Former Flowered Up keyboard player Tim Dorney and Andy Todd founded Republica. Saffron was born in 3 June 1968 in Ibadan, Nigeria. She was an actress at one point, performing for two years in London's Starlight Express. She also appeared in the video for the Chesney Hawkes' hit "The One and Only" and in the video for N-Joi's single "Mindflux". Saffron was also lead vocalist on N-Joi's hit "Anthem" in 1990.
Republica released the first single "Out of this World" in 1994, followed by the single "Bloke" in January 1995.
Their debut album Republica was released in July 1996 and reached #4 in the charts. The single "Ready To Go" peaked at #13 in UK Singles Chart. "Ready To Go" also became the band' signature song. The fourth single "Drop Dead Gorgeous" ranked #7 in UK Singles Chart.
In 1997 Saffron performed vocals for The Prodigy's "Fuel My Fire" from their album The Fat of the Land.
The second album, Speed Ballads, was released in 1998 and reached #37 in UK Albums Chart. Its lead single, "From Rush Hour With Love", peaked at #20 in UK Singles Chart.
Their label, Deconstruction Records, folded shortly after the release of Speed Ballads. Deconstruction's back catalogue was swallowed up by BMG, who released a Best Of album in 2002. The band went on hiatus in 2001.
Following the breakup of Republica, Saffron worked with The Cure, appearing on the track "Just Say Yes". She also collaborated with Junkie XL for his 2003 album Radio JXL: A Broadcast From the Computer Hell Cabin.
In 2008 Republica reunited at Windsor at a Contra Mundum concert and performed three songs.
In 2010 they performed a string of gigs. They also issued a remixed version of "Ready To Go" entitled "Ready To Go 2010". The track has been produced by Andy Gray and Alan Moulder.
Fading of the Man
Republica Lyrics
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You want fresh meat, but I won't eat it
You can't touch me, your insides ugly
It's a slap in the face, but you gave it away
You give in to fame
Then, you found yourself high
And you're gonna feel low
And you find yourself colder than the winter
Faded man
Ice cold, bare bones
You take flesh and you take aspirin,
Glad I faked it, 'cause now its ended
'Cause you found yourself high, now you're going below
When your throat becomes dry, and you want to go home
Faded man
But the airports are closed, and your credit card knows
Your honesty's left back on the runway
Screaming for the phone, it's the fading of a man
Like a slap in the face, but you gave it away
You gave in to fame
Then, you found yourself high
And you're gonna feel low
And you find yourself colder than the winter
Melting like the snow
Faded man
And you find yourself high, now your going below
And your faces are changing like the seasons
Breaking like a bone
It's the fading of a man
The lyrics to Republica's song "Fading of the Man" tell the story of someone who has become a victim of their own fame. The opening lines describe this person as "ice cold" and "heart stone," indicating that they have become hardened and disconnected from the world around them. The singer then goes on to say that this person wants "fresh meat," perhaps indicating a desire for new experiences or challenges, but that the singer refuses to indulge this desire.
Later in the song, we see the consequences of this person's pursuit of fame. They have become addicted to the high of success, but now find themselves "colder than the winter" and unable to bear being alone. The repeated phrase "fading of the man" reinforces the idea that this person is losing their identity and sense of self, becoming a shell of who they once were.
Ultimately, the song seems to be a warning against the dangers of chasing success and fame at all costs. It suggests that there is a price to be paid for such pursuits, and that the ultimate outcome may not be worth it.
Line by Line Meaning
Ice cold, heart stone
This person is detached and unfeeling, like a cold, hard stone.
You want fresh meat, but I won't eat it
You're looking for new things, but I'm not interested.
You can't touch me, your insides ugly
You can't get to me because you're ugly on the inside.
It's a slap in the face, but you gave it away
You made a mistake and now you're paying for it.
You give in to fame
You're willing to do whatever it takes to become famous.
Then, you found yourself high
You reached your goal and became successful.
And you're gonna feel low
But now you'll experience the downside of your fame.
And you find yourself colder than the winter
You feel isolated and distant from others.
Can't bare to be alone
You're afraid of being by yourself.
Faded man
You've lost your sparkle and charm.
Ice cold, bare bones
You've become cold and empty inside.
You take flesh and you take aspirin
You indulge in vices to cope with the emptiness.
Glad I faked it, 'cause now its ended
I'm relieved that I pretended to be someone else because it's over now.
'Cause you found yourself high, now you're going below
You enjoyed your success, but now it's coming to an end.
When your throat becomes dry, and you want to go home
When you're in trouble, you'll want to return to where you came from.
But the airports are closed, and your credit card knows
You're stuck in a bad situation and your resources are limited.
Your honesty's left back on the runway
You've lost your integrity along the way.
Screaming for the phone, it's the fading of a man
You're desperate and powerless, and it's clear that you're on your way out.
And you find yourself high, now your going below
You were successful for a time, but now you're losing it all.
And your faces are changing like the seasons
You're changing and evolving, but not necessarily for the better.
Breaking like a bone
You're falling apart at the seams.
It's the fading of a man
You're losing your grip on reality and fading into obscurity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TIMOTHY MICHAEL DORNEY, SAFFRON AKA SAMANTHA SPRACKLING, JONATHAN MALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind