Undercover Kept

Album: Benefactor (1982)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • By 1982 the subversive sounds the flower-power '60s had faded from San Francisco, but a few bands were coming on strong with an exciting and artistic New Wave sound. One of them was Romeo Void, formed by art school students Frank Zincavage and Debora Iyall in 1979. He put down some often funky grooves, she wrote abstract lyrics with a sensual zing, and saxophone player Benjamin Bossi kept it lively. In a Songfacts interview with the band, Zincavage explained how "Undercover Kept" came together.

    "This was a tune that was created by the band jamming at tour soundchecks," he said. "Then we worked on it at rehearsals and finessed it some more during its recording at Synchro Sound Studio in Boston. It was geared towards the dance floor, especially evident in the distinct snare sound. Sometimes the band would find itself grooving on a section and decide to make that the main element of the tune.

    Debora was commenting on a variety of things: her friends in San Francisco that were dancers at the 'X-Rated' clubs on Broadway, undercover detective activity, and of course, relationships. This was always a fun song to play live as it allowed Benjamin a lot of freedom to improvise."
  • This song is part of Romeo Void's second album, Benefactor, which includes "Never Say Never." That song had a video that got them on MTV and earned them fans far outside of San Francisco. They had high hopes for their next album, Instincts, when it was released in 1984, and it got off to a good start when "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" became a chart hit. But it wasn't good enough for their label, Columbia Records, which dropped them in the middle of a tour. They soldiered on but broke up in 1985, leaving their mark as a Classic Alternative band, but never making more music. VH1 got them back together for a concert in 2004 as part of their Bands Reunited series.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Graham Parker

Graham ParkerSongwriter Interviews

When Judd Apatow needed under-appreciated rockers for his Knocked Up sequel, he immediately thought of Parker, who just happened to be getting his band The Rumour back together.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.