The duo has released nine studio albums so far: Under Feet Like Ours (1999), This Business of Art (2000), If It Was You (2002), So Jealous (2004), The Con (2007), Sainthood (2009), Heartthrob (2013), Love You to Death (2016) and Hey, I'm Just Like You (2019). They also issued the live album/DVD Get Along in 2011 and their memoir High School in 2019.
Tegan and Sara initially played as Plunk in 1995, and lacked a drummer and bass player. In 1997, they used their school’s recording studio to record two demo albums: Who's in Your Band? and Play Day.
In 1998, they made an early breakthrough by winning Garage Warz Battle of the Bands, a local music competition in Calgary. Since then, the two have toured with Neil Young, Rufus Wainwright, Kaki King, The Pretenders, Ben Folds, The Killers, Rachael Cantu, Vivek Shraya, Cake, Gogol Bordello, Hot Hot Heat, Ryan Adams, Veda Hille, Little Birdy, Iron On, Little Brazil, Bryan Adams, and Weezer, and they performed a show at Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair.
They are signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records in Canada, and to Sire in the United States as their previous label, Sanctuary Records, is no longer releasing new music in the United States.
When they were competing in Garage Warz, they were known as "Sara and Tegan" because that is how their mother registered them on the competition forms. Their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, was initially released under the name "Sara and Tegan". While both twins are similarly involved in vocals and playing instruments, the singing of the lead melody usually goes to whichever twin wrote the particular song. The two hardly sang together in the recordings of their early records, but they started to more on their later records and when live.
On their 2004 album, So Jealous, the two lend their unusual voices and simple guitar riffs to power pop ballads about love and emotional, haunting songs such as "Walking With a Ghost".
The fifth album, The Con, released July 24, 2007, showed a shift in style towards darker tunes compared to the relatively upbeat indie pop of So Jealous. The singles "Back in Your Head", "The Con" and "Call It Off" were issued to support the album. The twins toured the album for over a year and a half.
Their sixth studio album, entitled Sainthood, was released on October 27th, 2009, to generally positive reviews. The album included the singles "Hell", "Alligator", "On Directing" and "Northshore".
Tegan and Sara also collaborated with many other artists, including Tiësto for the single "Feel It in My Bones" (from the album Kaleidoscope, 2009), and Morgan Page for the single "Body Work" (from the album In the Air, 2012).
"Closer", the first single from their seventh album was produced by Californian pop producer Greg Kurstin. The song was made available for download September 25, 2012. On 29 January 2013, Tegan and Sara released their seventh studio album, Heartthrob.
The duo's eighth studio album, titled Love You To Death, was released on 3 June 2016. The lead single Boyfriend was released on 8 April. Greg Kurstin returned as the producer.
On October 20, 2017, the duo released a compilation album titled Tegan and Sara Present the Con X: Covers, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Con. The compilation contains covers of each song performed by various artists, as well as a previously unreleased demo “Miami Still”, performed by the duo. The proceeds of the record and subsequent tour benefitted the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which raises money for self-identified women and girls in the LGBTQ community.
The duo released their memoir, High School, on 27 September 2019. It recounts their childhood and adolescence growing up in Alberta in the 1990s as well as their musical beginnings. The book debuted at number fifteen on The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction best-sellers list. Along with the book, Tegan and Sara's released their ninth studio album, Hey, I'm Just Like You, which contains re-recordings of unreleased demo songs that the duo recorded as teenagers. The record was produced by Alex Hope and is the first Tegan and Sara record produced, performed, engineered, mixed, and mastered by a team of all women. The band embarked on a US, Canada and UK tour to promote the book and album, playing mostly acoustically, reading excerpts from the book and incorporating old video footage from the band's teenage years.
The current live touring band members include Ted Gowans (guitar; 2004-present), Jasper Leak (bass; 2012-present), John Spence (keyboards; 2012-present), and Adam Christgau (drums; 2013-present). Former live touring band members include Johnny Andrews (drums; 2006-2010), Shaun Huberts (bass; 2007-2010), Dan Kelly (bass; 2007), Chris Carlson (bass; 2001-2005), Rob Chursinoff (drums; 2001-2005) and Jason McGerr (drums; 2012).
