The band is a strong satire of the 70s and 80s heavy metal genre and scene, and their music reflects that, with blaring guitars, high vocals, and ridiculous lyrical themes, all of which take the stereotypes of the genre and exaggerate them to comedic extremes.
The first album of the band was a collection of songs made for the film, many of which were featured in the film itself. Their second album (Break Like The Wind) followed many years later, but was greeted with less enthusiasm, partially because people simply weren't interested in the band beyond their characters in the film, and partially because the heavy metal scene had already been killed by grunge by the time of the album's release. A third album, Back from the Dead, was released in 2009.
All three members of the band have continued to pursue their separate careers in film and television.
The first album (This is Spinal Tap) has a pure black cover, in reference to the movie, in which their latest album is forced to have a pure black cover ("none more black"). However, in the movie, the album is called "Smell the Glove," not "This is Spinal Tap."
Spın̈al Tap are played by Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer. The three also play a folk group called The Folksmen in the film A Mighty Wind.
Spın̈al Tap have appeared in The Simpsons when Homer takes Bart and Milhouse to one of their gigs.
They recently made a 'comeback' appearance at LiveEarth at Wembley in 2007, and appeared on the Main Stage at Glastonbury 2009.
Diva Fever
Spinal Tap Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't go back to Swindon,
Can't go back to Waterloo.
Can't go back to Debra,
Can't go back to Shiela,
Can't go back to girls like you.
Here she come, lovely,
Her she comes, big as life.
There she goes, snubs me,
There she goes, cuts me,
There she goes, like a knife.
I got...
Diva Fever.
It's staying on me.
Diva Fever.
It's preying on me.
Diva Fever.
She's born to thrill me;
Diva Fever.
It's gonna kill me.
(And yet I would gladly die screaming in insufferable agony, if it meant I could spend my last few moments gazing into her eyes....)
Can't go back to London,
Can't go back to Swindon,
Can't go back in Waterloo.
Can't go back, it's too late,
Can't go back, she's too great,
Can't go back, I can't deny.
There she goes, love her,
There she goes, hate her,
There she goes, want to die.
I got....
Diva Fever.
They'll never cure me.
Diva Fever.
They won't insure me.
Diva Fever.
My demon lover.
Diva Fever.
I shan't recover....
The lyrics of "Diva Fever" by Spinal Tap is about a man who is completely captivated by a woman with an irresistible charm that he can't resist despite knowing that he shouldn't fall for her. The song begins with the singer listing all the places he can't go back to because of this woman. She is an obsession that keeps him captive, making it impossible for him to go back to his old life. He then describes her as "Deadly, big as life," but also "cuts me like a knife." These lines send mixed signals of love and hate towards the woman. It is as if he knows that she's dangerous, but he can't help himself.
The chorus reveals the reason for his captivation, i.e., his "Diva Fever." This line is repeated thrice, emphasizing the obsession he has with this woman. The Fever is so strong that he can't escape it, and he knows she's going to kill him, but he can't do anything about it. The next verses talk more about how the woman is the center of everything in his life now, and he is powerless against her. The final two lines of the song depict his desperation and how this obsession has become a part of him, and he can't recover.
Overall, "Diva Fever" is a song that portrays the extent of obsession one can have for another person, even though the person may be dangerous or not suitable for them.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't go back to London,
Going back to London is not an option for me anymore.
Can't go back to Swindon,
There's no going back to Swindon either.
Can't go back to Waterloo.
Waterloo is a place where I cannot return.
Can't go back to Debra,
Debra is someone I will never see again.
Can't go back to Shiela,
The same goes for Sheila.
Can't go back to girls like you.
Anyone like you is someone I cannot go back to.
Here she come, lovely,
She's coming and she's lovely.
Here she comes, deadly,
But she's also deadly.
Her she comes, big as life.
She's larger than life.
There she goes, snubs me,
Now she's gone and she's ignoring me.
There she goes, cuts me,
She's cutting me off as well.
There she goes, like a knife.
And it's hurting like a knife.
Diva Fever.
I have fallen victim to Diva Fever.
It's staying on me.
Its hold on me is strong.
Diva Fever.
I'm being preyed upon by Diva Fever.
It's preying on me.
It's consuming me entirely.
Diva Fever.
She's meant to excite me.
It's gonna kill me.
But it's going to be the death of me.
(And yet I would gladly die screaming in insufferable agony, if it meant I could spend my last few moments gazing into her eyes....)
I am so entranced by her that I would willingly die for her.
Can't go back to London,
I can't even consider going back to London.
Can't go back to Swindon,
Swindon is still not an option.
Can't go back in Waterloo.
And neither is Waterloo.
Can't go back, it's too late,
It's too late for me to go back.
Can't go back, she's too great,
I can't go back because she's too extraordinary.
Can't go back, I can't deny.
I can't deny that I desire her and that I wish to be with her.
There she goes, love her,
I love her, even as she slips away from me.
There she goes, hate her,
At the same time, I hate her for making me feel this way.
There she goes, want to die.
The intensity of my emotions is making me feel as though I might prefer death.
Diva Fever.
Diva Fever is a disease I will never be free from.
They'll never cure me.
There's no hope of a cure.
Diva Fever.
She's my demon lover.
I shan't recover...
And I will never recover from her.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER GUEST, HARRY SHEARER, MICHAEL JOHN MCKEAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind