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.
Times Square
Human Drama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hiding from the fast talk
Watch 'Don't walk' to 'Walk'
Easy when you're dreaming
Staring at the movies
Standing in a circle,
Laughing at the wrong time.
I'd take a shot a minute
And be there by the hour.
Take a walk around Times Square
With a pistol in my suitcase
And my eyes on the TV.
In a car taking a back seat
Staring out the window
Thinking about danger.
Playing in a wrong world
Fighting but I'm not free.
Talking on the telephone
Talking about you and me.
If Jesus Christ could take me here
I'd fall dawn on my knees,
Have no questions to His answers.
Take a walk around Times Square
With a pistol in my suitcase
And my eyes on the TV.
Alcohol could take me there.
I'd take a shot a minute
And be there by the hour.
Take a walk around Times Square
With a pistol in my suitcase
And my eyes on the TV.
And if I die gaining my senses
Wake up in a hotel
Staring at the ceiling.
Human Drama's song "Times Square" is a haunting tribute to the alluring yet dangerous nature of the infamous New York landmark. The lyrics paint a picture of a weary traveler, hiding from the fast-paced environment of the city, dreaming of escaping to a different reality. The singer is stuck in a cycle of drinking, staring at movies, and laughing at the wrong times, seeking a release from the tension building up inside. The suggestion of carrying a pistol in the suitcase adds to the overall sense of danger and unease, emphasizing the character's desperation to find meaning in the chaos of the city.
The song suggests that both alcohol and religion could be a means of escape, but ultimately fall short in the face of the overwhelming reality of Times Square. The lyrics convey a sense of surrender to the unknown, as even the singer's senses are lost in the face of the constant stimulation of the city. The final line, "Wake up in a hotel, staring at the ceiling," brings the song to a somber, unresolved ending, suggesting that true peace and contentment may forever remain out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
In a tired part of the city
Feeling weary and worn out in a dull part of the town.
Hiding from the fast talk
Avoiding the rapid speech and hustle of the city.
Watch 'Don't walk' to 'Walk'
Observing the traffic signal change.
Easy when you're dreaming
Things seem simple when you're asleep or imagining.
Staring at the movies
Gazing intently at the films.
Standing in a circle,
Being positioned in a group.
Laughing at the wrong time.
Breaking into laughter at an odd moment.
If alcohol could take me there.
If drinking could transport me to that place.
I'd take a shot a minute
I would frequently drink and become inebriated.
And be there by the hour.
And swiftly reach that destination.
Take a walk around Times Square
Go for a stroll in Times Square.
With a pistol in my suitcase
Carrying a gun in my baggage.
And my eyes on the TV.
And watching the television closely.
In a car taking a back seat
Sitting in the rear of a vehicle.
Staring out the window
Gazing through the windowpane.
Thinking about danger.
Contemplating perilous situations.
Playing in a wrong world
Living in a mistaken realm.
Fighting but I'm not free.
Struggling but not experiencing liberty.
Talking on the telephone
Chatting over the phone.
Talking about you and me.
Discussing about us and our relationship.
If Jesus Christ could take me here
If Christ could bring me to this place.
I'd fall dawn on my knees,
I would kneel down in supplication.
Have no questions to His answers.
Having no doubts regarding His responses.
And if I die gaining my senses
And if I pass away while coming to my senses.
Wake up in a hotel
Awaken in a lodging.
Staring at the ceiling.
Gazing at the ceiling above.
Contributed by Isaiah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Antonio Vallejo
Me acuerdo cuando los veia en vivo en San Diego 1990 con otra Bandas. 0-[-[
Paco SR
Falta Voices, la mejor pieza del disco!!!
2 worlds and in between...
AKA ...masterpiece