The band released four EPs before their full-length debut, 1985's In the House. Their first notable chart hit was "Lust for Love", from the 1982 EP Educated Man. Gordon left the band in 1984, and was replaced by Ed Shaw.
They also scored a Top 40 hit in 1985 with "Call it Love", which won a Juno Award for Single of the Year. The band was also named Group of the Year at that year's CASBY Awards.
Crompton left Images in Vogue in 1986, indicating that the band was too commercial for his tastes, and concentrated on his side project Skinny Puppy. Crompton was replaced by Derrick Gyles. Nelson also left the same year, and was replaced by Tim Welch.
The band considered changing its name to The Spell while recording its 1988 album, but discovered that an Australian band was already using that name. The album ended up titled as The Spell, but the band remained Images in Vogue. That album was not commercially successful, however.
By June 1988, Images in Vogue could no longer count on the support of its record label and this, combined with the band's internal conflicts, influenced Gary Smith to leave the band. Images in Vogue's final concert featuring original content was at Toronto's Opera House in November, 1991 after which the band unofficially split as members pursued different ventures.
Since then, the band has continued to release various compilation CDs featuring remixes and live, rare and unreleased songs; additionally, rare, commercially unreleased tracks are made available for download by the band at its official website.
Images in Vogue did reunite for gigs at Toronto's Opera House in 2002 and at Vancouver's Commodore in 2004. No full-time reformation of the band is expected as of this time.
Source: wikipedia.org
In the House
Images In Vogue Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They sleep and watch TV
Making up some words to say
Nobody hears
Nobody came
They never do
Rocking chairs and walls of blue
In the house
[Chorus]
Tick, tick, ticking days away
Waiting to move out and get away
Tick, tick, ticking days away
Waiting to move out and get away
In the house
Empty heads roll down the stairway
Cupboards clean for all to see
Nobody cares
Who remembers what day it is?
Who remembers the way it was?
In the house
They sleep and watch TV
[chorus]
The lyrics of Images in Vogue's "In the House" depict a melancholic scene of people living their lives in isolation and boredom, detached from the world outside. The titular "house" is presented as a symbol of stagnation, where the inhabitants are trapped and unable to break free from their routines. The opening verse describes the banality of their existence, as they pass the time watching TV and making small talk that goes unheard. The repetition of the phrase "nobody hears" emphasizes their sense of disconnect and lack of communication. The second verse introduces a hint of foreboding, as the empty heads of the inhabitants "roll down the stairway" in a ghostly image. The cleanliness of the cupboards suggests a life of sterile orderliness, devoid of any spontaneity or messiness. The question "who remembers what day it is?" highlights the sense of disorientation and detachment from reality that permeates the song.
The chorus of "In the House" further emphasizes the theme of time passing slowly and relentlessly, as the days mark themselves off one by one. The ticking sound underscores the sense of monotony and the desire to escape that permeates the lyrics. The repetition of the phrase "waiting to move out and get away" reinforces the idea that the inhabitants of the house are longing for something more, something beyond the walls that contain them.
Overall, "In the House" presents a powerful, if bleak, image of human isolation and longing for meaning. The repetition, imagery, and use of sound all contribute to creating a sense of stasis and the desire to break free from it.
Line by Line Meaning
In the house
This is where the characters in the song are currently located
They sleep and watch TV
The characters are not doing anything constructive, they are just wasting their time
Making up some words to say
Although they are not doing anything productive, they are still trying to communicate with each other
Nobody hears
Nobody is listening to what they have to say
Nobody came
They are lonely and nobody visits them
They never do
Nobody ever visits them and they never leave the house
Rocking chairs and walls of blue
This is a description of the environment they are in
[Chorus]
This is the start of the chorus section of the song
Tick, tick, ticking days away
Time is just passing them by
Waiting to move out and get away
They are waiting for something to happen so they can leave the house
In the house
This is a repetition of the first line of the song
Empty heads roll down the stairway
This is a metaphor for the emptiness of their lives
Cupboards clean for all to see
Their environment is clean, but lifeless and soulless
Nobody cares
Nobody is looking out for their well-being or taking care of them
Who remembers what day it is?
They have lost track of time and the days blend into each other
Who remembers the way it was?
They have forgotten what life was like before they became trapped in the house
They sleep and watch TV
A repetition of the original line
[chorus]
A repetition of the chorus
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TIMOTHY LEE, JEREMY MAGE, AARON SCHULTZ, XAVIER SMITH, KYAN KUATOIS, JAMES HAYFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colinrussell2017
I bought a used $5 copy of an IIV record at a record store in Vancouver a decade ago. After giving it a spin I had difficulty returning it to its sleeve. I flipped the sleeve upside down and gave it a shake. To my surprise a postcard fell out that said "Images in Vogue would like to thank you for your support of the In the House tour". It was signed by all six members! What a treat!
@thewackeddoctors
This is an under-rated new wave classic... straight out of Canada.
@Pistonport-vn3it
Fantastic another example of a great Canadian band
@marc80s
So many bands in Canada at this time, dessing like this, hanging around in rehearsal spaces and rented lofts, trying to get gigs and be discovered as the "next big New Wave thing". Good times.
@thewackeddoctors
marc80s glad to hear they are still touring.
@TheRealLeybra
Not just good song, Great song!
@scottdafoe2543
one of my favorite Canadian bands of the 80s!
@matthewchambers-sinclair8772
On a synthpop jag. Love Dale's voice on this one.
@kismetangel
I didn't know this was on YouTube. I'm in this video LOL! I was so young. Time moves way to fast! Great song fantastic band!!
@siouxtodd
SO underrated!! 🇨🇦