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.
Somewhere
Human Drama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silhouetted as they pirouette
Behind the stairs
That take them farther from home
17th street, Tenth Avenue
The ice age fell so just deal with it
Put your gloves in your pocket boy
Light years from the parking lot I once played
And the bed last night where I laid
Open the curtains boy
It's time
Somewhere tomorrow's promise rings
Somewhere a Sunday choir sings
Somewhere is where I want to be
Time Square, it's a carnival
Were there lights?
I failed to notice
But twenty seven needles lay
In the cracks where I walk
For all the dreams and the saviors we once knew
All the flags we waved without a clue
Open the curtains boy
It's time
Somewhere tomorrow's promise rings
Somewhere a Sunday choir sings
Somewhere is where I want to be
In New Orleans lies the punishment
Distorted eyes look past the crime scene
Year after year
Waiting to be found
The lyrics to "Somewhere" by Human Drama are full of vivid imagery and powerful emotions. The song tells the story of a person who feels lost and disconnected from their surroundings, longing for a sense of purpose and belonging. The opening lines set the stage with a sense of mystery and movement, as the "shadows run...silhouetted as they pirouette" away from home. The setting is a gritty urban landscape, specifically the intersection of 17th street and Tenth Avenue, where the singer is urged to "deal with" the harsh realities of life in the city. There's a sense of urgency in the call to action, as the singer's companion insists, "Let's go to war."
The chorus is an anthem of hope and longing, as the singer asserts their desire to find a better place: "Somewhere tomorrow's promise rings/Somewhere a Sunday choir sings/Somewhere is where I want to be." The verses continue to paint a vivid picture of the singer's surroundings, from the "ice age" that seems to have set in on the streets, to the "carnival" of Times Square, where the lights are so overwhelming that the singer fails to notice them. There's also a suggestion of danger lurking beneath the surface, as the singer notes the "27 needles" scattered on the ground, and describes the "distorted eyes" that haunt New Orleans.
Overall, "Somewhere" is a powerful meditation on the search for meaning and connection in a world that can often seem cold and indifferent. The lyrics are full of striking imagery and emotion, and the repetition of the chorus reinforces the sense of yearning that drives the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadows run so mysterious
The dark figures seem to move in a secretive and intriguing way
Silhouetted as they pirouette
Their movements are graceful and dance-like, while their shape remains indistinguishable
Behind the stairs
They disappear from view behind a structural element
That take them farther from home
Their path leads them away from the safety and comfort of their familiar surroundings
17th street, Tenth Avenue
A specific location in the city, a crossroads where different paths meet
The ice age fell so just deal with it
History has brought changes that we must adapt to, even if they seem harsh
Put your gloves in your pocket boy
Prepare yourself for what might come next, keep your hands ready
Let's go to war
Let's face the challenges ahead with determination and courage
Light years from the parking lot I once played
The distance between where I am now and my childhood memories seem immense
And the bed last night where I laid
Even everyday experiences like sleeping seem far behind me
Open the curtains boy
Take a look at the new day that's about to start
It's time
This is the moment to act or to move forward
Somewhere tomorrow's promise rings
There's a sense of hope that tomorrow will bring something better
Somewhere a Sunday choir sings
Music and faith can bring joy and comfort
Somewhere is where I want to be
I long for a place where things are clearer and more stable
Time Square, it's a carnival
The energy and chaos of the city feels like a festive event
Were there lights?
I was so focused on something else that I didn't notice the most obvious things
I failed to notice
My attention was elsewhere, maybe even overwhelmed by my surroundings
But twenty seven needles lay
Amidst the hustle and bustle, I can see discarded objects that suggest darker stories
In the cracks where I walk
The city's concrete and asphalt reveal its imperfections and scars
For all the dreams and the saviors we once knew
We used to hope for great things and look up to inspiring figures
All the flags we waved without a clue
But now we realize that our enthusiasm was naive and misguided
Open the curtains boy
Let's take a fresh look at our situation and possibilities
It's time
It's time to make sense of our past and find new paths
Somewhere tomorrow's promise rings
Even if we feel lost, there's a glimmer of hope that points to better days
Somewhere a Sunday choir sings
Even if we don't belong to a specific faith or tradition, we can appreciate the power of music and belief
Somewhere is where I want to be
I crave a place of peace and understanding, somewhere I can truly call home
In New Orleans lies the punishment
This specific place carries a sense of tragedy and loss, probably linked to natural or man-made disasters
Distorted eyes look past the crime scene
The people who live here have seen a lot of hardship and violence, to the point of becoming numb
Year after year
The cycle of destruction and renewal seems endless and exhausting
Waiting to be found
Despite the odds, some still hold onto the hope of redemption, of finding something or someone that can make things right
Contributed by Caleb O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.