Ben met Tracey when they were at Hull University and she was singing in pop girl-band Marine Girls. Ben contributed a photograph, for a forthcoming album cover, after which, the pair became partners (later getting married). They formed Everything But the Girl in 1982, the name inspired by a Turner's Furniture advertising slogan (a popular store near the university). For a period, Tracey was active in both bands and the album with Ben's photo materialised, Lazy Ways (Apr 1983), which was to be Marine Girls' last. EBTG soon achieved national success and singles from The Language of Life (1990), got VH-1 airtime - heralding USA notoriety.
Once internationally established, they successfully achieved one of the greatest stylistic changes in modern music; originally a 'folk-pop with jazz influences' band, their fortunes changed with Amplified Heart (Jul 1994) and Todd Terry's successful remix of its track "Missing" (Aug 1994). Since then, EBTG have become more widely known as an electronic act, with Walking Wounded (May 1996), being a well-received example of their metamorphosed sound.
As of 1999, EBTG as a duo are currently on hiatus, as the couple raise their children, out of the public eye. Watt is a very successful club DJ, Buzzin Fly label-manager and remixer, releasing several 'Lazy Dog' mix compilations (named after his London-based deep house night).
Thorn's 2006 collaboration with Tiefschwarz, on the underground hit song "Damage", seems to have re-awoken her artistic spirit and she released a second solo album, Out of the Woods (Mar 2007).
As of March 2023 evidence that the hiatus will end soon emerges in an interview with Alexis Petridis, in which the release date of the new album 'Fuse' is given as 21 April. This new music was first mentioned by Tracy Thorn on twitter in late 2022, and now it emerging, with 2 new singles already released
Goodbye Sunday
Everything But the Girl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in it I pitched all my dreams
And all the things I ever wanted
And watched them heading slowly downstream
For I have learned that such things fade
Like photographs and family holidays
And every Monday is Goodbye Sunday
I guess you'd like me to throw away
For they do nothing
But feed my memory
But really you should know me better
For I am too fond of the past
But I think I am learning at last
That every Monday is Goodbye Sunday
Yes it's true that I cling to things
That I should leave behind
As if those were the goldens days
Well, I just hope that you really don't mind
Slowly runs the lazy river
Every Monday is Goodbye Sunday etc etc
The lyrics to Everything But the Girl's song Goodbye Sunday revolve around the theme of letting go of the past and moving on. The lazy river represents the passing of time, and the singer throws all their dreams and desires into it, watching them slowly disappear. The lyrics suggest that the memories we hold on to are fleeting and that we must accept the impermanence of life. The notions of nostalgia and sentimentality are explored in the second verse, where the singer is encouraged to throw away old diaries and letters that serve as a constant reminder of the past. However, the singer clings onto the memories, unable to let go, but is slowly learning that every Monday signifies a new beginning and that it is essential to leave behind the past and move forward.
One of the most interesting things about the song is that it was released in 1985 but was not successful initially. It was only after the success of Everything But the Girl's album "The Language of Life" in 1990 that the song gained popularity. The song was remixed and released as a single, and it reached number 13 in the UK charts.
The song was written by Everything But the Girl's lead singer, Tracey Thorn, who has said that she wrote it after reading a book by Alice Miller called "The Drama of the Gifted Child." The book explores the impact of childhood experiences on adult behavior, which inspired Thorn to write about the struggles of letting go of the past.
The song has been covered by several artists, including jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, who released an instrumental version of the song in 2004. The song was also sampled by RJD2 for the track "Clean Living" on his 2004 album "Since We Last Spoke."
The chords for Goodbye Sunday are A, D, A, E, A for the verse and D, A, E, D, A for the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
Slowly runs the lazy river
Time passes slowly and steadily, just like a lazy river.
And in it I pitched all my dreams
I let go of all my hopes and aspirations, and they drifted away with the river's current.
And all the things I ever wanted
I released all the material possessions and desires that I had been holding onto.
And watched them heading slowly downstream
I observed as my dreams and wants disappeared into the distance, becoming less and less important to me.
For I have learned that such things fade
I've come to understand that the things we want or desire tend to lose their significance over time.
Like photographs and family holidays
Examples of things that tend to fade in importance with time are the memories we capture in photographs and the happiness we find during family vacations.
And every Monday is Goodbye Sunday
The start of each new week serves as a reminder that time keeps moving forward, and we must continue to let go of things from the past, just like we let go of the relaxation and leisure of a weekend on Sunday.
I guess you'd like me to throw away
Perhaps you would think I should discard the mementos and handwritten notes that keep me connected to the past.
That box of diaries and old letters
The box containing my personal diaries and letters from those who have touched my life deeply.
For they do nothing
You might suggest they are useless and that I should dispose of them.
But feed my memory
But they hold a special place in my heart and continue to give relevance to memories past.
But really you should know me better
You should understand that I am someone who values the past and the memories it holds.
For I am too fond of the past
I am someone who likes to stay connected to the past and remember memories from earlier times.
But I think I am learning at last
However, I am now starting to realize that it's time to let go of certain things and move on.
That every Monday is Goodbye Sunday
Each new week that begins reminds me that it's time to let go of the past and embrace the present.
Yes it's true that I cling to things
I acknowledge that I tend to hold onto things for longer than necessary, even when they no longer serve any real purpose.
That I should leave behind
I should learn to let go and leave behind things that no longer have value or significance in my life.
As if those were the golden days
Perhaps I tend to romanticize the past and cling to it as if it were more precious and valuable than it actually was or is.
Well, I just hope that you really don't mind
I hope that you understand my attachment to the past and don't mind that I still like to hold onto certain memories.
Slowly runs the lazy river
Once again, I acknowledge that time passes by gradually and at a gentle pace, just like the lazy flow of a river.
Every Monday is Goodbye Sunday etc etc
I need to continue to let go of things from my past in order to grow and move forward into the next phase of life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: THORN, WATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind