The group first gained fame six months after its formation when it won radio station WBCN's battle of the bands competition in 1983. Their original composition "Love In A Vacuum" (credited to all members of the group) received a fair amount of airplay on the station, and the group was eventually signed to Epic Records.
"Love In A Vacuum" was re-recorded for the Epic debut album, 1985's Voices Carry; however the breakthrough song turned out to be the title track. The "Voices Carry" single peaked at US #8, and is said to have been inspired by an argument between Mann and Hausman, who had broken off a relationship before the album's release.
The band became an early MTV staple with the "Voices Carry" video, which depicts an oppressive boyfriend trying to convert Mann to his upper-class lifestyle; she finally lashes out at him during a concert at Carnegie Hall, standing up from her seat in the audience and belting the lyrics, "He said, shut up! He said, shut up! Oh God, can't you keep it down?..." as she removes her cap to reveal her signature spiky, rat-tailed hair. As a result, the group won that year's MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist.
By the 1986 follow-up Welcome Home, Mann was beginning to write more of the songs herself and the band was moving away from the slick New Wave sound of their debut. But while critical reaction was generally strong, the number 26 placing for the lead single "What About Love" was a commercial disappointment, especially after the top 10 success of "Voices Carry". Even more problematic, the album just barely sneaked into the US top 50, also a letdown after the #19 placing for their first LP.
After the album's release Pesce left the band and was replaced by Michael Montes. Guitarists Jon Brion and Clayton Scoble also joined the group, although not as permanent members.
At about the same time, Mann's two-year relationship with singer-songwriter Jules Shear, whom she had been dating since the release of the Voices Carry album, came to an end. This breakup somewhat informed the band's final album, 1988's Everything's Different Now, particularly in the song "J for Jules," though Mann insisted that not every song on the LP was about the relationship. Shear collaborated with Matthew Sweet on the album's title track; it also featured "The Other End (of the Telescope)," a collaboration between Mann and Elvis Costello on which Costello provides a guest vocal.
Unfortunately, while critical praise continued to flow, Everything's Different Now was a commercial dud. The album peaked at a mere #124, while the lead single "(Believed You Were) Lucky" (co-written with Shear) crawled to #95.
'Til Tuesday essentially broke up after the release of Everything's Different Now in 1988. However, Mann toured under that name as a solo artist while legal problems with the band's label Epic prevented her from beginning work on a solo record for several years. Hausmann, meanwhile, became Mann's manager, a position he holds to this day.
Do It Again
'Til Tuesday Lyrics
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And I told her that our chances were slender
And this conversation sounded so familiar
Like a welcome mat - a broken blender
We walked to a restaurant she'd been to
And I looked at her while she was looking into
Someone else's mirror - seeing if she's someone too
I look back
And I see that same old rag
He's calling my name
He says you're gonna do it again
Time is all we need, she finally let out
But I see her drawing maps if she can get out
Now I wonder which of us will get the axe out
And do the final blow
I look back
And I see that same old rag
He's calling my name
He says you're gonna do it again
Says you're gonna do it again
I saw you
I said this time it's different
I'll know better
But I can't keep from loving
I have heard that one before
It was a shock I guess, but I'm not surprised
I would've done the same, if I was in your eyes
You know you left a trail about a mile wide
And though I've been there once
And seen the signs
In 'Til Tuesday's song "Do It Again," the singer recounts a conversation with a woman and expresses his awareness that they likely won't have a lasting relationship. The conversation feels familiar, as if they've had it before, and is filled with awkward moments and tension. They share a meal, and the singer observes the woman looking at herself in a mirror, trying to see herself from someone else's perspective. Even as she talks about needing time, the singer recognizes that they're both looking for a way out. The singer acknowledges that he's been in this situation before, and despite his attempts to convince himself that this time it will be different, he knows that he's going to end up repeating the same mistakes.
The lyrics convey a sense of frustration and resignation that may resonate with listeners who have been in similar situations. The repetition of the phrase "Do it again" creates a feeling of inevitability and frustration, reinforcing the sense that the singer is stuck in a pattern that he can't shake. At the same time, the descriptions of the conversation and the meal are evocative and vivid, capturing the awkwardness and discomfort of the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
We talked on the second of December
We had a conversation on December second
And I told her that our chances were slender
I expressed concerns about the probability of us succeeding
And this conversation sounded so familiar
The discussion was repetitive
Like a welcome mat - a broken blender
It was uninviting and dysfunctional
We walked to a restaurant she'd been to
We went to a place where she had been before
And I looked at her while she was looking into
I glanced at her while she was gazing at
Someone else's mirror - seeing if she's someone too
A mirror belonging to someone else, questioning her identity
Giving me that deja vu
Giving me a strange sense of familiarity
Time is all we need, she finally let out
She finally said that all we need is time
But I see her drawing maps if she can get out
But I notice that she's planning an escape route
Now I wonder which of us will get the axe out
I am now questioning which one of us will end it
And do the final blow
And bring an end to the relationship
Says you're gonna do it again
You're going to make the same mistake again
I saw you
I witnessed your actions
I said this time it's different
I thought it would be different this time
I'll know better
I'll make better choices in the future
But I can't keep from loving
However, I cannot help but love
I have heard that one before
That statement is familiar
It was a shock I guess, but I'm not surprised
It was surprising, but also expected
I would've done the same, if I was in your eyes
I would've acted similarly if I was in your position
You know you left a trail about a mile wide
You made it easy to see what you were doing
And though I've been there once
Even though I've experienced this before
And seen the signs
And recognized the warnings
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GRAHAM RUSSELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind