Dolby promoted himself as a kind of mad scientist, an egghead that had successfully harnessed the power of synthesizers and samplers, using them to make catchy pop and electro-funk. Before he launched his solo career, Dolby had already worked as a studio musician, technician, and songwriter. After starting out as a teenaged live sound man, mixing The Fall, The Members and others using a PA he built himself, he formed the arty post-punk band Camera Club (also known as Bruce Woolley & the Camera Club) with Bruce Woolley, Geoff Downes, Trevor Horn and Matthew Seligman. Within a year, he had left the group and joined Lene Lovich’s backing band and gave her his song "New Toy", which became a British hit in 1981. That same year, he released his first solo single, "Urges", on the English independent label Armageddon. By the autumn, he had signed with Parlophone and released "Europa and the Pirate Twins", which nearly cracked the UK Top 40.
Dolby started playing synthesizer on sessions for other artists in 1982. That year, he played keyboards on Def Leppard’s Pyromania and Joan Armatrading’s Walk Under Ladders. His most distinctive session credit is that keyboard line after the chorus on Foreigner’s "Waiting for a Girl Like You". In that eventful summer, Dolby also collaborating with New York rappers Whodini to create "Magic’s Wand" – a pivotal early hip hop track (the first rap single to shift 1 million copies), and it also single-handedly started the new jack swing movement.
Even with all of these achievements, 1982 was most noteworthy for the release of Dolby’s first solo album, The Golden Age of Wireless, in the summer of 1982, the landmark album reaching number 13. "Windpower", the first single from the record, became his first Top 40 UK hit in the late summer. Other cuts from the album include "The Airwaves", and "One of Our Submarines", a meditation on the futility of empire.
In January of 1983, Dolby released an EP, Blinded by Science, which includes what would become his most well-known track, "She Blinded Me with Science" featuring a cameo vocal appearance by the notorious British eccentric Magnus Pike, who also appeared in the song’s video. "She Blinded Me with Science" was a minor hit in England, but the EP and the single became a major American hit in 1983, thanks to MTV’s heavy airplay of the video. Eventually, the song reached number five on the US charts and it was included on a resequenced and reissued version of The Golden Age of Wireless, which peaked at number 13 in America.
The Flat Earth, Dolby's second album, appeared in early 1984, and harkens back to a time when songs mattered more than the video, even as MTV was discovering its strength. Opening with "Dissidents", conjuring up images of blacklisted authors and ugly snow, gray from oppression, with Matthew Seligman’s bass at the fore, lavish, growling, popping through octaves, funk-a-fied and twinkling with harmonics throughout the album. The title track is an R&B daydream of piano and Motown stabs of rhythm guitar. "Screen Kiss" has a similarly ethereal quality, and the lyrics are lush with imagery. The cover of Dan Hicks’ 1967 "I Scare Myself" is a balmy jazz club cocktail – faithfully nostalgic, right down to a bittersweet trombone solo from Peter Thomas. "Hyperactive" is one part bizarre to two parts infectious; guest vocalist Adele Bertei fuels the fire to what was already destined to be a memorable diversion beyond the reach of Top 40. The single became Thomas’ biggest UK hit, peaking at number 17.
During 1985, Dolby collaborated with artists including Stevie Wonder, Dusty Springfield and Herbie Hancock; and notched up some more high-concept production credits. George Clinton's Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends, Prefab Sprout’s Steve McQueen, and Joni Mitchell’s Dog Eat Dog were all midwifed by Dolby, who also was musical director for David Bowie at Live Aid. Also in 1985, he began composing film scores, starting with Fever Pitch. In 1986, he composed the scores for Gothic and Howard the Duck, for which he credited himself as Dolby's Cube. (That credit led to a lawsuit from the Dolby Labs, who eventually prohibited the musician from using the name "Dolby" in conjunction with any other name than "Thomas.")
Aliens Ate My Buick, Dolby's long-delayed third album, appeared in 1988 to a mixed reaction, although "Airhead" became a minor British hit. That same year, Dolby married actress Kathleen Beller. For the rest of the late 80s and early 90s, Dolby continued to score films, producing and building his own computer equipment.
1992’s Astronauts and Heretics, features guest stars such as Eddie Van Halen, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir and Ofra Haza. The album opens with "I Love You Goodbye", one of Thomas’ most evocative songs, and ends with "Beauty of a Dream" which is also a contender for that honour. Highlights found inbetween include "Cruel" (a duet with Fairground Attraction’s Eddie Reader), "I Live in a Suitcase" and "Close But No Cigar".
The following year, Dolby founded the computer software company Headspace in Silicon Valley, releasing The Virtual String Quartet as its first program, and also pioneered technology for music on mobile phones. For the rest of the 90s, Headspace occupied most of Dolby's time and energy. In 1994, he released The Gate to the Mind’s Eye, a soundtrack to the animated short film Mind’s Eye. Also that year, Capitol released the greatest-hits collection, Retrospectacle.
Thirteen years after Astronauts and Heretics, Dolby returned to live performance in 2006 with his solo Sole Inhabitant tour, which covered North America and the UK, with Thomas recreating the highlights of his earlier work from scratch, with a camera mounted like a miner’s lamp on his head, and a big screen showing the view from the artist, turning what would be a fairly dull one-man-and-a-rack-of-synths into a fascinating audio visual experience and an unintended masterclass for music technology students.
