They are best known for the songs "Never Say Never" (1982) and "A Girl in Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" (1984), which were minor hits, with the latter becoming a Top 40 pop single. Their popularity was primarily in alternative and college radio, and as a dynamic performing act. They recorded for 415/Columbia Records. The original band members met at the San Francisco Art Institute. Most of the band members were also visual artists and did their own album art.
The band wrote and recorded four demo tracks in October 1993 (If I Was Your Cat, Stormy Eyes, Two Rivers, and Safe Place), which were sent to Sony Music but never released.
After the demise of Romeo Void, Debora Iyall, the lead singer and lyricist, put together and sang in the groups Knife in Water and Lower East Venus. John Haines played drums for Pearl Harbour and the Explosions.
The band was reunited briefly in 2003 for a one-off concert by VH-1's Bands Reunited, although Benjamin Bossi was unable to perform due to hearing loss.
Charred Remains
Romeo Void Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We fell on the bed and suddenly we were someone else,
Curled in your neck, arching my back, I taste you again,
Feel any embrace, there certainly is a limited view.
Do you think I don't mean it? I do.
I wanted you to love me as you had loved me once,
Blending out late invalid to win you back,
I wanna love you so much more. sugar, when we meet again
Do you think I don't mean it? I do.
I'll gnaw out my last pair of shoes for you,
The ashtrays heat with my response to you.
But the liquor cabinet is empty Oh! Feeling this for you,
And the streets are slick with "more and more" 's for you.
Do you think I don't mean it. I do.
The opening lines of the song "Charred Remains" by Romeo Void paint a vivid image of an eerie, deserted street. The singer of the song finds himself there with his lover, and as they retreat to the privacy of a bedroom, something changes between them. They become "someone else," and the singer finds himself lost in the moment, consumed by the pleasure of their intimacy. The lyrics are sensual and charged with erotic energy, as the singer describes curling up against his lover's neck and arching his back in ecstasy.
Despite the intensely sexual nature of the song's lyrics, there is also an undercurrent of sadness and longing. The singer wants his lover to love him as they once did, even though that love seems to have faded over time. He is willing to do anything to win them back, even to the point of gnawing through his shoes. The sense of desperation and longing in the singer's voice is palpable, even as he insists that he means every word he says.
In many ways, "Charred Remains" is a classic example of the post-punk movement of the 1980s, with its heavy use of synthesizers, sparse percussion, and emotionally-charged lyrics. The song has been interpreted in many different ways over the years, with some critics seeing it as a commentary on the alienation and despair of modern urban life, while others view it as a deeply personal meditation on the nature of love and desire.
Line by Line Meaning
He turns his head, outside the streets are dead enough,
He looks away, noticing the quietness in the streets outside.
We fell on the bed and suddenly we were someone else,
We engage in an act of intimacy which transforms our identities in that moment.
Curled in your neck, arching my back, I taste you again,
I lie close to you, my body reacting to your touch and my senses seeking to savor the moment.
Feel any embrace, there certainly is a limited view.
While the warmth of your embrace is welcome, our future may be limited and uncertain.
Do you think I don't mean it? I do.
I am sincere in my feelings and actions.
I wanted you to love me as you had loved me once,
I yearned for a return to the love we once shared.
I was already willing when you drove out of sight,
I was ready to commit to you despite knowing you might leave.
Blending out late invalid to win you back,
Even though it may seem desperate, I am willing to sacrifice to regain your love.
I wanna love you so much more. sugar, when we meet again
I desire a deeper and more fulfilling love when we reunite.
I'll gnaw out my last pair of shoes for you,
I am willing to do whatever it takes to please you and make you happy.
The ashtrays heat with my response to you.
My passionate outpourings are evidenced by the overflowing ashtrays.
But the liquor cabinet is empty Oh! Feeling this for you,
Despite the lack of alcohol, my feelings for you remain strong and heightened.
And the streets are slick with "more and more" 's for you.
The repetition of my love is evident in the words and actions of those around me.
Do you think I don't mean it. I do.
My love for you is genuine and unwavering.
Contributed by Scarlett D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.