As a singer-songwriter, Tikaram scored her greatest hit to date with Twist in My Sobriety, from her debut album Ancient Heart in 1988, when she was 19 years of age. After two years she released her second album The Sweet Keeper, containing songs such as Sunset's Arrived and Harm in Your Hands.
Other albums released by Tanita are: Everybody's Angel, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness, Lovers in the City, Cappuccino Songs and Sentimental.
As of April 2009, Tanita is living in London, England, and is currently recording a new album. Tanita is also releasing free live versions of older songs on her blog. You can subscribe here: http://tanitatikaramblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
Good Tradition
Tanita Tikaram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
And though the rain may fall your father's calling you
You still feel safe inside
And though your ma's too proud your brother's ignoring you
You still feel safe inside
Was this yesterday?
Was this true for you?
'cause while all the rest have taken time
This didn't do a lot for you
And the corners laced with memories
Tell you how it used to be
Your mother smiles, the children play, and all the bad things happen miles away
And strong feelings never bother you
You hold your head up while the rest of us try to
Oh, call the stations
Call the people
We all want to know
'cause while all the rest have taken time
You don't want to know
Well, there's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
There's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
And though the rain may fall your father's calling you
You still feel safe inside
And though your ma's too proud your brother's ignoring you
You still feel safe inside
Oh, was this solo?
Was this yesterday?
Was this true for you?
'cause of all the choices you have made
This didn't do a lot for you
The song "Good Tradition" by Tanita Tikaram seems to be about finding safety and comfort in the midst of difficult family relationships and memories. The repeated phrase "There's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside" seems to indicate that even though there may be tension and negativity, there is still a sense of familiarity and belonging in one's family. The opening verse describes the rain falling and family members ignoring each other, yet the singer still feels safe inside. The chorus echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the enduring tradition of both love and hate within the family.
As the song continues, Tikaram delves deeper into the complexity of family dynamics and emotions. The lines "And strong feelings never bother you / You hold your head up while the rest of us try to" suggest that the singer has learned to handle difficult emotions well, perhaps through this "good tradition" of love and hate in the family. Yet there is also a sense of frustration and loneliness, as seen in the lines "And all the bad things happen miles away" and "You don't want to know." It seems that while the singer may have learned to deal with family strife, there is still a sense of disconnection from the rest of the world.
Overall, "Good Tradition" is a poignant and introspective look at the complexities of family relationships and how they shape our sense of self. The repeated refrain of the "good tradition" serves as both a comfort and a reminder of the difficulties that come with familial love.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
The concept of love and hate being present in households has become a tradition, something familiar and typical.
And though the rain may fall your father's calling you
You still feel safe inside
And though your ma's too proud your brother's ignoring you
You still feel safe inside
Despite any personal or family issues, home remains a place of refuge where you always feel protected and secure.
Oh, was this solo?
Was this yesterday?
Was this true for you?
'cause while all the rest have taken time
This didn't do a lot for you
The singer is questioning the listener's experience and perception of their upbringing, suggesting that it may not have been significant or impactful in their life, unlike most people.
And the corners laced with memories
Tell you how it used to be
Your mother smiles, the children play, and all the bad things happen miles away
The nostalgic corners of the house remind you of happier times in the past when your mother was happy and your siblings were carefree, and when problems seemed remote and distant.
And strong feelings never bother you
You hold your head up while the rest of us try to
You appear to be emotionally unaffected and resilient to strong feelings that can affect other people, and can hold your head high while others struggle.
Oh, call the stations
Call the people
We all want to know
'cause while all the rest have taken time
You don't want to know
The singer urges the listener to reach out to others and seek answers about their upbringing, as it is unusual that they seem uninterested in exploring this aspect of their life.
Well, there's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
There's a good tradition of love and hate staying by the fireside
The chorus is a repetition of the opening lines, underscoring the recurring theme of love and hate coexisting in households, and the idea of home being a place of both warmth and conflict.
And though the rain may fall your father's calling you
You still feel safe inside
And though your ma's too proud your brother's ignoring you
You still feel safe inside
The final verse is a reiteration of the second verse, emphasizing once more the idea that home is a place of comfort and protection, even in the face of familial difficulties.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TANITA TIKARAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martindeabreu1
It is 2024 and I'm sitting here listening to this and taking me back to the 1990s as a teenager
@stubbs2811
The blend of her vocals and the instrumentals is pure magic. Truly a classic!
@stewux
She was 19. Imagine that! Her personality in front of the camera, that mature deep and husky voice. 19 years old!! Quite amazing, even whether you like her music or not.
@davidhenry1156
I had that song on vinyl as a kid and played it over and over again non stop!
@aldarizzo4801
totally 100% amazing, God loves us for giving us great talent like this
@NebraskaGonvilleJones
True, she was and is still a great talent. Try Diana Ankudinova covering ‘twist in my sobriety’ for an 18yo also “quite amazing” with her mature deep voice and stage presence:)
@TheDarrenguyuk
this makes me happyt
@shameless2877
just 19 ?
unbelievable
@Chastonicity
I will always love Tanita Tikaram's beautiful voice. It seems like all Tanita's songs are ageless for some reason. Love her classic Twist in my Sobriety.
@TheSpookyDuke
Tanita Tikaram is another acknowledgement of how truly truly wonderful 80s music was.