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.
Myself To Myself
Romeo Void Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dislike involving myself
I don't want anyone to try
To try to understand me
'Cause then I'll be tempted (Tempted)
To try again and again
And it doesn't work out
It doesn't work out
And it doesn't work out
It doesn't work out
I can't keep myself to myself
I'm giving up the false attitude of love
I used to try to change
To tone down my responses
Disassemble the mechanism
But love kept leakin' out
So I started sleepin'
It helped to dull my senses
And I don't go outside much
It used to be I could take a long walk
On a windy night
On a windy night to go see someone
But, someone is now
Someone is now
Somebody else
I am curious, but I dislike
Dislike involving myself
I don't want anyone to try
To try to understand me
'Cause then I'll be tempted (Tempted)
To try again and again
And it doesn't work out
It doesn't work out
If I can't keep myself to myself
And it doesn't work out
It doesn't work out
I can't keep myself to myself
I'm giving up the false attitude of love
I'm curious
I'm curious
But, I'm giving up the false attitude of love
Giving up the false attitude of love
I'm giving up the false attitude of love
The lyrics of Romeo Void's song "Myself To Myself" convey a sense of inner conflict and detachment. The singer expresses curiosity about the world and other people, but also a dislike for involving herself in their lives. Her attempts to understand and connect with others have failed, leaving her feeling tempted to try again but ultimately disillusioned. She has given up on the false attitude of love, which suggests that she has struggled with issues of intimacy and vulnerability in the past.
The line "I used to try to change" implies that the singer has attempted to modify her behavior in order to fit in or avoid conflict. However, she has found that her true nature cannot be contained, and love "keeps leakin' out" despite her efforts. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for her emotional state, as she is unable to fully suppress or control her feelings even when she tries to.
The phrase "I'm giving up the false attitude of love" suggests that the singer has come to realize that her previous attempts at love were disingenuous or misguided. This could be a result of past hurt or trauma, or simply a recognition of her own limitations. The song ends with the repeated refrain of "I'm curious", implying that the singer is still open to the world around her despite her reservations.
Line by Line Meaning
I am curious, but I dislike
I'm interested in others, but I don't enjoy opening up
Dislike involving myself
I don't want to be part of the social status
I don't want anyone to try
I don't want people to attempt to know me
To try to understand me
To make an effort to comprehend my thoughts and emotions
'Cause then I'll be tempted (Tempted)
Because it may arouse my desire to connect, which could hurt me
To try again and again
To repetitively attempt to bond with others
And it doesn't work out
And my attempts fail
It doesn't work out
My attempts to connect with others don't last
If I can't keep myself to myself
If I can't control my desire to sidestep socializing
And it doesn't work out
And I fail to contain myself
It doesn't work out
I can't make it last
I can't keep myself to myself
I can't keep my composure and stay away from socializing
I'm giving up the false attitude of love
I'm relinquishing the fake persona of love and all that comes with it
I used to try to change
I used to make an effort to transform myself
To tone down my responses
To dampen my reactions
Disassemble the mechanism
Take apart my internal workings
But love kept leakin' out
But still, love kept permeating from me and influencing me
So I started sleepin'
So I started sleeping excessively
It helped to dull my senses
It aided in making me numb and disinterested
And I don't go outside much
And I don't move out of my abode that often
It used to be I could take a long walk
In the past, I could take a leisurely walk
On a windy night
On a blustery night
On a windy night to go see someone
On a blustery night to visit someone
But, someone is now
But, that specific person is no longer available
Someone is now
There is now somebody new
Somebody else
That person is different from the person I used to know
I'm curious
I'm still inquisitive
I'm giving up the false attitude of love
I'm finally letting go of the phony love I've been holding on to
Contributed by Hannah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.