Wall of Voodoo had its roots in Acme Soundtracks, a film score business started by Stan Ridgway, later the vocalist and synth player for Wall of Voodoo. Acme Soundtracks office was across the street from the Hollywood punk club The Masque and Ridgway was soon drawn into the emerging punk/new wave scene. Marc Moreland, guitarist for The Skulls began jamming with Ridgway at the Acme Soundtracks office and the soundtrack company morphed into a New Wave band. In 1977, with the addition of Skulls members Bruce Moreland (Marc's brother) as bassist and Chas Gray as keyboardist, along with Joe Nanini, who had been the drummer for Black Randy and the Metrosquad, the first lineup of Wall of Voodoo was born.
Wall of Voodoo released a self-titled EP in 1980 which featured a unique, synthesizer-driven cover of the Johnny Cash song, "Ring of Fire". The band's first full-length album, Dark Continent followed in 1981. Bruce Moreland left the band for the first time soon after this, and Chas Gray performed on both bass and keyboard during this time. The band recorded their biggest-selling album, Call of the West in 1982. The track "Mexican Radio" was their only Top 100 hit and the video for the song got a great deal of exposure on the newly-formed MTV. Bill Noland was added as a keyboardist soon after the release of this album.
Stan Ridgway claims that the situation around the band was increasingly chaotic at the time, with a great deal of drug use and out-of-control behavior on the part of the band members, as well as shady behavior by the band's management and record label. Wall of Voodoo appeared at the second US Festival on May 28, 1983 (the largest concert the band had performed), immediately after which Ridgway, Nanini, and Noland all left the band. Stan Ridgway soon went on to a successful solo career, appearing as guest vocalist on a track on the Rumble Fish score and releasing his first solo album in 1986. Joe Nanini soon resurfaced in the country rock band Lonesome Strangers. Joe Nanini passed away in 2000.
The remainder of the band, Marc Moreland, Chas Gray, and a returning Bruce Moreland carried on under the name Wall of Voodoo. Soon after, Andy Prieboy, formerly of the San Francisco New Wave band Eye Protection, joined as singer and Ned Lukhardt was added as drummer. The band continued to record and perform under this lineup until 1988, though their sound was very different from the style of music they played in the earlier Stan Ridgway-fronted lineup. During this period, the entire membership of Wall of Voodoo (with the exception of Andy Prieboy) were also members of Nervous Gender, a lineup that was nicknamed "Wall of Gender". In 1988, Wall of Voodoo split up.
Andy Prieboy went on to a solo career. Marc Moreland formed Pretty and Twisted with Johnette Napolitano and Danny Montgomery from Concrete Blonde and later formed Department of Crooks. Marc Moreland passed away in 2002, a posthumous solo album was issued later as the Marc Moreland Mess.
Their influence has reached an interesting and eclectic range of artists, for example Swiss Death/Thrash Metal Band Celtic Frost covered "Mexican Radio" on their album "Into the Pandemonium"
Empty Room
Wall of Voodoo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On this life-like stage,
We act a play,
Well that's so human too
Why don't you drink
From my ruby red glass?
Why don't you drink
From my ruby glass?
In the world alone...
What shall we do?
Now I'm thinking less
Of pain and lies
And I'm thinking more of you...
And I'm thinking more of you...
The empty room-
Upon a black floor
Come on and fill this glass.
Forget this life
And lock the door.
Give me violets
And vine tonight.
From this night on
We'll be alright
'til empty falls the ruby glass
I'm thinking less,
But I'm thinking more of you
Thinking more of you,
Thinking more of you.
Life is short,
And you're the sort that
Turns a night into a year...
Silently call me close,
Say it's the same for you
Why don't you drink
From my ruby red glass?
Why don't you drink
From my ruby glass?
The empty room-
Upon a black floor
Give me violets
And vine tonight.
From this night on
We'll be alright
'til empty falls
The ruby glass
I'm thinking less,
But I'm thinking more of you
Thinking more of you,
Thinking more of you.
The song "Empty Room" by Wall of Voodoo is a melancholic ballad that encapsulates the loneliness and human desire for intimacy. The song opens with the lyrics "It's the human thing to do, on this life-like stage, we act a play, well that's so human too." capturing the essence of the human condition; the desperation to find meaning in our existence. The song employs vivid imagery of an empty room, upon a black floor to signify the emptiness and bleakness of life without a human connection. As the singer beckons the listener to drink from his ruby glass, the symbolism of the drink could represent the emotional connection that the singer seeks from the listener. The singer adds, "why don't you drink from my ruby red glass?" as if to imply the drink is a metaphor for sharing emotions or life experiences with another human being.
As the song progresses, the singer expresses that he is "thinking less of pain and lies and thinking more of you." This could be him recognizing that forming connections and being in a relationship is a better way to distract oneself from the pain and lies of life. He then implores the listener to forget "this life and lock the door" and the suggestion is for the listener to forget their worries and allow themselves to form a human connection.
The lyric "Life is short, and you're the sort that turns a night into a year" signifies how the singer feels about the listener. It emphasizes how the listener's presence can affect his perception of time and how quickly moments can pass in their company. Overall, "Empty Room" is a poignant depiction of the human need for connection and the emptiness that is felt in its absence.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the human thing to do
As humans, we tend to perform certain actions and behaviors that are inherent to our nature.
On this life-like stage,
We live our lives like actors that perform on a stage.
We act a play,
Our lives are like a play, where we perform various roles and characters.
Well that's so human too
Performing a play, playing roles, and taking on different characters are all very human traits.
Why don't you drink
From my ruby red glass?
The artist is offering their companion some wine or alcohol to share and enjoy together.
An unlit corner
In the world alone...
The singer is in a dark corner, feeling isolated and disconnected from the world.
What shall we do?
The singer is asking their companion for suggestions on what they could do to alleviate their boredom and loneliness.
Now I'm thinking less
Of pain and lies
And I'm thinking more of you...
The artist is reflecting on how their thoughts have shifted away from negative emotions and thoughts and towards their companion, whom they are beginning to value more.
The empty room-
Upon a black floor
The artist is describing their current environment, which is an empty and dark room with a black floor.
Come on and fill this glass.
The artist is inviting their companion to fill up their glass with wine or alcohol.
Forget this life
And lock the door.
The singer is encouraging their companion to forget about the stress and struggles of life and lock the door to the room in order to focus on enjoying each other's company.
Give me violets
And vine tonight.
The artist is asking for a romantic and intoxicating atmosphere by requesting violets and wine for the evening.
From this night on
We'll be alright
'til empty falls the ruby glass
The singer is hopeful that their companion's company will be enough to keep them feeling content and happy, until they finish the bottle of wine.
I'm thinking less,
But I'm thinking more of you
The singer's mind is preoccupied with thoughts of their companion and they are valuing their company more as time goes on.
Thinking more of you,
Thinking more of you.
The singer repeats their obsessive thoughts of their companion as the song comes to a close.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE K. MORELAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@francieklopotic4623
One of my favorite tracks off this album. I adore Andy Prieboy's voice.
@NotOrdinaryInGames
Bruce really should have worked more on this one.