UK indie label Invisible Hands Music released a CD and DVD box set recorded on the Sole Inhabitant tour. These fresh and modern reinterpretations of Thomas’ work to date precedes a new studio album due in 2008, which is as-yet untitled, but does include a song about Britney’s ex Kevin Federline (“K-Fed”) who used an uncleared sample from "She Blinded Me with Science" and did not respond to legal approaches until a ‘cease-and-desist’ was posted in the comments field of his MySpace page. That song is called "My Karma Hit Your Dogma", and bodes well for a mighty return to form, combining Thomas’ humour and intelligence with a unique musical vision.
2011 saw Dolby get busy by returning with a new studio album A Map of the Floating City on 29 October. The album is broken down into three genres of Urbanoia's tales of city experiences; Amerikana as Dolby's take on his years living in America and it's roots music; and Oceanea: songs of life by the sea in his home country of England. The music was debuted first as download EPs to Dolby's online community and then previewed by a transmedia interactive game also called the FloatingCity.com.
Thomas Dolby is taking the music back on tour as a solo artist and with varying line-ups of bands, doing two tours of the UK in 2011, and has his first trip to Australia in February 2012 followed by dates in Japan. In March Dolby kicks off the Time-Capsule.tv tour at the SxSW Festival in Austin playing dates in USA and Canada through April. He will have a trailer parked at venues on his tour where you can produce a 30 second video offering words of wisdom to whoever will be walking the earth in the future. Dolby wants to give people a chance to “explain to an alien visitor what went wrong with our civilization. Our species may not be around on this planet much longer, so you might as well leave a welcome message for the next guys.”
Radio Silence
Thomas Dolby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes the final adjustments
In her rear,view mirror
She's nervous and tense
But she's thinking it over
With logic and sense
She'll overcome her phobia
Oh to paint her eyes so red and her lips so blue
Caroline four, five, two
When they come to call for her I will be there too
Observe Radio Silence observe
Radio Silence observe Radio Silence
Maintain Radio Silence thoughout
Now where can he be?
What's wrong with the parking meter?
What's happening to me?
She'll burst a blood vessel if he doesn't show
She's caught up in traffic
And I'm on her radio
Oh to paint her eyes so red and her lips so blue
Raise her likeness on the mast
Caroline four, five, two
When they come to call for her, I will be there too
She tune in till the tune suits her right
She tune in till the dial come alright
She tune the dial till the needle is in the white
Tune in tonight
Tune in tonight
Tune in tonight
Try to think of nothing
In Thomas Dolby's song "Radio Silence," Caroline is preparing for a big moment in her life, possibly a performance or a public appearance. She is nervous and tense, but she is using logic and sense to overcome her fear. She wants to paint her eyes red and her lips blue and carve her legend on the bow, possibly a reference to a ship or a stage. She identifies herself as Caroline four, five, two, which could be a code or a reference to something that only she and a few others understand.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of urgency and chaos. Caroline is worried about someone who is late, and she is caught up in traffic. The singer is on her radio, trying to keep her calm and focused. He promises to be there for her when they come to call for her. The repeated phrase "Observe Radio Silence, maintain Radio Silence" suggests that they are trying to avoid detection or interference, possibly from the authorities or the media.
Overall, the song has a feeling of mystery and a sense of impending action. Caroline and the singer are preparing for something significant, and they are communicating in code and trying to stay under the radar. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they evoke a sense of tension and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
Caroline
The singer of the song is Caroline.
Makes the final adjustments
Caroline is preparing for something important.
In her rear,view mirror
Caroline is looking at herself in the mirror of her car.
She's nervous and tense
Caroline is anxious and uneasy.
But she's thinking it over
Despite her anxiety, Caroline is also being rational and assessing the situation.
With logic and sense
Caroline is using reason to consider what to do.
She'll overcome her phobia
Caroline is determined to get past her fear.
Oh to paint her eyes so red and her lips so blue
The artist is reflecting on how Caroline might look after her preparations.
Carve her legend on the bow
The artist is speaking figuratively about Caroline making her mark on the world.
Caroline four, five, two
This is likely a reference to a radio frequency or call number that Caroline is using.
When they come to call for her I will be there too
The singer is indicating that they will be there to support Caroline.
Observe Radio Silence observe
This is likely a command for Caroline to maintain silence over the radio.
Radio Silence observe Radio Silence
This line emphasizes the importance of remaining quiet.
Maintain Radio Silence thoughout
This is likely once again a command to remain silent on the radio.
Now where can he be?
The singer is wondering where someone they are expecting is.
What's wrong with the parking meter?
The artist is noticing something unusual about their surroundings.
What's happening to me?
The artist is becoming anxious and confused.
She'll burst a blood vessel if he doesn't show
The singer is worried that Caroline is going to get very upset if someone doesn't arrive soon.
She's caught up in traffic
The singer is aware that Caroline is facing obstacles.
And I'm on her radio
The artist is speaking about how they are able to hear Caroline's radio transmissions.
Raise her likeness on the mast
This is again likely a figurative statement about Caroline making an impact in the world.
She tune in till the tune suits her right
This seems to be a reference to Caroline adjusting her radio so that she can hear clearly.
She tune in till the dial come alright
Caroline is adjusting her radio to get the best reception possible.
She tune the dial till the needle is in the white
Caroline is still trying to get the radio tuned perfectly.
Tune in tonight
This is likely an invitation for listeners to adjust their radios and engage with the song.
Tune in tonight
Another invitation to engage with the song.
Tune in tonight
Yet another invitation to tune in and listen closely.
Try to think of nothing
This may be a final piece of advice for listeners to stay focused on the song and let other distractions fade away.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Thomas Dolby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind