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.
Voices
Human Drama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too scared to cry
Walk on by
Penetrating eyes seem to see all
Witness a lie
Resist command
Walk on by
Mother's only son behind a mask a world unknown
That speaks to him
Walk on by
I am so sad says the voice inside his head
In a familiar voice
Walk on by
I will never take my life
Accept no blame if I give in
The boundaries of my mind
Reach farther then you see
Sometimes it's so loud
It is so clear what I hear
Is what I feel
Walk on by
What defines strength
Accepting life
Or choosing to die?
What do the strong decide?
I walk on by
The song "Voices" by Human Drama reflects on the internal struggles that an individual faces when trying to cope with various situations in life. The lyrics illustrate the fear instilled in one's mind when growing up, which gradually influences the way they face daily experiences as adults. Initially, the lyrics mention "Innocent afraid thoughts create an adult play," meaning that one's fears and apprehension in childhood echo through to adulthood, and it affects their ability to process and respond to situations.
Later in the song, "Mother's only son behind a mask a world unknown that speaks to him," reveals the identity crisis of the individual. He appears to be someone else in society than who he perceives himself to be. The internal struggle between what he feels and who he wants to be and who society expects him to be is overwhelming for him. The voice within his head echoes to him in a familiar tone, "I am so sad," which is his inner turmoil that he cannot express. He confronts the question, "What defines strength? Accepting life, or choosing to die?," conveying that the decision to take one's life or not is not an easy one.
The overall message of the song is to highlight the internal conflict that an individual faces and to encourage them to persevere and overcome struggles. The lyrics suggest that no matter how loud the noise gets, walking on by is the only way to overcome internal struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Innocent afraid thoughts create an adult play
Childish insecurities lead us to unknowingly create complex issues in our lives
Too scared to cry
Being too afraid to show vulnerability and emotions
Walk on by
Choosing to ignore the problems and keep moving forward
Penetrating eyes seem to see all
Feeling like someone is able to see through our facade
Witness a lie
Seeing the falsehood in a situation
Resist command
Choosing not to follow the expectations and norms of society
I will never take my life
Refusing to succumb to the pressures of suicide
Mother's only son behind a mask a world unknown
Being hidden behind a facade, living a completely separate life from others
That speaks to him
A voice inside his head that communicates with him
I am so sad says the voice inside his head
Feeling deep sadness internally, but unable to express it externally
In a familiar voice
The voice inside his head is familiar to him
Accept no blame if I give in
Not taking responsibility for the outcome if giving up and giving in to the difficulties
The boundaries of my mind
The self-imposed limitations of our own mental capabilities
Reach farther then you see
The boundaries extend much further than what is visible to others
Sometimes it's so loud
The internal noise can become overwhelming
It is so clear what I hear
The internal voice or feelings are very clear and distinct
Is what I feel
The emotions being felt within oneself are true and valid
What defines strength
Defining what true strength is and how it manifests itself
Accepting life
Accepting the good and the bad experiences and enduring them
Or choosing to die?
The alternative of giving up and potentially ending one's own life
What do the strong decide?
The decision that the strong make between persevering or giving up
I walk on by
Choosing to keep moving forward despite the difficulties, and ignoring the problems
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.