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.
The Dream
House of Lords Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's something in the air, there's a darkness everywhere
As the twilight colors fall behind the purple mountain's majesty
From the shadows appeared a king, a fallen angel without his wings
As I gazed upon his face, I saw the souls of lost humanity
Was I dreaming or was the fear just taking hold
I'm running like hell
From the dream all around me
I'm under his spell
In the dream where he found me
Wake up
Wake up
We kill what we can't feed and we steal what we don't need
It's a zombie's life with truth disguised so easily
From the silence of the lambs, walks the tyrant of solitaire
His heart so black, he lays a trap with such diamonds and despair
Was I dreaming or was the fear just taking hold
Someone wake me, before he steals my soul
I'm running like hell
From the dream all around me
I'm under his spell
In the dream where he found me
The toll of the bell
Is the sound of him counting
The dream is of hell
and the kingdom of doubting
Oh... whoa...
Was I dreaming or was the fear just taking hold
Someone wake me, before he steals my soul
I'm running like hell
From the dream all around me
I'm under his spell
In the dream where he found me
The toll of the bell
Is the sound of him counting
The dream is of hell
and the kingdom of doubting
Wake up
Wake up
Wake up
Wake up
Wake up
Oh... whoa, whoa...
The Dream by House of Lords describes a feeling of fear and darkness that seems to be all around the singer. They see a fallen angel without his wings, who they describe as a king, and feel as though their soul could be stolen. The imagery of the purple mountain's majesty and the souls of lost humanity convey a sense of otherworldliness, as if the singer has found themselves in a dreamlike state. The fear in their voice is palpable as they ask to be woken up from what feels like a nightmare.
The lyrics of The Dream also touch on themes of greed and desperation. The singer compares their life to that of a zombie, where they kill what they can't feed and steal what they don't need. They refer to a tyrant of solitaire, who lures people in with diamonds and despair. The toll of the bell, which could potentially signify death, is the sound of him counting. The dream is described as a kingdom of doubting, as if the fear and despair the singer feels is preventing them from seeing clearly. Overall, the song portrays a sense of darkness and the struggle to escape it.
Line by Line Meaning
There's something in the air, there's a darkness everywhere
A gloomy atmosphere is omnipresent and deeply rooted
As the twilight colors fall behind the purple mountain's majesty
The sky is a canvas painted with orange and purple hues, behind purple majestic mountains
From the shadows appeared a king, a fallen angel without his wings
A fallen angel, who lost power and influence, appears from the darkness
As I gazed upon his face, I saw the souls of lost humanity
Staring at his face reveals the forgotten souls that are abandoned by humanity.
I'm running like hell. From the dream all around me
Escaping is the only option, but the dream pursues me viciously.
I'm under his spell. In the dream where he found me
Under his influence, trapped and vulnerable, in the illusory world that he created.
Wake up. Wake up.
A plea for relief, a shout to break free from the nightmare.
We kill what we can't feed, and we steal what we don't need
We destroy what we can't control and take what we want without any necessity.
It's a zombie's life with truth disguised so easily
Living life like a zombie, with deception easily concealed.
His heart so black, he lays a trap with such diamonds and despair
With cunning, he designs a trap filled with treasures and sadness.
The toll of the bell. Is the sound of him counting.
The final ring of the bell signifies a victorious count for his evil plans.
The dream is of hell. and the kingdom of doubting.
Living inside the dream is like being in hell, where doubting is the ruler.
Oh... whoa...
Interlude vocals
Contributed by Gabriella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David Vitullo
House of Lords, a great underrated band James Christiansen has written so many great songs he has a great voice for heavy metal rock
Gio048
Fantastic tune from a fantastic band.
Pawel Cieslik
ta milosc ktora nigdy nie przeminie, Jej Imie HOUSE OF LORDS …
Neil Aspin
Great song great band
Rune Stokke
House of Lords- The Dream / 2008 Great friday night rock song.
Dante O'Toole
Awesome song Awesome video awesome band awesome video game Inferno is awesome sorry what I said was Dante's Inferno It's A Beautiful Love Story 2 don't mind saying so
puckering1
Top notch, thx
D.E.A Artistic Files
lindos comentarios brothers lindo Domingo para mí...
RoyalSurvivor
@lutalei And for me, a great saturday night rock song =D