Initially formed in 1976 in London, England, they didn't reach a stable line-up or decide on the Spandau name until 1978. Their odd title allegedly came from a piece of bathroom graffiti observed during the members early days. Inspired by a mixture of avant-garde synth pop and slick funk. as typified by their early track "Chant No 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)", also known by other titles such as "Chant # 1", the band commercially broke through with an artistic public image as remarked upon as their music. Said track reached the #2 spot in the U.K. and was notable for inclusion of the horn section from the group Beggar & Co, which proved a fruitful collaboration on record.
Spandau Ballet's first two albums, 1981's 'Journeys to Glory' and 1982's 'Diamond', found them also mining their art rock and glam rock roots as their fan-base expanded, the group looking to the works of David Bowie and Roxy Music for inspiration. Both albums charted in the U.K. top 20 and were later certified gold by the RIAA. Additional popular songs from the band in this era include "To Cut a Long Story Short" and "Freeze" (also known as "The Freeze". The group also notably picked up a semi-friendly rivalry with new wave contemporaries Duran Duran.
After four hits in the U.K. followed by a couple of less successful releases, however, Spandau Ballet's chart career appeared to be on the wane. Yet Instinction, re-ignited their fortunes and became the first of eleven consecutive singles to reach the Top 20
Immensely popular in the UK, the New Romantic group eventually mellowed into a mainstream pop act. As with Duran Duran they 'broke America', albeit briefly - the title track of their 3rd album True peaked in the Top 5 of the Singles charts. The song gained a new life in the 1990's and beyond by being sampled in the songs Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by PM Dawn and N Dey Say by Nelly.
After a split in 1990 and a court case almost ten years later involving Hadley, Keeble & Norman suing Gary Kemp over royalties, they announced in March 2009 a reformation.
Raw
Spandau Ballet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been dreaming hot dreams of insecurity
I've been chasing my heart through the streets of my mind
I've been clinging to the bed the sweat is turning me blind
Well I'm plugged all the holes and sealing all the cracks
I'm like a galvanised nerve I just can't seem to relax
She's got fire on her breath and chilli on her lips
Teeth around her neck and she's got Jazz on her hips
It's a strange idea of love
Like a wolf at the door
Like a scratch of a claw
She says "come on baby I want it raw"
A wolf at the door
A scratch of a claw
"I want it raw"
Well I'm driving out of town I'm on the verge of a storm
I'm sucking my St. Christopher and trying to keep calm
A Mambo Mamma on the back of my heels
And this incantation can trap my wheels
There's a heat in my car there's a fog on my screen
I've never felt so scared never dreamt such a dream
There's a man on the corner preaching fire above
It's a strange idea of love
Like a wolf at the door
Like a scratch of a claw
She says "come on baby I want it raw!"
A wolf at the door
A scratch of a claw
"I want it raw!"
The lyrics to Spandau Ballet's song "Raw" explore the idea of someone struggling to find their identity and making reckless decisions based on their feelings of insecurity. The opening lines suggest that the person has been running around town, trying to find a new identity. They also mention dreaming of insecurity, which demonstrates how this constant search for self-identity is causing them to feel uncertain and anxious about themselves.
The following verses highlight the person's dangerous and reckless behavior. They chase their heart through the streets of their mind, which implies impulsiveness, and they cling to the bed, with sweat blinding them, indicating intense physical experiences. The song portrays them as galvanized nerve, indicating that they are nervous and unable to relax. The lyrics then introduce a female character who is fiery, seductive, and unpredictable. The lines "She's got fire on her breath and chili on her lips, teeth around her neck, and she's got Jazz on her hips" evoke a sense of danger and lust.
The chorus, which repeats twice, compares the female character to a wolf at the door, and a scratch of a claw, symbolizing that she is a dangerous and wild animal that the person cannot control. She wants it raw, which can be interpreted as her wanting sex or intimacy without any limitations or rules. The final verse suggests that the person is driving out of town, overwhelmed by the intensity of their emotions, and the female character's chaotic influence on them. The man on the corner preaching fire above could be a reference to a religious figure, further emphasizing the conflict between the person's desires and their moral compass.
