus repeats the singer's simple plan of loving someone but not being able to do so. The song ends with the realization that trying to help someone can leave you with blood on your hands, which is a metaphor for guilt.
Line by Line Meaning
Nobody can feel the pain, That's what you said
There is no one who can understand your pain, that is what you have expressed
Nobody remains the same, Everything changes
No one stays the same, everything will eventually change
Somebody's left in the rain, Again and again
Someone is left alone in the rain, repeatedly
You have to live your life, Like the host of a grand parade, (Blinded by the lights)
You should live your life like a grand parade and enjoy every moment (even if it blinds you)
I tried to shine a light, On the face of the masquerade
I attempted to reveal the truth behind the facade
I am a, a simple man, I had a, a simple plan: To love you, ooh... Just to love you, ooh...
I am someone who is easily pleased and had a plan to love you, and nothing more
Nobody can change the game, To try is insane, Somebody cut to the vein, It's all erased
No one can change the course of things, trying to do so is crazy, someone tried to cut into it and everything is lost
You couldn't understand, Why you're loneliest in the crowd, (Ooh, it broke your heart)
You do not understand why you feel so alone in the midst of a crowd, and it has deeply hurt you
I tried to take your hand, And to help you to cry out loud
I attempted to be there for you and encourage you to express your emotions openly
Now I have blood on my hands, I loved you, yes, I loved you
I am now guilty of something, because I loved you
I'll try to shine your light, On the face of the masquerade, (Face of the masquerade)
I will make my best effort to reveal the real truth behind the deceit (facade)
I am a, a simple man, I had a, a simple plan, Now I have blood on my hands
I am someone who is easily pleased with simple things, I had a goal to love you, but now I am guilty of something
I am a simple man, (A simple man) I am a simple man, I am a simple man, I am a simple man
I am just a simple person
Contributed by Molly P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
lxlandia
Great melody on this track...I am a fan since their inception...every HOL release is an instant purchase for me.
jimmiegoforthewin
I liked this album so much I just purchased it online , thanks for allowing me to review this interesting album.
RobsRogues
great song!!!
isidoro diaz
House of Lords es una banda que no ha alcanzado el exito que para mi deberian haber tenido no entiendo porque razon.Personalmente es una de mis debilidades junto con Whitesnake ,tengo todos sus discos y no recuerdo casi ninguna cancion mala .Y lo mejor de todo es que veinte años despues van y sacan dos discos como este "Cartesian Dreams" y el posterior "Big Money" que de haber salido en los 80 hubieran sido un bombazo, pero estamos en otro tiempos ....