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.

Hang Down Your Head
Human Drama Lyrics

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Hush a wild violet
Hush a band of gold
Hush you're in a story
I heard somebody told

Tear the promise from my heart
Tear my heart today
So You have found another,

And I must go away

So hang down your head for sorrow
Hang down your head for me
Hang down your head tomorrow
Hang down your head Marie

Hush my love the rain now
Hush my love was so true
And hush my love a train now
It takes me away from you

Hang down your head for sorrow
Hang down your head for me
Hang down your head
Hang down your head
Hang down your head Marie

Hush a wild violet
Hush a band of gold
Hush you're in a story
I heard somebody told

Hang down your head for sorrow
Hang down your head for me
Hang down your head tomorrow
Hang down your head Marie

Hang down your head for sorrow
Hang down your head for me
Hang down your head
Hang down your head
Hang down your head Marie

Hang down your head

Hang down your head
Hang down your head Marie

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Human Drama's song "Hang Down Your Head" are full of sorrow and heartbreak, telling the tale of a lover who must leave due to finding out that their partner has found someone else. The first verse urges for quietness from the wild violet and the band of gold - a metaphor for the natural beauty of the world - as they are now part of a tragic story that someone else has told. The second verse is a plea to tear the promise from the partner's heart and to allow them to leave after finding someone else.

The chorus repeats the phrase "hang down your head for sorrow" four times, emphasizing the sadness and despair of the situation. The lyrics also reference a train taking the singer away from their love. This shows that the separation is inevitable and final. The final verse repeats the first, ending the song with the same plea for quietness and a sense of tragedy that the lyrics opened with.

In essence, "Hang Down Your Head" is a song about the end of a relationship and the feelings of sadness and helplessness that come along with it. The lyrics are simple, yet powerful, and the haunting melody captures the emotions perfectly.

Line by Line Meaning

Hush a wild violet
Bring down the noise, my sweet and delicate love

Hush a band of gold
Bring down the noise, my prized possession

Hush you're in a story, I heard somebody told
Keep quiet, you are part of a tale that someone else has told me

Tear the promise from my heart
Remove the vow that was once sacred to me

Tear my heart today
Shatter my heart into pieces at this moment

So You have found another, And I must go away
You have discovered somebody else, so I must leave

So hang down your head for sorrow
Bow your head low in grief

Hang down your head for me
Show your sadness on my behalf

Hang down your head tomorrow
Feel sorrow tomorrow as well

Hang down your head Marie
Marie, express your grief by lowering your head

Hush my love the rain now
Be quiet my love, it is raining outside