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.
On Sunday
'Til Tuesday Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But its just the same wherever you go
You just wish the ghost was gone
So you make some calls
But its talking while you're wanting to go
You're just ringing phones for fun
You can always make a new excuse to cry
But you don't have to use it on yourself
[Chorus:]
So why spend your sadness now
Save it up for me on Sunday
And why is lonely all you have
When love is what you'll find on Sunday
You might guard your heart
But its awfully fun to have it broken
Or at least to leave a bruise
It becomes an art
Though the rules of which are rarely spoken
By the lucky ones who can choose
So your pain becomes another souvenir
And your souvenirs become your world
[Chorus x2]
In 'Til Tuesday's song On Sunday, the lyrics suggest a sense of loneliness and a longing for connection. The first two lines express a feeling of restlessness, indicating that the singer is unhappy with their current situation, no matter where they go. The phrase "you just wish the ghost was gone" could refer to a past relationship that the singer is having a difficult time moving on from. The following lines about making phone calls could imply that the singer is trying to distract themselves from their own thoughts and loneliness.
The lyrics of the chorus encourage the singer to save their sadness for someone who will appreciate it, perhaps indicating that the singer is tired of feeling lonely and looking for a deeper connection. The lines "why is lonely all you have, when love is what you'll find on Sunday" suggest that the singer is optimistic about finding love in the future and is encouraging themselves to not give up hope. The second verse speaks to the idea that the singer may have been hurt before but still finds some enjoyment in the pain of heartbreak, which seems to mirror the idea that "your pain becomes another souvenir" and "your souvenirs become your world."
Overall, the song On Sunday touches on themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and the hope of finding love again. The lyrics, while sad, are also filled with a sense of optimism and a desire for connection.
Line by Line Meaning
You should take a walk
You should try to get some fresh air
But its just the same wherever you go
But it won't change how you feel
You just wish the ghost was gone
You wish the feeling of sadness would disappear
So you make some calls
So you try to distract yourself with phone calls
But its talking while you're wanting to go
But you can't escape the sadness that's always with you
You're just ringing phones for fun
You're just trying to fill the silence
You can always make a new excuse to cry
You always find a reason to be sad
But you don't have to use it on yourself
But you don't have to be so hard on yourself
[Chorus:]
The chorus begins
So why spend your sadness now
So why be sad all the time
Save it up for me on Sunday
Save it for when you see me on Sunday
And why is lonely all you have
Why do you only feel lonely
When love is what you'll find on Sunday
When you'll find love on Sunday
You might guard your heart
You might try to protect your heart
But its awfully fun to have it broken
But it can be exciting to feel heartbreak
Or at least to leave a bruise
Or at least to feel something
It becomes an art
Feeling pain becomes an artistic process
Though the rules of which are rarely spoken
Though there is no clear guide on how to do it
By the lucky ones who can choose
By those lucky enough to have the option
So your pain becomes another souvenir
So your sadness becomes another memory
And your souvenirs become your world
And your memories shape your life
[Chorus x2]
The chorus repeats
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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