∎ The Philadelphia band's first album on A&M, self entitled THE REDS, produced by David Kershenbaum, showed the band's impressive sound — a blend of Rick Shaffer's guitar and Bruce Cohen's keyboards into an interestingly textured drone, short guitar and keyboard figures, rising then disappearing back into the drone, while Shaffer's voice provides the punch and definition for their overall sound. The album was supported with live appearances with The Police, Joe Jackson, Blondie, The Ramones, The Psychedelic Furs, and Public Image. An EP, GREEN WITH ENVY, followed featuring The Doors song, "Break On Through," which suggests some of the band's roots. (Universal Music digitally re-released The Reds, and Green With Envy, August 2012.) In 1980 A&M released a compilation album, Propaganda, that included tracks from The Reds, The Police, Joe Jackson, The Granati Bros, Bobby Henry, Shrink, David Kubinec, and Squeeze.
∎ After leaving A&M, The Reds® went forward with two indie albums, STRONGER SILENCE and FATAL SLIDE (Stony Plain/RCA), that continued The Reds® sound, receiving critical acclaim internationally. They next recorded a tense and powerful album for Sire/WB entitled, SHAKE APPEAL, produced by Mike Thorne (Blur, Soft Cell, Wire). This forcible record led the band to work with director/producer, Michael Mann. Mann incorporated numerous songs by The Reds® into episodes of Miami Vice, then hired Shaffer and Cohen to write songs and score for two motion pictures, Band Of The Hand (Tri-Star) and Manhunter (De Laurentiis), based on the novel "Red Dragon." Soundtrack albums from both films were released on MCA, a Manhunter CD, with an added Reds® track, “Jogger’s Stakeout”, was released by Intrada Records (2010), and Universal Music digitally released both albums (2012).
∎ During this time, solo projects for Cohen were writing score for the productions, "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" and "Down The Road" at Philadelphia's Walnut Theatre; "The Speckled Band," starring Quentin Crisp, and Charles Busch' play, "Vampire Lesbians Of Sodom" for NYC's Pulse Theatre Company; and a forty minute electronic film noir piece, "Goodbye Johnny Staccato." While solo projects for Shaffer included recording guitar tracks on a Marianne Faithfull album (Island); Hilly Kristal's, "Mad Mordechai" (Stereo Society); Peter Murphy's, "Holy Smoke" (Beggars Banquet/BMG); and Marc Almond's, "Fantastic Star" (Some Bizarre/Mercury). While Shaffer wrote and recorded, "Looking For Right," for director Michael Mann"s film, "Collateral."
∎ The Reds® next album, CRY TOMORROW reunited them with British producer Mike Thorne. It captures the driving intensity of earlier albums and the ambient, atmospheric feel from their film scores, resulting in a stark, surreal album, with a sense of mood and mystery. The pulsing opening track, "Terror In My Heart," was featured in the film, "Nightmare On Elm Street 2" (New Line), directed by Jack Sholder, along with a searing non-stop groove of the Stones' "Gimme Shelter."
∎ In 2007, FUGITIVES FROM THE LAUGHING HOUSE was written and produced by The Reds®. The album is a straight forward raw nerve reflection of life in America. The Reds® February 2009 release, EARLY NOTHING, was also written and produced by Shaffer and Cohen. The album has a hypnotic quality, that leaves the listener free to let their subconscious play itself out, no matter where it goes. With the release of Early Nothing, The Reds®, shamans of dark, brooding, loud rock continued to explore and define their sound.
∎ At this point in time, both Shaffer and Cohen began releasing solo albums. Bruce released ONE BC in 2009, and Rick released NECESSARY ILLUSION in 2010. Although they have been recording separately, a new album by The Reds is still a possibility as soon as Shaffer and Cohen can be in the same location at the same time. See their entire discography below.
■ PLEASE NOTE: The Reds® is a Registered Trademark, with the first use date of March 17, 1977.
