Drama!

Album: Wild! (1989)
Charted: 4
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Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a drama queen, the sort of person who makes a drama out of the slightest crisis. Erasure's vocalist Andy Bell is known for being quite flamboyant, and his lyrics and stage presence are a great balance for the more grounded Vince Clarke, who handles the programming. Clarke, who found Bell when he placed an ad in Melody Maker looking for a lead singer, was previously in Depeche Mode and Yazoo, where he wrote songs on his own. Speaking of collaborating with Bell on songs, he told us: "Up to Andy, it was a mystery to me how people write songs together. Andy I, we've been together a long, long time and we feel very comfortable around each other." (See our full Vince Clarke interview.)
  • The mob-shouted "Guilty!" chorus was provided in part by The Jesus And Mary Chain. They were recording in the next door studio at the time.

Comments: 3

  • Db from NyIn the solos, I think it's pretty clear he's addressing homophobes. In the chorus, I'm not sure, if he's addressing homophobes, or addressing homosexuals from the homophobes point of view?
  • Magnus Bing from Southern CaliforniaUm... No... This song is not about a drama queen because Vince Clarke is flamboyant. Seriously? Clearly, this was written by a straight person. This song is about the hypocrisy that gay people have experienced from the kind of straight people who try to deny or limit our right to exist, love, and live freely (Your shame is never, ever ending, Just one psychological drama after another. You are guilty and how you ever entered into this life. God only knows the infinite complexities of love.) Of course, this song was written in the late 80's when gay marriage seemed impossible, so the overarching primary theme is no longer. The secondary theme that what rights we have can easily be taken away is still a very valid concern. (We all have the ability. Our freedom is fragile. We all laugh and we cry don't we? We all bleed and we smile.)
  • Becca from Sykesville, Md, UsaGreat Song!
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