The band relocated to Los Angeles in 1977, adding Mike Gallo on drums, and they began playing local clubs. Greg Shaw, the head of 'Bomp! Records', felt impressed with their driving rock music and signed them to his label in 1978. The resulting single, "Under the Freeway", created enough interest in the band to secure a deal with Portrait Records, receiving interest for their bubblegum pop like take on the piano rock of the era.
20/20 added keyboardist Chris Silagyi and recorded their first full LP, '20/20'. Song "Cheri" saw some minor regional success due to their tuneful power pop sound, but the album was virtually ignored apart from critical acclaim. The follow-up, 'Look Out!' (1981), was equally strong in terms of talent but again failed. The band was dropped by Portrait in 1982 and effectively disbanded. They returned in 1982 with the independently released 'Sex Trap', but, by this time, their sound seemed out of style and the band finally called it quits.
A revived interest in the genre in the 90s inspired the band to reunite, contributing a few new songs to Big Deal's 'Yellow Pills' compilations. The group even recorded a new album, '4 Day Tornado', in the fall of 1995 on Oglio Records. 20/20 returned once again in August of 1998 with 'Interstate', but they called it quits soon afterwards.
Tell Me Why
20/20 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I be so ashamed
All these things I did to you could never take away
All these problems that you had wit me I wanna put away
When you look into my spirit why you smile at my face
Tell me
I'm the reason that you never really felt me
That I'm the reason that we grew and turned unhealthy
It's always hard to stop and walk away
It's always hard to stop and walk away
Tell me do you care about us (Do you care about us)
Blocking me on your phone that's no choice
Had you waiting for me just to love you
Hold on lil ma lemme juss come get closer
Fucking on that hoe girl I had her moaning
Cruising on yo love cuz you cant even go and trust us
So sad so sad
So bad so bad
I know I did you wrong up in the worst ways
Played wit your feelings so severely since the first day
I'm seeing clearly now I know that I'm dying without you
Cut you open, cut me off and I'm left with this monsoon
Said you been down, still been round, you was never afraid
Now you sick now when I get round, you was unentertained
I'm sorry for the change
I guess we shoulda went our separate ways
Sometimes
I be so ashamed
All these things I did to you could never take away
All these problems that you had wit me I wanna put away
When you look into my spirit why you smile at my face
Tell me
I'm the reason that you never really felt me
That I'm the reason that we grew and turned unhealthy
Lil mama I'm ashamed
It's always hard to stop and walk away
It's always hard to stop and walk away
In "Tell Me Why," 20/20 reflects on a past relationship and the mistakes he made that ultimately led to its downfall. He expresses remorse for the actions he took that hurt his partner and caused the relationship to become unhealthy. Despite his apologies and desire to make things right, he acknowledges the difficulty of accepting his wrongdoing and moving on.
Through introspective lyrics, the artist reveals the pain, regret, and shame that come with making mistakes in relationships. He recognizes the impact of his actions on his partner and laments the loss of what could have been a meaningful connection. The chorus's repetition of "Tell me why" suggests a desperate desire for answers and understanding, both from his partner and from himself.
The artist's vulnerability in "Tell Me Why" highlights the importance of communication, honesty, and accountability in relationships. The song serves as a reminder of the harm that can come from neglecting those principles, as well as the difficulty of facing one's mistakes and finding closure.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes
At times
I be so ashamed
I feel embarrassed for what I have done
All these things I did to you could never take away
The harm I caused you can never be undone
All these problems that you had wit me I wanna put away
I want to resolve all the issues we had
When you look into my spirit why you smile at my face
I wonder why you seem happy with me when you can see the pain I have caused you
Tell me
Please inform me
I'm the reason that you never really felt me
I am the cause of you not truly connecting with me
That I'm the reason that we grew and turned unhealthy
I am responsible for our unhealthy relationship
Lil mama I'm ashamed
I feel guilty, dear
It's always hard to stop and walk away
It's difficult to end things and move on
Tell me do you care about us (Do you care about us)
Kindly, let me know if you still have feelings for us
Blocking me on your phone that's no choice
You intentionally prevented me from contacting you
Had you waiting for me just to love you
I kept you waiting for love and attention
Hold on lil ma lemme juss come get closer
Wait for me, darling, let me approach you
Fucking on that hoe girl I had her moaning
I had sexual relations with another woman who was moaning
Cruising on yo love cuz you cant even go and trust us
I am enjoying and taking advantage of the love you give me, knowing that you do not trust us
So sad so sad
It's tragic, dear
So bad so bad
It's terribly wrong, love
I know I did you wrong up in the worst ways
I am aware of the extreme ways in which I hurt you
Played wit your feelings so severely since the first day
I have been toying with your emotions since the beginning of our relationship
I'm seeing clearly now I know that I'm dying without you
I realize now that I cannot live without you
Cut you open, cut me off and I'm left with this monsoon
You left me heartbroken and I am now suffering from the consequences
Said you been down, still been round, you was never afraid
You have been through a lot, yet you stayed by my side without fear
Now you sick now when I get round, you was unentertained
Now that I'm back, you are not happy to see me due to your illness
I'm sorry for the change
I apologize for my behavior and how it impacted our relationship
I guess we shoulda went our separate ways
Perhaps, it would have been better for us to end things earlier
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Songtrust Ave
Written by: JAMES DIAZ, JOSE MIGUEL SEIJIDO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind