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.
Something
Soft Cell Lyrics
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Keeping my soul and my senses apart
Something's gotten into my life
Cutting its way through my dreams like a knife
Turning me up, turning me down
Making me smile and making me frown
In a world that was small
With no trouble at all
But then you came my way
And a feeling unknown shook my heart
Made me want you to stay
All of my nights and all of my days
Yeah I gotta tell you now
Something's gotten hold of my hand
Dragging my soul to a beautiful land
Yeah something has invaded my nights
Painting my sleep with a color so bright
Changing the grey, changing the blue
Scarlet for me and scarlet for you
I've got to know if this is the real thing
I've got to know what's making my heart sing, woah yeah
You smile and I'm lost for a lifetime
Each minute spent with you is the right time
Every hour, yeah, every day, yeah
You touch me and my mind goes astray
And baby yeah
, something's gotten hold of my heart is a melancholic love song that delves into the powerful emotions of falling in love. The artist sings about something that has taken hold of his heart, making him feel ecstatic yet restless. The lyrics suggest that falling in love is not just about experiencing positive emotions; it also entails feeling vulnerable and at times overwhelmed. The artist highlights how the person he has fallen for has transformed his life, turning him up and down, painting his sleep with a color so bright, and making him crave for more.
The song describes how falling in love can change an individual's perception of the world. The artist sings about a time in his life when he lived in a world that was small, with no trouble at all. However, when the person he loves came his way, everything changed, and that feeling shook his heart, making him want the person to stay. The song captures the intensity of falling in love; the person involved becomes the center of their world, and everything else takes a backseat.
Line by Line Meaning
Something's gotten hold of my heart
A powerful force has taken control over my emotions and thoughts
Keeping my soul and my senses apart
The force has caused a disconnect between my inner self and my outward perception
Something's gotten into my life
This force has infiltrated every aspect of my existence
Cutting its way through my dreams like a knife
The force is so intense that it disrupts even my subconscious thoughts
Turning me up, turning me down
The force causes extreme highs and lows in my emotional state
Making me smile and making me frown
The force controls my facial expressions and mood
In a world that was small
Before this force came into my life, everything seemed simple and ordinary
I once lived in a time that was peace
I used to live in a calm and contented state of mind
With no trouble at all
There were no major conflicts or issues to deal with
But then you came my way
The force is personified as a specific individual who entered my life
And a feeling unknown shook my heart
This person caused a new and unfamiliar sensation of excitement and passion
Made me want you to stay
I became infatuated and desired the person to remain in my life
All of my nights and all of my days
This feeling consumed me 24/7
Yeah I gotta tell you now
The singer has to confess their feelings
Something's gotten hold of my hand
The force has become so strong that it physically manifests in the singer's actions
Dragging my soul to a beautiful land
The force is taking the artist to a new and wondrous place
Yeah something has invaded my nights
The force is so pervasive that it even affects the artist's dreams
Painting my sleep with a color so bright
The dreams are now filled with vibrant and vivid imagery
Changing the grey, changing the blue
The force is transforming the dull and mundane into something exciting and magical
Scarlet for me and scarlet for you
This new world is full of passion and desire for both individuals
I've got to know if this is the real thing
The artist has doubts about the authenticity and sustainability of this feeling
I've got to know what's making my heart sing, woah yeah
The artist is eager to understand the source and nature of this overwhelming emotion
You smile and I'm lost for a lifetime
The person's smile has an indescribable effect on the singer
Each minute spent with you is the right time
Every moment spent in the person's presence feels perfect
Every hour, yeah, every day, yeah
This feeling persists constantly and pervasively
You touch me and my mind goes astray
The person's touch has a powerful effect on the singer's thoughts and focus
And baby yeah
The singer is expressing affectionate and endearing feelings towards the person
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER FREDERICK COOK, ROGER JOHN REGINALD GREENAWAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind