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
Plunk Song
Tegan and Sara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm wired
overcome overdone
my fate is on fire
eat the sludge and dance
to screaming in my head
I am so happy that we're friends
me and you
possible I'm upside down
corner stone left in the millions
heavy in my pocket
you look good to me
and my pants are huge
and chocolate covered
hey I'm just like you
maybe I'm sloppy and blue
but hey I'm just like you
except I've got nothing to prove
but we're headstrong tonight
beating through the rainbows of right
gold covered prisms of light
make us headstrong tonight
witchcraft haunt
and I'm slowly coming
and moving magic dreams
and mothers whisper nice
hell is my shirt
and it melted slow above heaven
wet to the bone
will you dry me off before I freeze
but here I am
bum as a drunk and a lovers
I said that I have loved no others
she goes to the shows not to be afraid
but she knows it will never be the same
hey I'm just like you
maybe I'm sloppy and blue
but hey I'm just like you
except I've got nothing to prove
but we're headstrong tonight
beating through the rainbows of right
gold covered prisms of light
make us headstrong tonight
headstrong tonight
beating through the rainbows of right
gold covered prisms of light
make us headstrong tonight
hey I'm just like you
maybe I'm sloppy and blue
but hey I'm just like you
except I've got nothing to prove
but we're headstrong tonight
beating through the rainbows of right
gold covered prisms of light
make us headstrong tonight
hey I'm just like you
maybe I'm sloppy and blue
but hey I'm just like you
except I've got nothing to prove
but we're headstrong tonight
hey I'm just like
"Tegan and Sara's Plunk Song" is a display of raw emotions and relatability. The song expresses the idea that despite all our individual differences, we all share similar experiences and struggles. The lyricist acknowledges that sometimes life can feel overwhelming, and it's easy to feel lost and uncertain. The lines "I'm wired, overcome, overdone, my fate is on fire," speak to the sentiment of being trapped in a never-ending cycle of stress and anxiety. Despite these struggles, there is solace in the friendship between the two people described in the song: "I am so happy that we're friends, me and you."
The lyrics also touch on the idea of feeling out of place and different from others: "corner stone left in the millions, heavy in my pocket," but ultimately realizing that everyone has their quirks and imperfections: "hey, I'm just like you, maybe I'm sloppy and blue, but hey, I'm just like you, except I've got nothing to prove." The song concludes with the idea that even with all our flaws, we can be strong and conquer our struggles together, "but we're headstrong tonight, beating through the rainbows of right, gold-covered prisms of light, make us headstrong tonight."
Overall, "Tegan and Sara's Plunk Song" is a heartfelt song that highlights the power of friendship and the universality of human struggles, encouraging listeners to be headstrong and conquer their obstacles together.
Line by Line Meaning
granted that I'm so often layered
Acknowledging that I'm complex and multifaceted
I'm wired
I'm excited and full of energy
overcome overdone
I've been through a lot and I'm tired
my fate is on fire
My destiny is burning brightly
eat the sludge and dance
Face life's challenges and still find joy
to screaming in my head
Despite the thoughts in my mind
I am so happy that we're friends
Grateful for our friendship
me and you
Together, just us
so here I am
Present, without pretense
possible I'm upside down
I may be confused
corner stone left in the millions
A unique individual in a crowd of many
heavy in my pocket
Carrying a burden
you look good to me
Appreciating the beauty of the other person
and my pants are huge
Dressing unconventionally
and chocolate covered
Indulging in simple pleasures
hey I'm just like you
We're all human and similar
maybe I'm sloppy and blue
I might not have it all together
but hey I'm just like you
Still, we share common traits
except I've got nothing to prove
I don't need validation from others
but we're headstrong tonight
Determined and empowered in the moment
beating through the rainbows of right
Fighting for what's morally correct
gold covered prisms of light
Seeing the beauty in life
make us headstrong tonight
Giving us strength and confidence
witchcraft haunt
Magic and mystery
and I'm slowly coming
Gradually awakening
and moving magic dreams
Experiencing enchanted visions
and mothers whisper nice
Comforting words
hell is my shirt
Feeling negativity
and it melted slow above heaven
The negative feelings dissipating
wet to the bone
Saturated and uncomfortable
will you dry me off before I freeze
Asking for help before it's too late
bum as a drunk and a lovers
Feeling lost and hopeless
I said that I have loved no others
Holding onto one love
she goes to the shows not to be afraid
Attending events despite fear
but she knows it will never be the same
Recognizing that things change
hey I'm just like you
Relatable to others
but we're headstrong tonight
Strong and determined
Contributed by Henry N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
IdiotsFlesh
I had this song stuck in my head for two months straight last year. I have about 10 notebooks with 'Hey I'm just like you, maybe I'm sloppy and blue' written all over them AND the back of my old calculator has 'rainbows of right, gold covered prisms of light' scrapped into the back of it :D
Danna Hilleren
Me tooooooo
Erika Sierra
Esta canción es oro ✨💜
Jenny Brown
Oh my God, who knew that we'd be getting a revamp of this song in 2019
Bex Grant
It's completely nuts, isn't it? I'm so excited.
Jenny Brown
2 hours til Hey, I'm Just Like You single!
max :3
and today they dropped the revamp. it’s cute, but i’ll always come back to this masterpiece 🙏🏻
Heather Verdon
i love how the song sounds almost un-finished but finished at the same time. it's perfect =D hahah i love them.
Lily L.
Been switching between this and hey I’m just like you. I think because I remember fondly screaming to these original intriguing lyrics, I still like this version better. We’ll see if that changes in time
Lomer D
I dig this one.