Over their career, the group has been very influential on American electropop and freestyle artists from both their music and their strident, colorful visuals, being best known for their 1988 self-titled album. The band was formed in Minneapolis in the early 80s, and they performed avant-garde electronic music with flourishes of hip-hop. In 1983, they independently released two albums, 'The InSoc EP' and 'Creatures Of Influence'. Two years later, they released "Running", their first single, which became a hit popular in New York City's Latino nightclubs and "put them on the map". That song, a 7-minute effort that touched on contemporary techno, was written and sung by Murat Konar, who left the band soon after. Their growing success led them from their native Minneapolis to NYC, and the ensuing revenues and contacts, as well as the addition of Amanda Kramer to the lineup, led them to record their proper debut album.
Their first major release album. 1988's 'Information Society', received critical acclaim, giving the group breakout commercial success as the album hiked up to #25 on the Billboard 200. In addition to "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (which hit #3 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart), the album also had other hits in "Walking Away" (#9 on that chart) and a cover of ABBA's "Lay All Your Love On Me" (#12 on the Hot Dance Music chart). The disc was one of the few to use CD+G, which included digital graphics on the compact disc version in addition to the music. The audio samples from Star Trek were authorized for use on the album partially thanks to the efforts of Adam Nimoy, a fan of the band and son of Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy.
The second release, Hack (1990), wasn't as successful, but had small hits with Think and How Long but still managed to sell quite well in the fall of 1990.
Kurt was also the owner of the heavily-modified The Road Warrior-inspired art car named "Vector" featured on the cover of Hack. The car sported a functioning ranging laser, among other unusual features. Vector was eventually given to a friend at Burning Man in the mid-1990s.
The third release, Peace & Love, Inc. (1992), proved to be more powerful and critically acclaimed, although their label failed to do much to promote them. Their first single Peace & Love, Inc. reached #1 on the 'Billboard Dance Chart'. A music video was produced for the track, but MTV declined to play it. The album is also notable for being perhaps the first album ever produced to contain a track of modem tones, which when played into a telephone connected to a computer resulted in a bonus text message from the band.
The fourth album, Don't Be Afraid (1997), written and performed by Kurt Harland alone and produced by Steven Seibold, was more industrial-driven. Cleopatra Records released the album, but - like Tommy Boy Records - did little to promote it. Harland's love of computer-related materials continued to be evident, as the album included a CD-ROM filled with bonus material, not yet a common occurrence in 1997.
There was also a carefully-orchestrated digital scavenger hunt culminating in the discovery of a bonus track called White Roses. The scavenger hunt began with decoding a modem's signal recorded at the end of the audio CD, resulting in a text message from Kurt which pointed the way to a website where the search began. There is also a cover included of Gary Numan's Are 'Friends' Electric?. Also included is Ozar Midrashim, a track which was later used as the main theme for the videogame Legacy of Kain - Soul Reaver.
During the course of those four albums and about a dozen remix singles from them, Information Society's sound went from more electronic pop music to a darker industrial type, though they will always be remembered for their first hit song and the cardboard guitars they wielded in its music video.
However, in 2006 Paul Robb and James Cassidy announced their intention to re-form Information Society, and began working on a new album. They also performed live at several venues across the US with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist. The Ep "Oscillator" was released in early 2007 followed by the album Synthesizer in late 2007. Christopher Anton provided the vocals on Oscillator, and Synthesizer and was the co-writer on several of the tracks as well.
