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
Time Will Tell
T'Pau Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You fool everybody with your smile
Even I believed in you
But only for a while
You still play those silly games
You gotta mess with people's minds
But I got news for you honey
(Only time will tell)
Time will tell
I know there ain't no point my trying to change it now
(Only time will tell)
Only time will tell
yeah!
I thought you really would care for me
You'd fill my life with some tenderness
I told the world you'd grown up
But no one would forget
Looks like all you learned
Was to hide your bitterness
Darlin' if you ever stop moving
I'll get you yeah!
(Only time will tell)
Time will tell
Well there ain't no point my trying to change it now
(Only time will tell)
Only time...
Will tell me it's not true
Oh you gotta tell me I am wrong
Cos I can't believe I was your friend for so long
I know what you do
And I know what you say
You twist the knife when I turn now
Only time will tell
Dark eyes that look so sincere
You fool everybody with your smile
I told the world you'd grown up
Only for a while
Looks to me all you learned
Was to hide your vicious smile
But if I ever catch up with you
Yeah!
(Only time will tell)
Time will tell
Well there ain't no point my trying to change it now
(Only time will tell)
Time will tell
There's nothing I can do about it
Nothing I can say about yeah!
The lyrics to T'Pau's "Time Will Tell" entail a message of betrayal and deception. The song speaks directly to an individual whose self-serving actions have caused harm and damage to others, and yet they continue to play games and manipulate people's emotions. The singer reflects on their past trust in this person, thinking that they were genuine, sincere, and would add tenderness to their life. However, they eventually realize that their perception of this individual was a facade, and they were nothing but a vicious person hiding behind a smile.
The chorus of "Time Will Tell" is a resounding reminder that karma eventually catches up to anyone who deceives others. The singer knows that there is no point in trying to change such a person, it is only a matter of time until their true colors show. The lyrics convey a tone of frustration and bitterness, a reflection of the pain and anger felt by those who have been taken for granted and betrayed by someone they once called a friend.
Overall, "Time Will Tell" by T'Pau is a cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting the wrong kind of people. The lyrics remind us that sometimes the people who seem nice on the outside can be hiding malice and betrayal on the inside.
Line by Line Meaning
Dark eyes that look so sincere
The person being addressed seems genuine and trustworthy at first glance.
You fool everybody with your smile
However, this person's smile is deceiving and hides their true intentions.
Even I believed in you
The singer was also fooled by the person's facade, if only briefly.
But only for a while
The artist eventually realized that the person's charm was not genuine.
You still play those silly games
Despite being caught, the person continues to manipulate and toy with people.
You gotta mess with people's minds
This individual enjoys getting a rise out of others and playing mind games with them.
But I got news for you honey
The singer has figured out the person's true nature.
Keep looking right behind
The person should be watching their back, as their actions have consequences.
(Only time will tell)
The artist acknowledges that the truth of the situation will reveal itself eventually, but it may take time.
Time will tell
Only the passage of time will uncover the full extent of the person's manipulations.
I know there ain't no point my trying to change it now
The singer realizes that they can do nothing to alter the course of events at this point.
yeah!
The artist is determined to move on despite the deceit they have experienced.
I thought you really would care for me
The singer believed that the person genuinely cared for them.
You'd fill my life with some tenderness
They thought that this person would bring love and compassion into their life.
No one would forget
However, the person's true nature is impossible to forget once it is revealed.
Looks like all you learned
The person only appears to have learned one thing: how to hide their negative feelings behind a mask.
Was to hide your bitterness
They have learned how to conceal their resentment and spite beneath a surface of kindness.
Darlin' if you ever stop moving
If the person ever drops their guard or lets their true nature show, the singer will confront them.
I'll get you yeah!
The singer will make sure the person faces the consequences of their actions.
Will tell me it's not true
Only time will ultimately prove whether or not the person's facade is genuine or a lie.
Oh you gotta tell me I am wrong
The artist desperately wants to be proven wrong about their suspicions of the person's ulterior motives.
Cos I can't believe I was your friend for so long
The artist is shocked and hurt to realize that they were close to someone who was deceitful and insincere.
I know what you do
The person's true nature has been exposed to the singer, and they know what to expect.
And I know what you say
The artist is familiar with the person's manipulative tactics and is no longer fooled by them.
You twist the knife when I turn now
The singer has been hurt by this person's actions, and they continue to rub salt in the wound even when they are confronted.
There's nothing I can do about it
Ultimately, the singer knows that they cannot change the past or undo what has been done.
Nothing I can say about yeah!
The situation is beyond words at this point, and the singer can only move forward.
Contributed by Reagan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.