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.
Look Into A Strangers Eyes
Human Drama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Standing on a stack of your thoughts
Alone once more staring at a lifeless body
Wondering aloud
Am I so blind, not to see it coming
Answered inside by the simple
Dropping of your head
Fall into his trap
Curious and intrigued
Led down his wicked path of deception
Living a lie the hole keeps getting deeper
See the shapeless form
Where a man once threatened to grow
See the shell of love where eternity
Surely could have blossomed
In a pile of past lessons, never to be learned
Look into a stranger's eyes
Fall into his trap
Curious and intrigued
Led down his wicked path of deception
Temptations claws make a powerful man weak
A coward reasons
Name another who would be so strong
You mistake a tomb for a castle
The dead weight of sand for gold
And a smile for a moment
A fleeting moment can erase your greatest fear
In Human Drama's song "Look Into A Stranger's Eyes", the lyrics paint a picture of a person standing on a stack of their thoughts, feeling alone and staring at a lifeless body. The singer wonders if they were so blind to not see what was coming, until answering themselves with a simple drop of the head. The chorus warns of the dangers of falling into a stranger's trap, the curiosity and intrigue that can lead one down a wicked path of deception. The lyrics describe the hole of living a lie and how it only gets deeper, the shapeless form of a man who was once going to grow, and the shell of love where eternity could have blossomed, but will never be learned.
The song appears to be about the dangers of being too trusting and falling into the hands of someone who is not who they seem to be. The lyrics describe the potential consequences of such a situation, such as feeling alone, deceived, and living a lie. The line "Temptations claws make a powerful man weak" suggests that even the strongest individuals can fall victim to the lure of a stranger's deception.
Line by Line Meaning
There you are
You are present, visible to others
Standing on a stack of your thoughts
You are deep in thought, lost in introspection
Alone once more staring at a lifeless body
You are isolated, observing something that no longer has life or meaning
Wondering aloud
You express your doubts and uncertainties
Am I so blind, not to see it coming
You question your own perception and understanding
Answered inside by the simple
You find comfort in the straightforward answer
Dropping of your head
You feel defeated or ashamed
Look into a stranger's eyes
You seek connection or validation from a person you don't know
Fall into his trap
You are susceptible to deceit, manipulation or temptation
Curious and intrigued
You are fascinated or interested in something new or unfamiliar
Led down his wicked path of deception
You are lured into a dishonest or harmful situation or relationship
Living a lie the hole keeps getting deeper
You are trapped in a falsehood that causes pain or distress
See the shapeless form
You witness the absence of structure or meaning
Where a man once threatened to grow
Where there was potential for growth and development
See the shell of love where eternity
You notice the remnants of a love that could have lasted forever
Surely could have blossomed
It was possible for love to have flourished and matured
In a pile of past lessons, never to be learned
You realize that you have not learned from your mistakes or experiences
Temptations claws make a powerful man weak
The lure of pleasure or gain can overpower even a strong person
A coward reasons
Someone who lacks courage will come up with excuses or justifications
Name another who would be so strong
Challenging someone to show strength in the face of adversity
You mistake a tomb for a castle
You confuse something dark, dead, or futile with something grand or valuable
The dead weight of sand for gold
You confuse something abundant or meaningless with something rare or precious
And a smile for a moment
You mistake a fleeting gesture of kindness or pleasure for something more lasting
A fleeting moment can erase your greatest fear
You acknowledge the power of transitory experiences to bring comfort, joy or courage
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tigerback62
I absolutely love this band 😘
@BETZABELV
Amo esta etapa de human drama
@DreizehnSteele
wow! no unlikes!! Human Drama really moves people... and they are gathering again this year!!!!
@phroney
greatest band ever!
@AlienAleKaulitz
I love Human Drama♥! ^^
@freakworksmexico
el sonido de Human Drama es unico simplemente maravilloso!!! este año se reuniran de nuevo y pisaran tierras Mexicana!!!!
@antoniocarlin5026
De hecho Johnny vive en México ya! Jajajaja... tocarán este próximo 6 de octubre
@T4ciTh0rn
Estava atrás dessa música! Finalmente achei.
@herooftime2085
wow....es una banda tan sublime y amena para mi gusto,la amo´.......
@BBXFX
NICE, 😁 where was I that day? I bought a house across the street from HAC behind the cat & fiddle July 91. I would often wander in to see who's doing what or I was making a film installation myself for some event.