Both Marc Almond and Dave Ball grew up in seaside towns (the former, Southport, and the latter, Blackpool), and later met while students at the Leeds Polytechnic Fine Arts University (now Leeds Metropolitan University). Almond, a performance artist, collaborated with Ball on a few avant-garde multi-media performances at the university. Although Ball's musical background consisted of guitar, he had access to the university studio and was experimenting with the nascent synthesizer technology at the time. The two students became the prototypical synth duo and were initially associated with other New Wave scenesters dubbed "New Romantics" by the British Press. Other bands associated with this scene included Visage, Duran Duran, and Spandau Ballet.
Marc Almond had a productive career as a solo artist later in the 80s and 90s and with Marc & the Mambas and other collaborations. Dave Ball has done a few solo productions with other British new wave acts in the early 80s. He also later was involved in the electronic dance act The Grid with Richard Norris.
Almond and Ball's reunion as Soft Cell became official with well-received initial concerts - they performed at the opening of the Ocean nightclub in London in March 2001 to strong reviews, and a mini tour followed later in the year. The track "God Shaped Hole" featured on the Some Bizzare compilation titled "I'd Rather Shout at a Returning Echo than Kid Someone's Listening", released in 2001. The album Cruelty Without Beauty was released in late 2002, followed by a European tour and a partial US tour in early 2003. The new album featured their first new songs together in almost twenty years. One of those songs was their 2003 single "The Night" (UK #39). Interestingly, Soft Cell had considered recording "The Night" in place of "Tainted Love" back in 1981 as their last-ditch attempt to score a chart hit. In a 2003 interview with BBC's Top of the Pops, keyboardist David Ball asserted, "I think history has kind of shown that we did make the right choice [in 1981]."
In August 2007, the band announced they were working on a remix album, "Heat - The Remixes". The remix album is expected to be released in May 2008 and will include classic Soft Cell tracks remixed by such acts as Manhattan Clique, Cicada, Richard X, Ladytron, MHC, Mark Moore, Kinky Roland, Spektrum, George Demure, Yer Man and many more.
L'Esqualita
Soft Cell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As she tugs at the reins
Of a hundred Chihuahuas
She'll live a few years
But she'll have some adventures
Then sing off her sequins
With tears and with traumas
With Raoul Kowalski
He's only a slob of a Corsican junkie
Hoods, Heroin, Hot Janes
Those fingers of finesse
Salo aftershave
Spend the rent on a new dress
Chi Chi at the bar
Dressed à L'Esqualita
Talks of Johns and Joans
And tomorrow's rhinestones
I'm so sick in my spare time
Humouring thugs
We could go out for dinner
But we're always on drugs
Conchita piqueur
She will take on the whole floor
This Carmen in cling film
Will bathe in your applause
She pads out the glamour
With warmth from your dollars
Squeeze out your breath
With the strength from her shoulders
OK so it's ham
But she means every word
In a ten minute ballad
Of despair and blood
With one hand to the bosom
Paid for by the ballad
But somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
Chi Chi at the Bar
Dressed à L'Esqualita
Talks of Johns and Joans
And tomorrow's rhinestones
I'm so sick in my spare time
Humouring thugs
We could go out to dinner
But we're always on drugs
And somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
And somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
The lyrics to Soft Cell's song L'Esqualita paint a vivid picture of the lives of the individuals who frequent the titular nightclub. The singer describes the various patrons with a mix of admiration, disgust, and sympathy. The first verse describes a woman who is seemingly both glamorous and reckless. She's in control ("tugs at the reins") of a multitude of small dogs, hinting at her wealth and high maintenance personality. However, the singer notes that she only has a limited amount of time before her wealth and youth dissipate ("she'll live a few years") and that she'll have some wild experiences before then. The line "sing off her sequins with tears and traumas" refers to the idea of a performer giving everything they have on stage, leaving them exhausted and emotional.
The second verse introduces Raoul Kowalski, a "slob of a Corsican junkie," who's in a precarious lifestyle of drugs and crime. This contrasts with the previous verse's glamorous rich woman and hints at the various walks of life that frequent the nightclub. The other lyrics in this verse describe similar seedy characters, such as "Hoods, Heroin, Hot Janes" and "Salo aftershave." The third verse mentions Conchita Piqueur, a performer whose act involves using her strength to "squeeze out your breath." Despite her near-violent performance style, the singer believes she means every word in the ballads she sings.
