Despite the group's chart success, they had problems with exposure on then-critical MTV, due in part to the band being less than photogenic and "looking like a gang of Hell's Angels." They remained with DGC/Geffen for a sophomore release, Influence in 1992, but neither Rock nor Kalodner continued working with them. By this time, guitarist Apache had left and was replaced with Earl Slick. After Influence failed to match the success of their debut, the group disbanded. They were one of many metal bands whose careers faltered with the early 1990s rise of alternative rock. DGC - initially a label strongly devoted to metal/progressive rock label - began to favor alternative bands. Ron Young later went on to sing in The Four Horsemen, Manic Eden, and Dirt.
The band reformed for some live shows in 2001, and released a new album, Redemption, in 2009. They also introduced new guitar player Joey Brasler (who had played with Etta James, Bob Welch, Cherie Currie) replacing original member Apache. After touring in the US, Europe and the UK during 2010/2011, Little Caesar released their fourth album entitled American Dream on the Unison Music Group label in May, 2012. It was produced by Bruce Witkin. They embarked on a tour of Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and culminating in Wales in December 2012.
On 25 March 2013, it was announced that band would perform at the Download Festival on the 16 June 2013. Frontman Ron Young explained: “20 years ago we were offered to play the festival when it was called Monsters Of Rock. We had to turn it down because our label would not give us the funds to get there. Today, with no label, manager or big-money supporters, we finally made it. We got there because we have some amazing people that prop us up, inspire us, and bless us with their talent, energies – and most priceless, their friendship. They’ve helped us accomplish what we couldn’t do with a lot of powerful people behind us.”
Studio albums
Little Caesar (1990)
Influence (1992)
This Time It's Different (1998)
Redemption (2009)
American Dream (2012)
Eight (2018)
From the Start
Little Caesar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a lonely highway in a lonely town, whoa
Was it mercy, like a dog found in a road
Was it loneliness, I just gotta know, oh, oh
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it cries for the better things
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
From the start
Like a candle in a summer rain
Will it kill the fire, oh, will it douse the flame, whoa
Know the passion, can you feel the fire
Did you really want me, yeah, was it mere desire, oh, yeah
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it cries for the better things
From the start, we were drifting apart
With your eyes you would start to sing this sad song
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it cries for the better things
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it's drippin' down the edges that were broken
Whoa, yeah
Like the sugar held from children's reach
Like the empty shells washed upon the beach, whoa...
We were hoping we'd find our fortune there
But a fool's reward, something never shared, no...
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it cries for the better things
From the start, we were drifting apart
With your eyes you would start to sing this sad song
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it cries for the better things
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
And it's drippin' down the edges that were broken
Na, na, na, na-na-na, na, na, na
Na-na-na, na, na, na, na, na
Na, na, na, na-na-na, na, na, na
Na-na-na, na, na, na, na, na
The song "From the Start" by Little Caesar is a blues rock ballad that deals with themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and regret. The opening lines of the song evoke a sense of emptiness and desolation, as the singer hears an "empty sound" that reminds him of a lonely highway in a lonely town. He wonders whether the pain he feels is due to mercy or loneliness and seeks answers to these questions.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the tear in his heart that has been present "from the start." He laments the fact that he and his partner were "drifting apart" and sings about the sad song that she used to sing with her eyes. He compares their failed relationship to a candle in a summer rain that threatens to douse the flame of their passion. The final verses of the song use powerful imagery to convey the sense of loss and disappointment that the singer feels. He compares their hopes of finding fortune to "empty shells washed upon the beach" and describes their love as a "fool's reward."
Overall, "From the Start" is a poignant and introspective song that deals with the pain of lost love and the quest for answers in a world that often seems cold and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
In the mornin', I hear an empty sound
I wake up feeling empty and alone.
Like a lonely highway in a lonely town, whoa
I feel as if I'm lost on a long, empty road with no one to turn to.
Was it mercy, like a dog found in a road
I wonder if anyone will show me kindness and help me find my way.
Was it loneliness, I just gotta know, oh, oh
I'm questioning whether the emptiness I feel is caused by my solitude.
From the start, there's a tear in my heart
I've been hurt and sad from the beginning.
And it cries for the better things
I yearn for happiness and good fortune.
And it's drippin' down the edges that were broken
My pain is seeping through the cracks in my heart that were already fragile.
Like a candle in a summer rain
I feel like my innermost flame could be extinguished at any moment.
Will it kill the fire, oh, will it douse the flame, whoa
I'm worried whether my sadness will snuff out the little hope I have left.
Know the passion, can you feel the fire
I'm wondering if the other person in my relationship truly understands and shares my love.
Did you really want me, yeah, was it mere desire, oh, yeah
I'm unsure whether my partner truly wanted me for who I am or just for physical gratification.
From the start, we were drifting apart
The disconnection between me and my partner started from the beginning.
With your eyes you would start to sing this sad song
Even just the look in my partner's eyes was enough to set off a wave of sadness.
Like the sugar held from children's reach
Our dreams of happiness always seem to be just out of reach, like a tantalizing but unattainable treat.
Like the empty shells washed upon the beach, whoa...
Our hopes and happiness have been battered around and broken, leaving us feeling like empty shells.
We were hoping we'd find our fortune there
We believed that by being together, we would find happiness and good fortune.
But a fool's reward, something never shared, no...
Instead, the only thing we've found is disappointment and sadness, with no way to fix it.
Contributed by Muhammad J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.