Tesla's music fit well with the blasting sounds of their 80s hair metal and glam rock contemporaries. Yet it was more bluesy and lyrics dealt with other themes than just the usual, girls, alcohol and violence. But what set them even more apart from their contemporaries was their t-shirt and jeans image, a 'street' look reminiscent of the Ramones (and other 70s punk groups) that was in strong contrast of the leather, spandex, and flashy-make type look of the time.
The band's early lifespan as City Kidd brought them considerable frustration, with them failing to break into the musical mainstream while also competing with another band with the same name. Their mutation into Tesla provided a clear shot at success. 'Mechanical Resonance', their debut that the boys released in 1986, became a commercial smash while also receiving significant critical praise. That album was certified platinum by the RIAA on October 5, 1989.
In total, the group has released six studio albums with original music, the latest of them being 2008's 'Forever More'. They have also created a a double-disc covers album, titled 'Real To Reel', as well as a number of compilations and live albums. Their sound has focused on a particularly melodic and accessible kind of hard rock with strong shades of classic heavy metal as well.
Tesla's popular 1990 remake of Signs, originally recorded by the Five Man Electrical Band (who also inspired the album which the remake came from, Five Man Acoustical Jam), is probably the most mainstream of Tesla's hits. However, many fans remember fondly Tesla's other hits such as Gettin' Better, Modern Day Cowboy, Little Suzi, Edison's Medicine and Love Song.
The band derived their name, certain album and song names (e.g. The Great Radio Controversy, Mechanical Resonance, etc), and some song content from events relating to Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer born in the 19th century in Smiljan, Austria-Hungary, modern day Croatia.
One Day at a Time
Tesla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The nightmare comes alive,
My heart is beating like a drum.
It?s only 3 a.m.
Oh here I go again
I close my eyes but sleep won't come.
It?s been like this for too long
(Chorus)
One Day at a time,
No Mountains to climb
But sometimes it don?t come easy.
One day at a time,
Or I lose my mind
That?s all I can do believe me.
The sun comes creepin in,
I?ve had no sleep again
Its been another long, long night
This thing won't go away
Its time to face the day
What can I do to make things right?
Its been like this to be gone,
I found the strength to carry on.
One Day at a time,
No Mountains to climb
But sometimes it don?t come easy.
One day at a time,
Or I lose my mind
That?s all I can do believe me.
(Solo)
Its been like this for to long,
I found a way to carry on.
(Chorus x2)
One Day at a time,
No Mountains to climb
But sometimes it don?t come easy.
One day at a time,
Or I lose my mind
That?s all I can do believe me.
One Day at a time,
No Mountains to climb
But sometimes it don?t come easy.
One day at a time,
Or I lose my mind
That?s all I can do believe me.
One Day at a time,
One Day at a time.
In Tesla's song "One Day at a Time," the singer is struggling with insomnia and the nightmares that come with it. The opening lines set the tone for the song as the singer wakes up in the middle of the night and the nightmares "come alive." The use of sensory language to describe the pounding of the heart and the inability to fall asleep adds to the intensity of the situation. It's clear that this is a recurring problem for the singer ("It's been like this for too long"), but they've found a way to cope and carry on.
The chorus emphasizes the importance of taking one day at a time and not letting any mountains seem too high to climb. The use of repetition here emphasizes the idea that this is a mantra for the singer, something they tell themselves to keep moving forward. When the sun comes up, and they've had no sleep, the singer must face the challenges of the day ahead. The line "What can I do to make things right?" shows a level of determination that is admirable. Despite feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, the singer is committed to finding solutions.
Overall, "One Day at a Time" is a song about perseverance and mental fortitude. The singer is honest about their struggles with insomnia and nightmares but is determined to keep moving forward. The repetition of the chorus and the driving beat of the song create a sense of urgency, and the guitar solo adds to the intensity of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up in the night,
The singer wakes up in the middle of the night and this is where the nightmare begins.
The nightmare comes alive,
The nightmares that haunt the singer are so intense and real that they feel like they're coming to life.
My heart is beating like a drum.
The singer's heart is beating so fast and loud that it feels like it's playing a beat like a drum.
It?s only 3 a.m.
The singer is awake and facing the nightmare at a very early hour when most of the world is asleep.
Oh here I go again
This is not the first time the singer has experienced such a nightmare.
I close my eyes but sleep won't come.
The singer wants to go back to sleep but because of the intensity of the nightmare, sleep seems impossible.
It?s been like this for too long
The nightmare has been going on for far too long a time than the singer can handle.
I get back up and carry on
The singer is determined to keep fighting the nightmares and carry on with life.
One Day at a time,
The singer decides to take each day as it comes, slowly and steadily without worrying too much about the future
No Mountains to climb
The singer has no impossible tasks to perform or no huge problems to solve.
But sometimes it don?t come easy.
Even though the singer wants to take things one day at a time, it can be challenging at times and may require a lot of effort.
Or I lose my mind
The songwriter fears that if they don't take things one day at a time, they might lose their mind and sanity.
That?s all I can do believe me.
The singer believes that taking things one day at a time is the best possible solution to overcome the nightmares and struggles they face.
The sun comes creepin in,
The night is over, and the day starts with a fresh new perspective and possibilities.
I?ve had no sleep again
Despite trying hard, the singer could not sleep much, which adds to the burden they're carrying.
Its been another long, long night
The singer has gone through yet another long, tiring, and scary night.
This thing won't go away
The nightmares and struggles the singer is dealing with are persistent and don't seem to go away soon.
Its time to face the day
Despite feeling tired and scared, it's time for the singer to face the new day head-on.
What can I do to make things right?
The singer is looking for ways to make their life better and get rid of the problems they're facing.
I found the strength to carry on.
Despite all the hardships and struggles, the singer is finding the courage and strength to face the challenges in their life.
One Day at a time,
The singer is determined to take each day as it comes, despite the problems they may face.
Its been like this to be gone,
The struggles, nightmares, and hardships will one day be gone and will not last forever.
One Day at a time,
The singer is reinforcing their belief in taking things one day at a time.
One Day at a time,
The singer is reminding themselves to follow the motto and take things one day at a time.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL B. THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christopher N. Savage
on Getting' Better
A shame that you can't see the original video, but this tune has the passion and power to lift you up and brighten your day!!!!!