THE REDS® OFFICIAL WEBSITE is TarockMusic.com
DISCOGRAPHY
∎ RICK SHAFFER
2017 • STOLEN MOMENTS (Tarock Music #TM-CD15)
2016 • OUTSIDE OF TIME (Tarock Music #TM-CD13)
2015 • JITTERBUG SHAKE (Tarock Music #TM-CD11)
2014 • HARD TIMES SIXTY — Single (Tarock Music)
2014 • LINK — Single (Tarock Music)
2014 • MISADVENTURE (Tarock Music #TM-CD10)
2013 • STACKED DECK (Tarock Music #TM-CD9)
2012 • IDIOT FLATS (Tarock Music #TM-CD8)
2011 • HIDDEN CHARMS (Tarock Music #TM-CD6)
2010 • NECESSARY ILLUSION (Tarock Music #TM-CD5)
1971 • JUST THE BEGINNING — RICK SHAFFER & FREIGHT TRAIN (Fly By Night #LPFBN1001
∎ BRUCE COHEN
2017 • FOUR BC (Tarock Music #TM-CD14)
2015 • THREE BC — IN A TRANCE (Tarock Music #TM-CD12)
2014 • BIG FUN 3 — FADEOUT Bruce Cohen, Peter ”Babe” Lucas, Tony Foster (RopeADope #N/A)
2013 • BIG FUN 3.2 — Bruce Cohen, Peter ”Babe” Lucas, Tony Foster (RopeADope #N/A)
2011 • TWO BC (Tarock Music #TM-CD7)
2010 • BIG FUN 3 — Bruce Cohen, Rik Myers, Brandon Cruz (RopeADope #N/A)
2009 • ONE BC (Tarock Music #TM-CD4)
∎ THE REDS®
2009 • EARLY NOTHING (Tarock Music #TM-CD3)
2007 • FUGITIVES FROM THE LAUGHING HOUSE (Tarock Music #TM-CD2)
2001 • CRY TOMORROW (Stereo Society #SS004)
1992 • CRY TOMORROW (Tarock Music #TM-CD1)
1986 • MANHUNTER — FILM SOUNDTRACK (MCA #6182)
1986 • BAND OF THE HAND — FILM SOUNDTRACK (MCA #6167)
1986 • WAITING FOR YOU — SINGLE (Music Action - France #N/A)
1985 • SHAKE APPEAL (Music Action - France #MAP9009)
1984 • SHAKE APPEAL (Sire/Warner Bros #21-04261)
1983 • FATAL SLIDE (Helter Skelter - Italy #HS93CD26)
1982 • FATAL SLIDE (Stony Plain - Canada #SPL10481981)
1981 • STRONGER SILENCE (Helter Skelter - Italy #HS93CD26)
1981 • STRONGER SILENCE (Stony Plain - Canada #SPL1037)
1981 • STRONGER SILENCE (Kingdom - UK #KVL90051981)
1981 • THE DANGER / DO YOU PLAY THE GAME — SINGLE (Kingdom - UK #KV8019)
1981 • STRONGER SILENCE — EP (Ambition #AM1981)
1980 • PROPAGANDA (A&M #SP4786)
1979 • GREEN WITH ENVY — EP (A&M #SP3301)
1979 • WHATCHA′ DOIN' TO ME — SINGLE (A&M #N/A)
1979 • WHATCHA′ DOIN' TO ME — GREEN VINYL (A&M - UK #N/A)
1979 • JOEY / VICTIMS — SINGLE (A&M #SP3178)
1979 • THE REDS — GREEN VINYL (A&M #SP4772)
1979 • SELF REDUCTION / VICTIMS — SINGLE (EKE #N/A)
1977 • JOEY / AUTOMATIC BOY — SINGLE (Go Go #00011971)
Wild
The Reds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ひとりでは解けない愛のパズルを抱いて
Get wild and tough
この街でやさしさに甘えていたくはない
アスファルト踏みしめながら
冷たい風を切る
街灯の影が滲んで
It's your pain or my pain or somebody's pain
「イタイ」「カナシイ」でも
心みたいな場所に育ってく
僕を作ってく
眠れない夜の隙間から
抜け出しては何か探してる
壁のシミの様な想い出も
この部屋で生きる理由をくれる yeah, yeah
Get wild and tough
ひとりでは解けない愛のパズルを抱いて
Get wild and tough
この街でやさしさに甘えていたくはない
明かりのない部屋の片隅
煙草を燻らす
沁みた目 視線のぼやけにも
意味を探してる
It's your dream or my dream or somebody's dream
愛を知らなくても
この街に生きるかぎり
強くありたいのさ
眠れない夜の隙間さえ
埋めてくのは優しさじゃなくて
ぬるい涙 煤けた心
抱きしめてひとり歩いていく
ねえ 今までさ
うまく生きてるふりをしてたけど
本当はさ
自分のことさえ何一つわからないままだ
眠れない夜の隙間から
明日の方向に手を伸ばす
触れた先が寂しさでも
あの人がどこかで待っている
眠れない夜の隙間から (get wild and tough ひとりでは解けない愛のパズルを抱いて)
抜け出しては何か探してる
壁のシミの様な想い出も (get wild and tough この街でやさしさに甘えていたくはない)
この部屋で生きる理由をくれる yeah, yeah
Get chance and luck
君だけが守れるものがどこかにあるさ
Get chance and luck
ひとりでも 傷ついた夢をとりもどすよ
The lyrics of The Reds's song "Wild" explore themes of struggle, pain, and the search for meaning and love in a harsh cityscape.