Official site: http://www.teganandsara.com
Here I Am
Tegan and Sara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thinkin' that one day, we'll be ended
Until I've done all that I can (all that)
Until I've done all that I can
And so I said, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Oh, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Right now, I wish I was older
And right now, I wish I had closure
Until I've done all that I can (all that)
Until I've done all that I can
And so I said, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Oh, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Drinkin' with nothing to lose
I'm sorry I was late, I was so blue
Oh, my head hurts from holding your head
And I'm young, but it's hard to believe
Yeah, yeah
That someday, I will never see you again
And you might not believe this, but you've changed me so much
Oh, baby (baby), it's so hard, leaving you
But maybe (maybe), this was the only-y-y way
And so I said, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Oh, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
"Hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
"Hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
The lyrics to Tegan and Sara's "Here I Am" explore themes of loss, longing, and uncertainty. The singer feels "winded" and is struggling with the knowledge that one day their relationship with someone they care about deeply will come to an end. They express a desire for closure and to have done all they can in the relationship before it ends.
The repetition of "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here" suggests a need for reassurance and a fear of being forgotten. The singer is trying to assert their presence and make sure they are not overlooked or left behind. The lines "Drinkin' with nothing to lose / I'm sorry I was late, I was so blue / Oh, my head hurts from holding your head" add to the sense of urgency and emotional turmoil.
The final lines of the song show a sense of growth and acceptance, as the singer acknowledges that their relationship may have to end and that it has changed them in profound ways. The line "maybe this was the only way" suggests a sense of resignation and a recognition that sometimes things must come to an end, even if it is painful.
Overall, "Here I Am" is a poignant exploration of the complexities of human relationships and the inevitability of change and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Right now, I feel so winded
At this moment, I am exhausted and overwhelmed by the uncertainty of the future.
Thinkin' that one day, we'll be ended
Contemplating the thought that someday our relationship will end.
Until I've done all that I can (all that)
I will not give up until I have put forth all of my effort towards achieving my goals.
And so I said, "hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
I am making it clear that I am present and available.
Right now, I wish I was older
I desire to have more life experience and be at a different stage in my life.
And right now, I wish I had closure
I yearn for closure and resolution in our relationship.
Drinkin' with nothing to lose
Drinking without considering the consequences or potential risks.
I'm sorry I was late, I was so blue
I apologize for being tardy as I was feeling sad and down.
Oh, my head hurts from holding your head
Physically holding onto you has caused me pain.
And I'm young, but it's hard to believe
Despite my youth, it is difficult to fathom the idea of never seeing you again.
That someday, I will never see you again
There will be a day where we will no longer be together.
And you might not believe this, but you've changed me so much
You may not realize it, but you have had a significant impact on my life.
Oh, baby (baby), it's so hard, leaving you
Leaving you is incredibly difficult, my dear.
But maybe (maybe), this was the only-y-y way
Perhaps this is the only option we have.
"Hello, hello, hello, I'm right here"
Reiterating my presence and availability.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Alex Hope, Sara Keirsten Quin, Tegan Rain Quin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay
So pissed this didn't get reworked for Hey I'm Just Like You. It's one of my favorites from the demo tapes.
Robash Sandhu
it makes NO SENSE at all..lke we could have done without the 1st and 3rd song..is this song be tegan? WTF..she was SOO good back then..what the hell is even going on?
Jess Lishman
I have that weird feeling in my insides that you get when you listen to a song and it's like the world has dropped away and you can't quite see past the sheer brilliance of the music you just heard.
Sara Maucieri
Same. Every time I hear this song, I get goosebumps. It brings back memories I thought I wasn’t ready for, since I first heard this during a really fucked up time in my life, but their voices take me to a place where the fucked up and frightening parts of this world can’t go.
averynonym
How have I never heard this until now?!
Ultimately one of my absolute favorites by them. The harmonizing is remarkable!
JillMarie24
i love this song. tegan and sara are amazing!
raksha
i've said it before... And i'll say it again... Love this song!!! I can listen to this song all day!
Jordan Like The River
This is one of my favorite songs, and one of the best ever created <3
H_Jenny
love these girls. they're awesome and very inspiring.
Kathartik Cry
i cant stop listening to it!!! they are so awsome! there are days where its just takes too much energy to just be me even though others around me hate it. so when i have those days i listen to songs like this from them and my stregnth and energy come back. they're my heroines! xoxoxo tegan and sara. thankyou!