The Shock of Pleasure formed in 2004. The group was created by singer/song… Read Full Bio ↴The Shock of Pleasure formed in 2004. The group was created by singer/songwriter Robert Romano of Stranger than Fiction along with veteran drummer Brent Irish and bassist Josh Curry.

In 2005, the group was joined by Kelley Christian as featured vocalist. Kelley is classically trained and started out singing jazz in the local Dallas circuit. Her voice has truly given meaning to the name Shock of Pleasure as she effortlessly glides through the ambient fabric of beats and intersecting melodies.

The Shock has quickly risen to the forefront of Dallas’ entertainment scene with it’s rare form of Electro-Lounge Music. A favorite at Stout, Absinthe Lounge, Kismet, The Draelion Lounge, Kinki and Sambuca. The group’s live set is dotted with obvious influences: Thievery Corporation, Portishead, Dido and Depeche Mode.

It’s About Time, Perfectly produced by David Castell (Blue October, Burden Brothers), the debut CD delivers 8 stellar tracks (plus remixes) that cross the lines of dub, trip hop and electronica.

Spooky
Shock of Pleasure Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This is not a test,
It's just the radio.
There's no place left for
One of us, we live in stereo.

If there?s a question, the way I feel about the law
That says that I?m a thief above it all.
I do not have the things I want, but I can?t find.

Just show me something real and make it.
Everywhere begins to be the same
Other words we use that might contain
An ounce of truth for every treason.
Where was it you said you had to go?
Life is just a game of who you know.
The ones we love and mostly cherish.

Why? Are we so focused?
Don?t tell me that you?re thinking,
You?re thinking that it?s better this way.
The things we do for love, it?s all for your protection.
Your protection.

Communication,
A gift we share, but most of all,
Divides our world in places without walls.
I do no have the things you want but never find.
It?s music that I feel; I can?t fake it.
Isn?t there a way to get it back?
To the way it was before the world
Became obsessed with information.

Why? Are we so focused?
Don?t tell me that you think that it should be this way,
A sad excuse for love, it?s all for your protection.
Your protection.

I do not have the things I want but I can?t find,
Just show me something real and make it.
Everywhere begins to be the same,
Other words we use that might contain,
An ounce of truth for every treason.
Where was it you said you had to go?
Life is just a game of who you know.
The ones we love and mostly cherish.

Why? Are we so focused?
Why? Is loving you so hard?
The things we do for love,
It?s all for your protection.

Your protection.

This is not a test;
It?s just the radio.
There?s no place left for one of us;
We live in stereo.

This is not a test;
It?s just the radio.
This is not a test;
It?s just the radio.

It?s just the radio.

Overall Meaning

The song "This is a Test" by Shock of Pleasure starts with a declaration that what the listener is hearing is not a test, but just the radio. This immediately sets up the idea that what we are hearing is just a broadcast, and could be interpreted as a metaphor for the way in which we experience information and communication in the modern world. There is no place left for one of us, and we live in stereo, suggesting a sense of saturation and uniformity in modern culture that leaves little room for individuality or uniqueness.

The lyrics then move into a discussion of a law that labels the singer as a thief, and the lack of fulfillment or satisfaction that comes from trying to find the things they want. They implore the listener to show them something real and authentic, and ask if there is a way to go back to a time before the world became obsessed with information. The chorus asks why we are so focused on protecting ourselves and the ones we love, and suggests that our actions often come from a place of fear rather than love.

Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the ways in which modern society has become hyper-saturated with media and information, and how this can lead to a sense of disconnection and a lack of fulfillment in our lives. It is a call to seek out authenticity and connection, and to question the motivations behind our actions and decisions.

Line by Line Meaning

This is not a test,
This is not a drill or an assessment, but the reality of our situation.

It's just the radio.
We are only listening to transmitted sounds and information that do not affect our physical world.

There's no place left for one of us, we live in stereo.
Our world has become so technologically advanced that we have adapted to only function in the constant noise and stimulation of our stereo environment, leaving no room for individuality.

If there?s a question, the way I feel about the law...
If someone asks me about my opinion concerning regulations and justice...

That says that I?m a thief above it all.
...that consider me a criminal without considering my actual actions and motives.

I do not have the things I want, but I can?t find.
I am lacking the desires I long for, but I cannot locate their source.

Just show me something real and make it.
Demonstrate an authentic experience or object without fabrication.

Everywhere begins to be the same...
All places seem uniformly similar after a certain point.

Other words we use that might contain...
Vocabulary terms we utilize that could hold a fragment of veracity for each betrayal we commit.

An ounce of truth for every treason.
A small part of truth beneath every act of disloyalty or infidelity.

Where was it you said you had to go?
I can't remember the location you informed me about earlier.

Life is just a game of who you know.
Our existence is solely determined by the people we are acquainted with and their social standing.

The ones we love and mostly cherish.
The people we greatly appreciate and fondly love in our lives.

Why? Are we so focused?
What is the reason behind our concentration on specific goals or objectives?

Don't tell me that you're thinking, you're thinking that it's better this way.
Do not verbalize your thoughts, which consider this current lifestyle as desirable.

The things we do for love, it's all for your protection.
All actions that arise from love are performed to ensure the safety of the loved one, even if it means hindering their individuality.

Communication,
The act of exchanging information, ideas, or feelings.

A gift we share, but most of all,
A characteristic we possess that is beneficial, but mostly...

Divides our world in places without walls.
...creates social rifts and boundaries without literal barriers.

Isn?t there a way to get it back?
Is it not possible to regain what has been lost?

To the way it was before the world
To the point in time prior to the moment when the world...

Became obsessed with information.
...became fixated on obtaining knowledge and data to the point of potential detriment to society.

Why? Is loving you so hard?
Why is it complicated to express affection towards you?

The things we do for love,
The actions we take for the purpose of love,

It's all for your protection.
Are solely aimed at shielding you from harm.

Your protection.
The safety and safeguarding of your well-being.

This is not a test;
Once again, this is not a scenario for practicing or experimentation.

It's just the radio.
Simply the transmission of auditory content and data through electronic waves.