In the first paragraph, the chorus repeats the lines "Get wild and tough, Embrace the puzzle of love that cannot be solved alone." This suggests the singer's desire to confront challenges and complexities in relationships rather than relying on the easy comfort found in the city's kindness. They want to face love head-on and be strong.
The second paragraph portrays the singer walking on asphalt, feeling the cold wind and the blurred shadow of streetlights. This imagery represents their journey through the city, where their footsteps align with the beat of their heart. The lines "It's your pain or my pain or somebody's pain, Like the pain, like the sorrow, but in the place of the heart" imply that the singer's experiences of pain and sorrow shape and define them.
The third paragraph continues with the image of the singer searching for something, trying to escape the sleepless nights. The lyrics suggest that even the memories resembling stains on the walls give the singer a reason to live in this room. It implies that the singer finds meaning and purpose in their existence through both the positive and negative experiences they encounter.
In the fourth paragraph, the lyrics express the singer's desire to be strong as long as they live in this city, even if they don't know love. The lines "It's your dream or my dream or somebody's dream, Even if I don't know love, I want to be strong as long as I live in this city" underscore their determination to remain resilient and empowered despite their unfamiliarity with romantic love.
Overall, these lyrics paint a picture of someone searching for love, meaning, and strength amidst the challenges and uncertainties of life in a city. They are determined to overcome obstacles, grow from pain, and find purpose in their existence, even if they don't fully understand themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Get wild and tough
Embrace the challenging love puzzle that cannot be solved alone
ひとりでは解けない愛のパズルを抱いて
Embrace the challenging love puzzle that cannot be solved alone
Get wild and tough
I don't want to rely on kindness in this city
この街でやさしさに甘えていたくはない
I don't want to rely on kindness in this city
アスファルト踏みしめながら
Walking on the asphalt
冷たい風を切る
Slicing through the cold wind
街灯の影が滲んで
The shadow of the streetlight blurs
歩幅と重なる
Aligning with my stride
It's your pain or my pain or somebody's pain
Whether it's your pain, my pain, or someone else's pain
「イタイ」「カナシイ」でも
Even if it's painful or sad
心みたいな場所に育ってく
Growing in a place like a heart
僕を作ってく
Shaping me
眠れない夜の隙間から
Escaping from the gaps of sleepless nights
抜け出しては何か探してる
Breaking free and searching for something
壁のシミの様な想い出も
Even the memories that resemble stains on the wall
この部屋で生きる理由をくれる yeah, yeah
Give me a reason to live in this room
明かりのない部屋の片隅
In a dim corner of a lightless room
煙草を燻らす
Smoking a cigarette
沁みた目 視線のぼやけにも
Even in my blurred and teary eyes
意味を探してる
I'm searching for meaning
It's your dream or my dream or somebody's dream
Whether it's your dream, my dream, or someone else's dream
愛を知らなくても
Even if you don't know love
この街に生きるかぎり
As long as I live in this city
強くありたいのさ
I want to be strong
眠れない夜の隙間さえ
Even the gaps of sleepless nights
埋めてくのは優しさじゃなくて
What fills them is not kindness
ぬるい涙 煤けた心
Warm tears and a tarnished heart
抱きしめてひとり歩いていく
Embracing them, I walk alone
ねえ 今までさ
Hey, up until now
うまく生きてるふりをしてたけど
Pretending to live well
本当はさ
In reality
自分のことさえ何一つわからないままだ
I still don't understand anything about myself
眠れない夜の隙間から
From the gaps of sleepless nights
明日の方向に手を伸ばす
Reaching out towards tomorrow
触れた先が寂しさでも
Even if what I touch is loneliness
あの人がどこかで待っている
That person is waiting somewhere
Get chance and luck
There is something only you can protect somewhere
君だけが守れるものがどこかにあるさ
There is something only you can protect somewhere
Get chance and luck
Reclaiming the wounded dreams, even alone
ひとりでも 傷ついた夢をとりもどすよ
Reclaiming the wounded dreams, even alone
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mitsuko Komuro, Tetsuya Komuro, RED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind