Influenced by 60s British Invasion music (such as the songs of The Kinks, The Who, The Beatles, The Hollies, and The Rolling Stones), 70s Detroit garage rock and hard rock (as represented by such performers as Iggy Pop, The Stooges, and the MC5), and the classic punk of Ramones, the Romantics play a hook-based form of rock known as power pop. The band is also commonly classified into the category of "new wave" (probably due more to the band's image and era than the sound of its music) by pop music historians.
The Romantics' original lineup consisted of rhythm guitarist/harmonica player/singer Wally Palmar, lead guitarist Mike Skill, bassist Rich Cole, and drummer/singer Jimmy Marinos. All four band members made songwriting contributions to the group, but Palmar and Skill were considered the band's primary tunesmiths. After a few years of playing local and regional gigs in Detroit and the Midwest, this lineup of the Romantics recorded the band's self-titled debut album for Nemperor Records in 1980. The album yielded the hit "What I Like About You," which reached #48 in the US, and #12 in the Netherlands, where the band was especially popular. "What I Like About You" would become much better known later in the 1980s, when its placement in television commercials and other high profile media made it an evergreen power pop anthem. The band became as well known (if not better known) for its flashy and audacious fashion sense as it did for its exciting music. The Romantics' signature look featured bouffant hairdos and skin-tight red leather suits, as worn by the band members on the cover photo of their debut album.
Mike Skill left the band after the release of its second album, National Breakout, in 1981. He was replaced by lead guitarist Coz Canler. This lineup of the band recorded the album Strictly Personal in 1982 before Rich Cole left the band that year and was replaced by a returning Mike Skill, who then became the band's bassist.
The Romantics achieved their greatest commercial success in 1983/84 with the release of the album In Heat. The first single taken from In Heat, "Talking In Your Sleep", rose to Number Three on the Billboard charts, and was also a substantial international hit. A second single, "One In A Million", charted as high as Number Thirty-Seven during the following year. The Romantics' music videos were frequently shown on the cable television network MTV during this period, solidifying the band's popularity. Also during 1983, the Romantics played well received U.S. and international concert tours in support of In Heat, and appeared on such pop music-themed television shows as Solid Gold, American Bandstand, and Soul Train.
In 1984, drummer Jimmy Marinos, dissatisfied with the artistic direction of the band (which was quickly abandoning its power pop roots in favor of more generic mainstream pop rock) and convinced that he could find success as a solo act, left the Romantics. He was replaced by David Petratos, who would serve as the band's drummer until 1990. This lineup recorded one album, Rhythm Romance, in 1985. On Rhythm Romance, the Romantics eschewed much of the energetic electric guitar- and drums-based modern rock 'n roll sound that had come to define the band's music in favor of the synthesizer pop that had won commercial success for such contemporary bands as Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Culture Club, and other similar New Wave bands during the early 1980s. By 1985, however, synthesizer pop was beginning to fall out of popular favor. Moreover, the style was not the Romantics' strength. As a result, Rhythm Romance was not a commercial success and was also regarded as an artistic nadir by the band's fans.
In the late 1980s, the Romantics discovered that their managers had been misappropriating the profits earned by the band from its hit records and live performances. Additionally, the Romantics' best known song (the aforementioned "What I Like About You") had been licensed for use in television commercials without the band's knowledge or approval. Consequently, the Romantics filed a lawsuit against their management in 1987, and the legalities involved prevented the band from recording new music until the mid-1990s.
Former Blondie drummer Clement (Clem) Burke replaced David Petratos as the Romantics' drummer in 1990. For much of the 1990s, the Romantics played obscure performances in small venues, largely forgotten and out of the public spotlight.
The Romantics' fortunes began to rise again in the middle of the 1990s, as the band's success in its lawsuit against its former management freed the band to record again (and ensured that future earnings from the licensing of Romantics songs would go to the band). The first fruit of the band's new recording activity was the 1993 EP Made In Detroit. Several Romantics greatest hits packages were issued during the 1990s, as was the live album The King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: The Romantics Live In Concert, a 1996 release of an October, 1983 recording of a Romantics concert in San Antonio, Texas at the height of the band's popularity.
Jimmy Marinos, the Romantics' original drummer, temporarily returned to the band for a series of performances in 1996-1997 (with Clem Burke returning to the Romantics' drumstool after Marinos departed again), and late 1990s nostalgia for 1980s pop culture caused a minor resurgence of interest in the band. In 2003, twenty years after the release of their most commercially successful album, In Heat, the Romantics released 61/49 - a more roots rock and blues-oriented record than the band's previous efforts. The album was not a great commercial success, but won the Romantics a newfound critical respect that they had not enjoyed during their popular and commercial heyday in the early 1980s. 61/49 also offered proof that despite the band's years out of the public spotlight, the Romantics remain a potent musical unit.
A fourth drummer, Brad Elvis, replaced Clem Burke as the Romantics' regular drummer in 2004 after Burke returned full time to a reactivated Blondie. The Romantics continue to play live concerts today (with occasional guest performances by previous members Jimmy Marinos, Rich Cole, and David Petratos). The band is said to currently be working on a follow up to 61/49.
One In A Million
The Romantics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes me want to keep on loving you
When I'm without you
I feel I need you back in my arms
I get a sensation
I feel whenever I'm around you
You're my inspiration
And I'm so glad I found you
One in a million-baby you're the one
One in a million-and you're second to none
One in a million-a million to one
You're one in a million
When I first saw you
I had a feeling right from the start
In love I was falling
You seemed to do things to my heart
Your love and affection
Is all I need to keep me satisfied
You leave an impression
Baby I never want to leave you
One in a million-baby you're the one
One in a million-and you're second to none
One in a million-a million to one
You're one in a million
The Romantics' song "One In A Million" is a love song that captures the deep emotions and feelings that come with falling in love. The lyrics express a sense of gratitude towards the person the singer is in love with, stating that they are one in a million and that they are the only one for them. The song begins by saying that there is something about the person that makes the singer want to keep loving them, and that they feel incomplete without them. The singer goes on to talk about the wonderful feeling they get when they are around their lover, saying that they are their inspiration and they are glad they found them.
The chorus of the song is catchy and conveys the depths of the singer's love for their partner. They say that their lover is "one in a million," and that they are "second to none." They express their belief that their love is unique and special, and that their connection is unlike any other. The song's bridge talks about the initial attraction between the two, and how the singer fell in love with their partner right from the start. They also mention the powerful effect that their partner has on their heart and how they never want to leave them.
Overall, the song is a celebration of love, and the deep emotional connection between two people who are truly meant to be together. It captures the feelings of joy, inspiration, and gratitude that come with being in a loving relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Something about you
There is something special about you that catches my attention
Makes me want to keep on loving you
That special something makes me want to continue loving you
When I'm without you
When you're not around
I feel I need you back in my arms
I start to miss you and wish to hold you again
I get a sensation
I experience a feeling
I feel whenever I'm around you
That feeling only arises when I'm near you
You're my inspiration
You inspire me to feel and act a certain way
And I'm so glad I found you
I'm filled with joy and grateful that I met you
One in a million-baby you're the one
You're the one that stands out above the rest, unique and irreplaceable
One in a million-and you're second to none
You are incomparable to anyone else, the best in every way
One in a million-a million to one
It's rare to find someone like you, you are one of a kind
You're one in a million
You are truly special and exceptional
When I first saw you
The moment I laid eyes on you
I had a feeling right from the start
I knew right away that you were someone special
In love I was falling
I was falling in love with you
You seemed to do things to my heart
You affected me in a way that touched my heart
Your love and affection
The care and love that you give to me
Is all I need to keep me satisfied
Your love is everything that I need to feel happy and content
You leave an impression
You make a lasting impact on me
Baby I never want to leave you
I want to stay with you forever
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE CANLER, GEORGE S CANLER, JAMES MARINOS, JIMMY MARINOS, MICHAEL SKILL, MIKE SKILL, WALTER PALAMARCHUK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jasonlommen4769
The 80’s were just different. Best decade ever. So glad I lived my teen years through it.
@jamessrq
Well done. Truer words were never spoken... or typed
@jasonlommen4769
@james
Especially rings true now with the current state of affairs we live in. Just Time Machine me back to the 80’s already!
@jamessrq
@jason lommen Think of how many things that you could tell your 80s era self about today. If you could write yourself a letter and send it back in time I am sure there would be many things you would have a hard time believing about 2023 when you read it. Yes, there are things like the shock that both Michael Jackson and Prince died in the last decade. However, I think the bigger shock would be some of the things today which are widespread that we never would have thought would ever be considered 'normal' or 'socially acceptable' back then.
@kway745
I was a little younger, ‘80s kid ‘90s teen, but yeah. If I could time travel, ‘80s all over again, hands down.
@jasonlommen4769
@@kway745
I hear that 100%!!
@sensei74
Verano del 85 ! Se me salen las lagrimas escuchar esta bella pieza musical sep del 23 ! Solo las personas que vivimos esa época entenderían lo que sentimos sin embargo felicito a muchos jóvenes que también disfrutan estas rolitas de nuestra época , amor paz y muchas Bendiciones para todos
@joeb6245
I graduated HS in 85. This band was amazing. The hooks on every song on every album. They literally do not have a bad song. Love them
@tracyhall6195
🎯 😃
@Bruce_Wayne_Chang
The perms look weird but they rock.