T'Pau formed in 1986. The members originated from the towns of Shrewsbury and Wellington in central England and took their name from a Vulcan high priestess in the classic Star Trek episode Amok Time. Their debut single and first hit was the 1987 release Heart and Soul. Initially a flop in the UK, it first became a hit in the U.S. Billboard charts, reaching #4, a feat it repeated in the UK Singles Chart some months later. The same year, the band had their biggest hit with the ballad, China in Your Hand, which spent five weeks at Number One in the UK chart, and also claimed the top slot in several European countries, although oddly the song made little impact on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
They had a number of smaller hits which made it to at least the UK Top 40, including the singles Valentine, Sex Talk (a new recording of early flop single Intimate Strangers), I Will Be With You, and Secret Garden. Their 1987 album Bridge Of Spies (the album was called T'Pau in the U.S.) was a best seller and won several British record industry awards.
Nevertheless, the band failed to maintain their success and split in 1991. But Decker reformed the band with a new line-up in 1998, and T'Pau have in recent years attempted a comeback.
In May 2005, Carol Decker reached the final round of the ITV show Hit Me Baby One More Time, singing the T'Pau hit China in Your Hand.
See also: Official site
Strange Place
T'Pau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've seen more hypocrisy from the working man up to the mighty
All taught to worship greed
Tell me where they’re going for I just cannot see
I hope we find a way
And reason to ensure
We don't live in a strange place anymore
How high we fly, now time to look inside
A distorted and monstrous need to gather all we see
You'll have to suffer little children for nobody may heed
I hope we find a way
And reason to ensure
We don't live in a strange place anymore
I hope we find a way
And reason to ensure
That we don't live in a strange place anymore
We walk and we talk those little white lies
But it still ain't the place that I saw with my eyes
Got a new ideal, a god that’s real
A temple to count in for all to kneel
It’s the dinosaur of our decency
It just thrashes and dies in agony
What I thought is correct has been taken away
This is a strange place today
The lyrics of T'Pau's song "Strange Place" are filled with frustration, disappointment, and despair. The singer expresses how her once-beloved home has become a strange and unfamiliar place, thanks to the greed and hypocrisy of those around her. From the working man to the mighty, everyone seems to have bought into the same toxic mindset of idolising wealth and material gain over all else. The singer is at a loss, wondering where everyone is headed and what kind of future awaits them.
The chorus of the song is a plea for things to change. The singer hopes that the people around her will find a way to reject this strange and unhealthy way of life, and work to create a more compassionate and equitable society. She acknowledges that it won't be easy, and that there will be sacrifice along the way. The final verse references the idea of a new ideal, a god that's real, but it's unclear whether this is a religious or a secular reference. What does seem clear, however, is that the old ways of doing things have become unsustainable and that something new and different is needed if the world is to avoid becoming even stranger and more hostile than it already is.
Overall, "Strange Place" is a powerful meditation on the state of the world, and how difficult it can be to hold onto one's values and sense of self in the face of a society that seems to have lost its way. It's a poignant reminder that we all have a responsibility to work toward a better future, even if the road ahead is long and difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
This is my home, you made it a strange place
The singer is expressing disappointment at how their home (society, world, etc.) has become unfamiliar and uncomfortable due to the actions of others.
I've seen more hypocrisy from the working man up to the mighty
The singer has observed a lot of people who say one thing but do another, from regular people to those in power.
All taught to worship greed
People are raised to value and prioritize money and material possessions above all else.
Tell me where they’re going for I just cannot see
The artist is questioning where society is headed and expressing confusion about the direction things are taking.
How high we fly, now time to look inside
After accomplishing a lot, it's important to take a moment to reflect on one's values and motivations.
A distorted and monstrous need to gather all we see
There is a harmful and unhealthy desire to collect and possess as much as possible, regardless of consequences or morality.
You'll have to suffer little children for nobody may heed
The negative impact of this greedy mindset will disproportionately affect future generations, and there may not be anyone willing to change things for the better.
We walk and we talk those little white lies
People frequently tell small lies in their everyday interactions.
But it still ain't the place that I saw with my eyes
Despite trying to make things seem better with lies, the reality is still disappointing compared to the artist's original expectations.
Got a new ideal, a god that’s real
The artist has a new belief or value system that they consider important and grounded in reality.
A temple to count in for all to kneel
There is a physical symbol or representation of these values that is significant to the singer and others who share their beliefs.
It’s the dinosaur of our decency
The artist's belief system, though important to them, may be outdated or irrelevant to many others in modern society.
It just thrashes and dies in agony
The singer's beliefs are struggling to survive in a world that may not value them, and this is painful to witness and experience.
What I thought is correct has been taken away
The singer's previous beliefs or assumptions about the world have been challenged or disproven.
This is a strange place today
Overall, the singer finds the current state of the world to be unsettling and unfamiliar.
I hope we find a way
And reason to ensure
We don't live in a strange place anymore
The artist wishes for society to find a way to overcome its problems and return to a more familiar and comfortable state of being.
Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.