Overall, the lyrics to "Raw" paint a vivid picture of someone struggling to find their place in the world, who makes impulsive decisions based on their desire for intimacy and excitement, all while conflicted about their actions and morality.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been running round town for a new identity
I've been searching for a sense of self that I haven't found yet, going from place to place looking for it
I've been dreaming hot dreams of insecurity
I've been having intense daydreams of feeling unsure and anxious about myself and my place in the world
I've been chasing my heart through the streets of my mind
I've been trying to figure out my own feelings and desires, but they keep changing and running away from me like a fleeting thought
I've been clinging to the bed the sweat is turning me blind
I've been so consumed with worry and fear that it's affecting even my bodily functions like sweating through the night
Well I'm plugged all the holes and sealing all the cracks
I'm doing everything I can to protect myself from further emotional damage, closing off any vulnerabilities or weaknesses
I'm like a galvanised nerve I just can't seem to relax
I'm on edge and tense all the time, unable to let my guard down and relax
She's got fire on her breath and chilli on her lips
The person I'm attracted to is passionate and intense, with spicy, provocative energy
Teeth around her neck and she's got Jazz on her hips
She's got a bold and unusual style, with sharp teeth jewelry around her neck and a confident, jazzy way of moving her body
There's a flash in my brain like a shot from above
I'm suddenly hit with a realization or insight that comes out of nowhere, like a sudden burst of inspiration
It's a strange idea of love
This feeling is so new and different to me that I can barely understand it, let alone put it into words
Like a wolf at the door
My desires and impulses are so intense that they feel like a wild animal threatening to break in
Like a scratch of a claw
The danger and intensity of my emotions feels like the sharpness of a claw scraping at my insides
She says "come on baby I want it raw"
The person I'm attracted to is explicitly asking for something raw and intense from me, without any filters or hesitation
A wolf at the door
I feel like someone or something is constantly threatening to invade my emotional space
A scratch of a claw
The danger and intensity of my emotions feels like the sharpness of a claw scraping at my insides
"I want it raw!"
I'm being asked to give in to the raw and unfiltered intensity of this situation, to let go of any inhibitions or barriers
Well I'm driving out of town I'm on the verge of a storm
I'm physically removing myself from this intense emotional situation, but I feel like it's only a matter of time before something big and overwhelming happens
I'm sucking my St. Christopher and trying to keep calm
I'm clinging to a religious symbol for comfort and protection, trying to stay calm in the midst of an impending crisis
A Mambo Mamma on the back of my heels
I feel like there's some kind of supernatural force or power following me, with a sense of urgency or danger
And this incantation can trap my wheels
Something about this situation or person is like a spell or hex that's causing me to feel trapped and stuck
There's a heat in my car there's a fog on my screen
My emotions are running so high that I'm feeling physically hot and overwhelmed, with a sense of confusion and disorientation
I've never felt so scared never dreamt such a dream
I'm completely out of my depth in this situation, with a sense of fear and dread that's completely new to me
There's a man on the corner preaching fire above
I feel like there's a sense of danger and urgency in the air, like something explosive is about to happen
It's a strange idea of love
This feeling is so new and different to me that I can barely understand it, let alone put it into words
Lyrics © REFORMATION MUSIC INC
Written by: GARY KEMP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Damiano Valente
I've been running round town for a new identiy
I've been dreaming hot dreams of insecurity
I've been chasing my heart through the streets of my mind
I've been clinging to the bed the sweat is turning me blind
Well I'm plugged all the holes and sealing all the cracks
I'm like a galvanised nerve I just can't seem to relax
She's got fire on her breath and chilli on her lips
Teeth around her neck and she's got Jazz on her hips
There's a flash in my brain like a shot from above
It's a strange idea of love
Like a wolf at the door
Like a scratch of a claw
She says "come on baby I want it raw"
A wolf at the door
A scratch of a claw
"I want it raw"
Well I'm driving out of town I'm on the verge of a storm
I'm sucking my St. Christopher and trying to keep calm
A Mambo Mamma on the back of my heels
And this incantation can trap my wheels
There's a heat in my car there's a fog on my screen
I've never felt so scared never dreamt such a dream
There's a man on the corner preaching fire above
It's a strange idea of love
Like a wolf at the door
Like a scratch of a claw
She says "come on baby I want it raw!"
A wolf at the door
A scratch of a claw
"I want it raw!"
Sean Kyle
I'm a new Spandau Ballet fan. Saw them last year at a terrific show in Liverpool. When they played this song I must confess, never heard it before in my life. It was like a megaton blast went off in my face and knocked me back through my chair lol An exciting, driving, rocking beat! It's since become my favorite (even though the era it's from isn't the most popular with more longtime fans).
Zetametallic
I wanted to see them in Liverpool that night (my hometown) but my friend couldn't go due to her young baby at the time...gutted I was! I've been a fan since the 80's and in the late 80's I got her into it😂. X
kittyCat Furbabies’s
Sean Kyle check out their album "through the barricades" awesome
Fran Camacho
Una magnífica canción para un maravilloso álbum con grandes canciones que para algunos pasaron desapercibidos. Me encantaba este álbum.
geraldovjr
Tony Hadley: o melhor cantor em atividade, desde os Anos 80!
Linda Carlson
Love it they are so talented
catbarrage
why isn't this on spotify? i need that trumpet solo on the go
Peter Hogben
it is on spotify, look up heart like a sky, track 6.
Deborah Jacob
Mais uma boa canção de Spandau Ballet... e esse vocalista tão gato!!!
prod. natestopit!
such a shame how the band ended, but at least we got to see them together :)