Human Drama was, in many ways, the personal vehicle for singer/songwriter J… Read Full Bio ↴Human Drama was, in many ways, the personal vehicle for singer/songwriter Johnny Indovina, who guided the band through a variety of lineup changes and stylistic experiments. During their lifespan, Human Drama released a series of recordings built around Indovina's passionate singing and dramatic melodies.

Indovina and Human Drama began their career in New Orleans in the early 80s as The Models, releasing two singles along with compilation appearances. A mid-'80s move to Los Angeles and the discovery of an already existing Australian band also named The Models set the stage for Indovina and company to begin their new incarnation.

The newly renamed Human Drama became a member of the "Scream scene" of the mid-'80s, which sprang up around the short-lived Los Angeles underground goth/metal club that brought Guns N' Roses and Jane's Addiction to the world. Human Drama contributed a song, "Wave of Darkness", to the 1987 Scream Compilation LP, which led to a major label deal with RCA.

1989 saw the release of the debut Hopes Prayers Dreams Heart Soul Mind Love Life Death EP and the full length Feel LP. Both releases featured a electric guitar-oriented approach. Indovina felt that RCA wasn't properly promoting the band, and the band and label parted ways.

Moving to the independent Triple X label, the next Human Drama release was 1992's The World Inside. Stylistically different from the first two releases, Indovina moved Human Drama into a quieter, more strings-based sound. This album is widely regarded as Indovina and Human Drama's most important work. The LP earned the band critical raves and a near fanatical following, especially in Mexico. A solo performance of various cover songs by Indovina at the album's release party predicted the next Human Drama album. Released in 1993, PinUps was an open tribute to David Bowie's album of the same name, a collection of remakes of various sources of inspiration.

A move to New York city accompanied a temporary co-release stint on the Projekt label, resulting in two additional mid-decade releases, 1994's Human Drama EP and 1995's Songs of Betrayal, which was later re-released as two separate discs with additional tracks.

The next Human Drama release would be a live album. 1997's Fourteen Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Four Days Later, featuring many of the early Feel-era songs, along with some new cover song choices.

1999 brought Solemn Sun Setting, which saw a merging of the two "different" Human Drama styles, before the following year's career overview, Best of Human Drama...In a Perfect World.

The final Human Drama album, 2002's Cause and Effect, continuing themes from Solemn Sun Setting, was an unexpected goodbye from Indovina and company, for both the band and their fans.

In 2004, Human Drama recorded their final track, the Beatles "Let It Be", which was given to fans who attended the band's farewell performance in Los Angeles. When asked why he chose "Let It Be" as their final recording Indovina answered, "I strived my entire career to write a song as good as that, but since I couldn't, I decided to record it as a salute to, what is in my opinion, the best song ever written".

Indovina has since moved on with his next project, Sound of the Blue Heart.

A Simple Glance
Human Drama Lyrics

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A heart with no shame behind curtains drawn

I'll be waiting for you

Behind the wall I sit
In only thought I see
What will never change
What I know can be

My faith I will test with my hands by my side
I resist the temptation
For what should be mine
If wanted I am
Then hers I will be
Of fear I am wary
In truth I believe

And she comes
Without fail
For hours she will speak
But she never tells
She comes again
Silently sits
Then with a simple glance
Tells me everything

I know what I am
This will never change
Silhouette in the window
Holding the flame
It's destiny's hand
Its touch I await
I pace back and forth
Looking for no escape

And she comes
Without fail
For hours she will speak
But she never tells
She comes again
Silently sits
Then with a simple glance
Tells me everything

Hold tight, the road you know it turns
Clear sight for the ones who choose to learn

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "A Simple Glance" by Human Drama describe someone who is waiting for their love interest who never reveals their true feelings but is able to convey everything with a simple glance. The singer sits behind a wall, with only their thoughts to keep them company. They have faith in their love interest, but they resist the temptation of pursuing them. The singer admits that they fear rejection, but they believe in the truth of their own feelings.

The love interest comes and goes without fail, sitting silently for hours without saying much. But when they give the singer "a simple glance," everything falls into place. The singer knows who they are and what they want, and they're willing to wait for it. They see themselves as a shadow in the window, holding a flame and waiting for destiny's touch. The singer paces back and forth but looks for no escape - they are dedicated to waiting for their love interest.

The lyrics convey a complex mixture of emotions - the fear of rejection, the faith in love, the need for trust, and the yearning for connection. The song is about the waiting game of love, about the power of nonverbal communication, and about how sometimes a simple glance can convey everything that needs to be said.

Line by Line Meaning

A heart with no shame behind curtains drawn
Unfiltered emotions hidden behind closed doors

I'll be waiting for you
Patiently anticipating your arrival

Behind the wall I sit
I am shielding myself from the world

In only thought I see
Imagining what could happen

What will never change
Certain things are unalterable

What I know can be
I am aware of what could happen

My faith I will test with my hands by my side
I will wait for things to happen on their own

I resist the temptation
I hold back from giving in to temptation

For what should be mine
My desires are still unfulfilled

If wanted I am
If I am desired

Then hers I will be
I will belong to her