Overall, the lyrics to Soft Cell's L'Esqualita spin a story of people living for the moment, embracing their glamour, and occasionally plunging into the seedier side of life at a nightclub.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I would believe that she's a real diva
I am easily convinced that she is a true performer
As she tugs at the reins
As she exerts control
Of a hundred Chihuahuas
Of many small dogs
She'll live a few years
She won't survive very long
But she'll have some adventures
But she will have some exciting experiences
Then sing off her sequins
Then perform with all her might
With tears and with traumas
with emotions and difficulties
A fistful of love
A lot of love
With Raoul Kowalski
With a man named Raoul Kowalski
He's only a slob of a Corsican junkie
He is a messy Corsican drug addict
Hoods, Heroin, Hot Janes
Criminals, drugs, and attractive women
Those fingers of finesse
Those skilled fingers
Salo aftershave
A type of perfume
Spend the rent on a new dress
Use the money for necessities on a luxury item
Chi Chi at the bar
A person named Chi Chi is at the bar
Dressed à L'Esqualita
Wearing clothing from L'Esqualita
Talks of Johns and Joans
Discussing prostitutes and clients
And tomorrow's rhinestones
And the future's sparkly items
I'm so sick in my spare time
I feel unwell in my leisure hours
Humouring thugs
Entertaining criminals
We could go out for dinner
We could dine out
But we're always on drugs
But we are constantly under the influence of substances
Conchita piqueur
A person named Conchita, who pierces
She will take on the whole floor
She will dominate the room
This Carmen in cling film
This person, dressed in cling film as a reference to opera character Carmen
Will bathe in your applause
Will enjoy the audience's approval
She pads out the glamour
She enhances the glamour of the performance
With warmth from your dollars
With money from the audience
Squeeze out your breath
Take your breath away
With the strength from her shoulders
With her physical power
OK so it's ham
This performance is over-the-top
But she means every word
But she is sincere
In a ten minute ballad
In a ten-minute long song
Of despair and blood
About sadness and violence
With one hand to the bosom
With one hand placed on the chest
Paid for by the ballad
Compensated for by the performance
But somewhere in there
But somewhere in that performance
Is a deep love for love
Is a profound affection for affection itself
And somewhere in there
And somewhere in that performance
Is a deep love for love
Is a profound affection for affection itself
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARC ALMOND, DAVID JAMES BALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aphroditearva176
L'Esqualita
Soft Cell
ΣΤΊΧΟΙ
Oh I would believe that she's a real diva
As she tugs at the reins
Of a hundred Chihuahuas
She'll live a few years
But she'll have some adventures
Then sing off her sequins
With tears and with traumas
A fistful of love
With Raoul Kowalski
He's only a slob of a Corsican junkie
Hoods, Heroin, Hot Janes
Those fingers of finesse
Salo aftershave
Spend the rent on a new dress
Chi Chi at the bar
Dressed à L'Esqualita
Talks of Johns and Joans
And tomorrow's rhinestones
I'm so sick in my spare time
Humouring thugs
We could go out for dinner
But we're always on drugs
Conchita piqueur
She will take on the whole floor
This Carmen in cling film
Will bathe in your applause
She pads out the glamour
With warmth from your dollars
Squeeze out your breath
With the strength from her shoulders
OK so it's ham
But she means every word
In a ten minute ballad
Of despair and blood
With one hand to the bosom
Paid for by the ballad
But somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
Chi Chi at the Bar
Dressed à L'Esqualita
Talks of Johns and Joans
And tomorrow's rhinestones
I'm so sick in my spare time
Humouring thugs
We could go out to dinner
But we're always on drugs
And somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
And somewhere in there
Is a deep love for love
@ScottHarbison
The most underrated song, and band, in history. Hail The Only Voice.
@micmac09
Quelle chanson ! Sur la dope mais pas seulement. Chaque fois qu'on la jouait sur Couleur 3, des auditeurs nous appelaient pour nous demander les références. Kitsch, emphatique, viré et grandiose. Marc Almond est le chanteur le plus sous estimé de la pop britannique.
@justinebourke2811
I was corrupted by Soft Cell at the tender age of 9.. I'm eternally grateful.
@keith-leecastle6700
In my top 5 albums ever.
@maha77
I will be quoting this song to myself for the rest of my life
@maha77
A fistful of love With Raoul Kowalski, He's only a slob of a Corsican junkie
@robertpighetti9521
Sounds damn good 40 years ON.
@carolinegray3150
I have this on cassette
@mannyhughes7997
Pure Genius 👍
@MrGothic78
Simply wonderful.....