Soft Cell is an electronic music duo that came to prominence in the early 8… Read Full Bio ↴Soft Cell is an electronic music duo that came to prominence in the early 80s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and influential multi-platinum debut ''Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret''. In the UK, they had five Top 5 hits, including "Bedsitter", "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye", "Torch" and "What!", and also had four Top 20 albums between 1981 and 1984. The duo split in 1984, but reformed in the early 2000s to tour and released a new album in 2002. Their songs have been covered by various artists including David Gray, Marilyn Manson, Nouvelle Vague and A-ha.

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.

Somebody
Soft Cell Lyrics

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I hear a calling that's hard to resist
Love is a feeling that I miss
So won't you touch my heart with a kiss
Somebody somewhere
Somebody sometime
Somebody somehow
Won't you help me now

I need to fix my aching heart
Like a hunter alone in the dark
I just need somebody to understand
Somebody somewhere
Somebody sometime
Somebody somehow
Won't you help me now

Is it all in my mind (is it)
All in my mind
(Is there somebody out there for me to find
Or is it all in my mind)

I'd give myself to you as a gift
Dedicated to an emotional lift
I need to feel passion
I need to feel love
Somebody somewhere
Somebody sometime
Somebody somehow
Won't you help me now

This is a plea from my desires
This is a call for pleasure
Brush the shadows from my eyes
Let me see is this love or lies
Somebody somewhere
Somebody sometime
Somebody somewhere
Somebody sometime
Somebody somewhere
Somebody somehow
Won't you help me now

Somebody working
Somebody eating
Somebody lying
Somebody cheating
Somebody bored
Somebody trying
Somebody laughing
Somebody crying
Somebody out there
Somebody somewhere
Somebody out there
Somebody somewhere
Somebody out there
Somebody somewhere
Somebody out there
Somebody somewhere

It's all in my mind
It's all in my mind

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Soft Cell's song "Somebody Somewhere Something" explore the theme of loneliness and the search for love and human connection. The singer of the song is desperate for someone to touch their heart and heal their aching soul, and they are willing to give themselves completely to another person if it means finding that emotional lift. There is a sense of longing and vulnerability conveyed through the repeated use of the phrases "Somebody somewhere" and "Somebody somehow," as if the singer is reaching out into the void of the universe, hoping that someone will answer their call.

The chorus of the song introduces a sense of doubt and ambiguity, as the singer questions whether their desire for love and connection is all in their mind, or if there really is someone out there for them to find. This uncertainty is reflected in the repetition of the phrase "Is it all in my mind," which suggests that the singer is grappling with whether their search for love is a valid and worthwhile endeavor or simply a product of their own imagination.

Line by Line Meaning

I hear a calling that's hard to resist
I feel a strong desire that is difficult to ignore

Love is a feeling that I miss
I long for the feeling of love

So won't you touch my heart with a kiss
Please show me some love and affection

Somebody somewhere
Anyone, anywhere

Somebody sometime
At some point, someone

Somebody somehow
In some way, someone

Won't you help me now
Please assist me immediately

I need to fix my aching heart
I require help to heal my hurting emotions

Like a hunter alone in the dark
Feeling lost and isolated like someone in the dark forest

I just need somebody to understand
All I want is someone to empathize with me

Is it all in my mind (is it)
I'm not sure if what I'm thinking is real

All in my mind
It could be a product of my imagination

(Is there somebody out there for me to find
(Could there be someone to discover somewhere

Or is it all in my mind)
Or am I just imagining things?

I'd give myself to you as a gift
I would offer myself entirely to you

Dedicated to an emotional lift
With the aim of feeling emotionally elevated

I need to feel passion
I want to experience strong emotions of love and desire

I need to feel love
I want to feel love from someone

This is a plea from my desires
I'm begging for what I want

This is a call for pleasure
I am asking for joy and happiness

Brush the shadows from my eyes
Help me see things more clearly

Let me see is this love or lies
Allow me to realize if what I feel is love or deception

Somebody working
Someone who is working hard

Somebody eating
Someone who is consuming food

Somebody lying
Someone who is not telling the truth

Somebody cheating
Someone who is being dishonest in a relationship

Somebody bored
Someone who is uninterested in anything

Somebody trying
Someone who is working hard to succeed

Somebody laughing
Someone who is happy and enjoying life

Somebody crying
Someone who is emotional and shedding tears

Somebody out there
Someone is out there

Somebody somewhere
Someone is somewhere

Somebody out there
Someone is out there

Somebody somewhere
Someone is somewhere

Somebody out there
Someone is out there

Somebody somewhere
Someone is somewhere

Somebody out there
Someone is out there

Somebody somewhere
Someone is somewhere

It's all in my mind
It's all a figment of my imagination

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARC ALMOND PETER, DAVID A. BALL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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