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.
Where Did Our Love Go?
Soft Cell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh, please don't leave me all by myself.
I've got this burning, burning, yearning feelin' inside me.
Ooh, deep inside me and it hurts so bad.
You came into my heart (baby, baby) so tenderly,
With a burning love (baby, baby)
That stings like a bee (baby, baby).
You now want to leave (baby, baby).
Ooh, you wanna leave me (baby, baby).
Ooh (baby, baby).
Baby, baby, where did our love go?
Ooh, don't you want me?
Don't you want me no more (baby, baby)?
Ooh, baby.
Baby, baby, where did our love go?
And all your promises of a love forevermore!
I've got this burning, burning, yearning feelin' inside me.
Ooh, deep inside me, and it hurts so bad.
Before you won my heart (baby, baby)
You were a perfect guy.
But now that you got me,
You wanna leave me behind (baby, baby).
Ooh, baby.
Baby, baby, baby don't leave me.
Ooh, please don't leave me all by myself (baby, baby).
Ooh.
The lyrics to Soft Cell's song Where Did Our Love Go? are a plea from the singer to their lover not to leave them. The repetition of "baby, baby, baby" and "ooh" throughout the song adds a sense of urgency and desperation to the plea. The singer describes a burning desire and yearning for their lover that is deep inside them and hurts so bad. The use of the metaphor of love stinging like a bee adds to the intensity of the emotions being expressed.
The singer reflects on the beginning of their relationship, when their lover came into their heart so tenderly with a burning love. But now, despite their surrender and helplessness, their lover wants to leave them. The chorus then poses the question "baby, baby, where did our love go?" and expresses the singer's disbelief that their lover no longer wants them. The song ends with another plea from the singer not to be left alone.
Overall, the lyrics convey the pain and confusion of a relationship that has gone sour, as the singer struggles to understand where their love has gone.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, baby, baby don't leave me.
The singer is pleading with their partner not to leave them.
Ooh, please don't leave me all by myself.
The singer is afraid of being alone and abandoned.
I've got this burning, burning, yearning feelin' inside me.
The singer is overwhelmed by their desire for their partner.
Ooh, deep inside me and it hurts so bad.
The artist is experiencing emotional pain due to their unrequited love.
You came into my heart (baby, baby) so tenderly,
The artist fell in love with their partner in a gentle and loving way.
With a burning love (baby, baby) that stings like a bee (baby, baby).
The singer's love for their partner is intense and sometimes painful.
Now that I surrender (baby, baby) so helplessly,
The singer has given themselves completely to their partner.
You now want to leave (baby, baby).
The artist's partner wants to end the relationship.
Ooh, you wanna leave me (baby, baby).
The artist is upset and hurt by their partner's desire to leave.
Baby, baby, where did our love go?
The artist is questioning why their love has disappeared.
Ooh, don't you want me?
The singer is asking if their partner still loves them.
Don't you want me no more (baby, baby)?
The artist is concerned that their partner no longer has feelings for them.
And all your promises of a love forevermore!
The singer's partner has broken their promises of a long-lasting love.
Before you won my heart (baby, baby) you were a perfect guy.
The singer believed their partner was flawless before they fell in love.
But now that you got me, you wanna leave me behind (baby, baby).
The singer's partner is no longer interested in continuing the relationship.
Ooh, baby.
The artist's emotions are intense and overwhelming.
Baby, baby, baby don't leave me.
The artist repeats their plea for their partner not to leave.
Ooh, please don't leave me all by myself (baby, baby).
The singer is scared of being abandoned and left alone.
Ooh.
The singer's emotions are too complex to put into words.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind