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.
Color Me Red
Human Drama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I answer questions complete the rhyme
Relive the beauty of another time
It's the calm before the storm
Color me red because I'm on fire
Direct me to a raging sun
I'm on fire
Time can't heal every wound
What seems fatal returns soon
Memory strikes in its wicked way
Hatred devours the pleasure of a new day
It's the calm before the storm
Color me red because I'm on fire
Direct me to a raging sun
Color me red because
I'm on fire
The fire burns from what remains
Of all my ignored fear
And I'll burn until only ashes remain
I welcome the first wind to come
The lyrics to Human Drama's song "Color Me Red" seem to delve into the complicated and often tumultuous emotional state of the singer. They describe drifting away into another day and reliving the beauty of another time, perhaps struggling with being present in the present. The singer also touches on the aftermath of trauma or hurt, acknowledging that time doesn't always heal all wounds and that memory can strike in "its wicked way." They also mention how hatred can devour the pleasure of a new day, suggesting a struggle with anger and bitterness.
Despite the heavy emotions explored in the verses, the chorus offers a sense of release and intensity. The singer asks to be colored red because they're on fire, suggesting a fierce passion, and asks to be directed to a raging sun. The repeated line "It's the calm before the storm" also adds to the intense and charged feeling of the chorus, as if something explosive is about to happen.
Line by Line Meaning
I often drift away far into another day
I tend to get lost in my thoughts and memories, traveling mentally to a different time
I answer questions complete the rhyme
I reflect on my past experiences and try to find meaning in them, making connections and completing the story
Relive the beauty of another time
I revisit moments from the past that hold beauty and significance, finding comfort in those memories
It's the calm before the storm
This moment of peace and reflection is temporary, and tension and conflict are waiting on the horizon
Color me red because I'm on fire
I am consumed by intense emotions, such as passion or anger, that make me feel alive
Direct me to a raging sun
I am drawn to things that are powerful and overwhelming, seeking out experiences that push my limits
Time can't heal every wound
Some pains and traumas can leave lasting scars that do not fully heal over time
What seems fatal returns soon
I may think that I have moved on from past hurts, but they can resurface unexpectedly and affect me deeply
Memory strikes in its wicked way
Certain memories can be painful and unwelcome, surfacing at inopportune times to cause distress
Hatred devours the pleasure of a new day
Negative emotions can be all-consuming, preventing me from enjoying the present moment or moving on from the past
The fire burns from what remains
My passions and intense emotions are fueled by the remnants of past experiences and fears that I have not fully faced
Of all my ignored fear
My unresolved fears and anxieties can build up over time and contribute to the intensity of my emotions
And I'll burn until only ashes remain
I am willing to fully experience and endure the intensity of my emotions, even if it means being consumed by them until there is nothing left
I welcome the first wind to come
I am prepared to face whatever comes my way, to be blown in a new direction or face the consequences of my choices
Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sabrina Havok
Sublime!
2 worlds and in between...
Masterpiece... Still