Initially Farrington and Mann were in the locally active, Manchester, England-based group Beau Leisure. Farrington and Mann then went on to form When in Rome at the same time that Mann re-located to London from his Manchester home. Mann tirelessly traded the group's demo of "The Promise", an emotional love song mixing smooth pop with electronic music, along with other tracks around the entire A&R Departments of all the major labels. Eventually, A&R man Simon Potts of Electra signed them to an undisclosed deal. Simply Red were signed to Electra at around the same time, oddly enough. However, internal corporate politics caused Electra to close their London offices. Unable to deal with the time difference between the U.K. and the U.S. when dealing with Electra then, When in Rome decided to change labels, and the group were signed almost instantly to Virgin U.K. subsidiary 10 Records by A&R guru Mick Clark.
Producer Ben Rogan (who had worked with Sade) and Richard Burgess (associated with Five Star and Living In a Box) took special interest in the trio's "The Promise," issued first as a 12" dance disk. When the song became popular hitting the top of Billboard's Dance Club Play chart, Virgin ordered an album. "The Promise," remixed, was the first single from their self-titled debut album. It was an instant success, barely missing the Top Ten in the United States and peaking at #11. Months later, the trio reached Billboard's pop chart's lower reaches with "Heaven Knows", a 1990 single that hit #95 and garnered some underground fame.
Finding themselves dogged with the 'one-hit-wonder' tag (although the success of their eponymous debut as a whole made them more of a 'one-album-wonder'), the group faced internal tension and soon broke up. Michael Floreale in particular tried his hand at making material such as commercial jingles. Floreale, taking in musicians Rob Juarez and John Ceravolo, has written and performed as When in Rome since 2005; his outfit has performed alongside artists such as Devo and The Psychedelic Furs in the U.S. Although having spent much time out of the music business, Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann went back to writing and performing as When In Rome since 2008. A reunion of the original line-up has been ruled out by Floreale, and the division between the two outfits has caused legal issues, with them sometimes labeled as 'When In Rome US' versus 'When In Rome UK'.
Something Goin' On
When in Rome Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna be the one you miss the most
Just kiss me and keep me there for a moment of your time…
Cause when you hold me in your arms
You make me feel like our love lies calm
Your lips are warm and sweet
The more I kiss you, the more I notice
Ooh, I need you to stay now
When I know there's something wrong
Something going on
I know there's something wrong yeah
Something going on
When you say you feel this way
I wanna be the one to share yoiur day
And like the way you move across the floor
You keep me coming back for more and more
Ooh, I need you to stay now
And, ooh, don't you dare walk away
When I know there's something wrong yeah
Something going on
I know there's something wrong yeah
Something going on
Now I know there's something wrong...
There's some... thing...
(Trumpet M8)
Now reach out and hold me (you betcha)
Ooh, I need you to stay now
And, ooh, don't you dare walk away
When I know there's something wrong yeah
Something going on
I know there's something wrong yeah
Something going on
Now I know there's something wrong...
The lyrics to When in Rome's song "Something Going On" are about the singer's desire for their partner to hold them close, kiss them, and keep them in their arms for a moment. The singer feels calm and in love when they are with their partner, but they also sense that something is wrong. Despite this feeling, the singer wants to be there for their partner and share their day. The chorus repeats that the singer knows something is wrong and that there is something going on.
The lyrics suggest a conflicting emotional state for the singer where they experience love and doubt at the same time. Although they feel secure and at peace when they are with their partner, there is a sense of unease or suspicion that something is not right. The chorus serves to emphasize this feeling of uncertainty, as if the singer is searching for an answer or explanation as to what is happening in their relationship. The song's upbeat tempo and use of brass instruments contrast with its lyrics, creating a bittersweet tone that reflects the complexity of the singer's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Reach out and hold me close
I want you to physically embrace me and have a strong connection with me.
I wanna be the one you miss the most
I desire to be the person who you think about and long for the most.
Just kiss me and keep me there for a moment of your time…
Give me a brief moment of intimacy by kissing me and keeping me in your presence.
Cause when you hold me in your arms
I feel loved and secure when I am embraced by you.
You make me feel like our love lies calm
Our relationship feels peaceful and stable when we are together.
Your lips are warm and sweet
I enjoy the physical sensation of kissing you.
The more I kiss you, the more I notice
Each time we kiss, I become more aware of my feelings for you.
Ooh, I need you to stay now
I desire for you to remain in my presence and not leave.
And, ooh, don't you dare walk away
I don't want you to leave me or abandon our relationship.
When I know there's something wrong
I can sense that something is not right in our relationship or between us.
Something going on
There is an issue or problem that needs to be addressed.
When you say you feel this way
I want you to confide in me about your emotions and feelings towards me.
I wanna be the one to share your day
I want to be involved in your daily life and the experiences you have.
And like the way you move across the floor
I find your physical presence alluring and attractive when you move.
You keep me coming back for more and more
The satisfaction and enjoyment I gain from our relationship makes me desire more of it.
Now I know there's something wrong...
I have come to the realization that something is not right or is missing in our relationship.
Contributed by Callie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cesaraugusto5171
Awesome! I love When In Rome! I blast them in my car and all the young folks walking down the street look at me like I´m crazy... lol
@floydbrennan9789
WILL SOMEBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THIS SONG WAS NEVER A CHART CERTIFIED SMASH HIT!!!! THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST SONGS EVER!!!!
@vraifeu
I love When In Rome.
@maryferbrache4803
My youngin's love this sweet tune!!!!!!!1!
@brianrafaelsaldivarcuevas8767
this song is so hard to find
@communicationbreakdown256
has a bit of a Cars sound to it:)
@mariobermudez1979
This album is such a myth...
@chadergeist
A myth? How?
@chadergeist
The album by reviews (not me saying this) was embarrassingly weak, reminds listeners of a 'perculating' kettle". The group, however, has little to say - lyrically or musically - and their debut album just glides along the mainstream like driftwood. Except for the song The Promise.
@saskiafarrington1196
Still had a number 1 hit though hahah