http://informationsociety.us/
Express Yourself
Information Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She kisses his face on the lips)
(One woman in the world,
one woman in many faces)
(She takes him in her arms,
She kisses his face on the lips)
Don't go for second best baby
Put your love to the test
You know, you know, you've got to
Make her express how she feels
And maybe then you'll know your love is real
You don't need diamond rings
Or eighteen karat gold
Fancy cars that go very fast
You know they never last, no, no
What you need is a big strong hand
To lift you to your higher ground
Make you feel like a king on a throne
Make her love you till you can't come down
Don't go for second best baby
Put your love to the test
You know, you know, you've got to
Make her express how she feels
Then you'll know your love is real
(One woman in the world,
one woman in many faces)
Long stem roses are the way to your heart
But she needs to start with your head
Satin sheets are very romantic
What happens when you're not in bed
You deserve the best in life
So if the time isn't right then move on
Second best is never enough
You'll do much better baby on your own
Don't go for second best baby
Put your love to the test
You know, you know, you've got to
Make her express how she feels
Then you'll know your love is real
Express yourself
You've got to make her
Express herself
Hey, hey, hey, hey
So if you want it right now, make her show you how
Express what she's got, oh baby ready or not
And when you're gone she might regret it
And think about the love she once had
Try to carry on, but she just won't get it
She'll be back on her knees
To express herself
You've got to make her
Express herself
Hey hey
(One woman in the world,
one woman in many faces)
Don't go for second best baby
Put your love to the test
You know, you know, you've got to
Make her express how she feels
Then you'll know your love is real
To express herself
You've got to make her
Express herself
Hey hey hey hey
So if you want it right now, make her show you how
Express what she's got, oh baby ready or not
Express yourself
Respect yourself
hey, hey
So if you want it right now, make her show you how
Express what she's got, oh baby ready or not
Express yourself
(One woman in the world,
one woman in many faces)
(She takes him in her arms,
She kisses his face on the lips)
(She takes him in her arms,
She kisses his face on the lips)
(She takes him in her arms,
One woman in the world,
She kisses his face on the lips
one woman in many faces)
(She takes him in her arms,
One woman in the world,
She kisses his face on the lips
one woman in many faces)
The song begins with an intimate scene between a couple where the woman takes the man in her arms and kisses him on the lips. This sets the tone for the rest of the song as it encourages the man to go for the best when it comes to love and not settle for anything less. The chorus emphasizes the importance of making the woman express how she feels as it is an indication that the love is real.
The second verse delves into what the woman needs besides materialistic things like diamonds, gold, and fast cars. The song suggests that what is needed is a big strong hand to lift the woman to her higher ground and make her feel like royalty. The bridge highlights that the expression of love is not limited to physical intimacy and that emotional expression is equally important.
The song ends with the repetition of the chorus and the same intimate scene between the couple, emphasizing that expressing oneself and demanding the best in love is a continuous process. Overall, the song is a message to not settle for second best and to strive for genuine expressions of love.
Line by Line Meaning
She takes him in her arms,
She kisses his face on the lips
The woman warmly embraces and kisses her partner.
One woman in the world,
one woman in many faces
Although there are many women in the world, the singer focuses on the one special woman in his life.
Don't go for second best baby
Put your love to the test
You know, you know, you've got to
Make her express how she feels
And maybe then you'll know your love is real
The singer encourages his partner not to settle for anything other than the best and to show her love for him. He believes that when she expresses herself, their love will become more real to him.
You don't need diamond rings
Or eighteen karat gold
Fancy cars that go very fast
You know they never last, no, no
What you need is a big strong hand
To lift you to your higher ground
Make you feel like a king on a throne
Make her love you till you can't come down
Material possessions like diamond rings and fancy cars won't make someone truly happy or fulfilled. The artist believes that what his partner really needs is emotional support, like a loving partner who makes her feel uplifted and loved like royalty.
Long stem roses are the way to your heart
But she needs to start with your head
Satin sheets are very romantic
What happens when you're not in bed
You deserve the best in life
So if the time isn't right then move on
Second best is never enough
You'll do much better baby on your own
The artist recognizes that his partner appreciates romantic gestures, but he also thinks it's important for her to prioritize mental and emotional connection. He tells her that she deserves the best and shouldn't settle for anything less.
Express yourself
You've got to make her
Express herself
Hey, hey, hey, hey
So if you want it right now, make her show you how
Express what she's got, oh baby ready or not
The singer emphasizes the importance of his partner expressing herself and encourages her to do so. He wants her to show him what she's got, no matter if she feels ready or not.
And when you're gone she might regret it
And think about the love she once had
Try to carry on, but she just won't get it
She'll be back on her knees
To express herself
You've got to make her
Express herself
Hey hey
The singer believes that if his partner doesn't express herself, she may regret it when he's gone and struggle to move on. He once again urges her to express herself and says that he's willing to help her do so.
Express yourself
Respect yourself
hey, hey
So if you want it right now, make her show you how
Express what she's got, oh baby ready or not
The artist concludes the song by reiterating the importance of self-expression, along with self-respect. He urges his partner once again to express herself and show him what she's got, whether she feels ready or not.
Writer(s): Stephen Pate Bray, Madonna Ciccone, Madonna
Contributed by Gavin R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.