The band had their first UK Top 30 hit in 1985 with the piano-based #30 single "You Are My World". The following year they had their biggest hit with an energetic cover version of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' soul classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" (in a version inspired by Thelma Houston's cover) which spent four weeks at number one and became the UK's biggest selling single of 1986. It also made the US Top 40. It featured Sarah Jane Morris as co-vocalist, taking advantage of the contrast between Morris' deep and rounded contralto and Somerville's soaring falsetto. Morris performed both backing and co-lead vocals on many of the Communards' other recordings, and appeared in group photos as an unofficial third member.
Later that year The Communards had another UK Top 10 hit with the single "So Cold the Night," which reached number 8. In 1987, they released an album titled Red, which was partly produced by Stephen Hague. Red featured a cover version of the Jackson 5's hit "Never Can Say Goodbye" (in a version inspired by Gloria Gaynor's cover), which the Communards took to Number 4. Their last released single was "There's More to Love Than Boy Meets Girl" in 1988, which reached Number 20 and was, consequently, their final Top 20 hit.
They split in 1988 and Somerville began a solo career. Coles followed his Christian leanings and, after periods as a journalist for the Times Literary Supplement and Catholic Herald, he was ordained in the Church of England, spending time as the curate of St Botolph's (The Stump) in Boston, Lincolnshire. He is now the assistant priest at St Paul's Knightsbridge and Chaplain to the Royal College of Music and is a frequent contributor to BBC Radio 4.
Tomorrow
The Communards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Close to the throat
I'm threatened by you and the cruel
Way you gloat
You once turned me on
Now it all seems so remote.
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
I've had all I can take.
Don't tell me you love me
Your tears are too late
Your trap was deception
And I took the bait
The animal in you
You can't keep at bay.
I'm not your possession to treat as you wish
Your silence will slowly destroy you each day
I'm leaving tomorrow
My love for life is great.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
Yes I'm leaving!
(I've had all I can take)
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
The lyrics of The Communards's song "Tomorrow" depict the story of a person who is leaving an abusive relationship, where they have been hurt both physically and emotionally. The song describes how the behaviour of the abuser has turned the victim into a stronger person, despite the pain caused. The opening lines, "Like the knife of a thief that's held close to the throat, I'm threatened by you and the cruel way you gloat", encapsulate the idea of being at the mercy of the abuser, who takes pleasure in their control over the victim.
The victim acknowledges that they were once in love with the abuser, but that it all seems like a long time ago. They have reached a point where they no longer want to be a part of the relationship and are determined to leave. The lyrics "I'm leaving tomorrow, take my pride and I'll go" reveal the determination of the victim to move on and regain their self-esteem.
The chorus of the song repeatedly emphasizes that physical abuse cannot destroy the soul of the victim. The repetition of "You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul, I've had all I can take" reinforces the idea that the victim has reached their limit and is not going to tolerate the abuse any longer.
"Tomorrow" is a powerful song that speaks to anyone who has experienced the trauma of an abusive relationship. It highlights the strength that one can muster in such situations, and the bravery that it takes to walk away.
Line by Line Meaning
Like the knife of a thief that's held
Close to the throat
I'm threatened by you and the cruel
Way you gloat
Just as a person with a knife held close to their throat is threatened, the singer is threatened by their partner and their cruel gloating attitude.
You once turned me on
Now it all seems so remote.
The singer used to be attracted to their partner, but now it feels like it was all in the past and far away.
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
The partner has abused the singer and enjoyed doing it, but it has only made the singer stronger and more determined to leave and take their pride with them.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
The artist has reached their limit and can't take any more abuse, but knows that their partner cannot truly kill their spirit.
Don't tell me you love me
Your tears are too late
Your trap was deception
And I took the bait
The animal in you
You can't keep at bay.
The partner's tears and supposed love are now meaningless to the artist, as they see the deception and the animalistic nature of their partner's behavior.
I'm not your possession to treat as you wish
Your silence will slowly destroy you each day
I'm leaving tomorrow
My love for life is great.
The singer is not something to be owned and mistreated, and the partner's silence and lack of action will only hurt them in the end. The singer is determined to leave and focus on their own love for life.
I'm leaving
Yes I'm leaving!
(I've had all I can take)
The singer is making it clear that they are leaving, and they have reached their limit.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
The artist is reinforcing their plan to leave tomorrow, and reiterating that no matter how much the partner may hurt them physically, they cannot destroy their spirit.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES SOMERVILLE, RICHARD COLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marcomauro9497
Like the knife of a thief that's held
Close to the throat
I'm threatened by you and the cruel
Way you gloat
You once turned me on
Now it all seems so remote.
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
I've had all I can take.
Don't tell me you love me
Your tears are too late
Your trap was deception
And I took the bait
The animal in you
You can't keep at bay.
I'm not your possession to treat as you wish
Your silence will slowly destroy you each day
I'm leaving tomorrow
My love for life is great.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
Yes I'm leaving!
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
@damianovalente889
Like the knife of a thief that's held
Close to the throat
I'm threatened by you and the cruel
Way you gloat
You once turned me on
Now it all seems so remote.
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
I've had all I can take.
Don't tell me you love me
Your tears are too late
Your trap was deception
And I took the bait
The animal in you
You can't keep at bay.
I'm not your possession to treat as you wish
Your silence will slowly destroy you each day
I'm leaving tomorrow
My love for life is great.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving
Yes I'm leaving!
You broke me in pieces
You cherished each blow
The harder you hit me
The stronger I grow
I'll leave you tomorrow
Take my pride and I blow
You may break the skin but you can't kill the soul
I've had all I can take.
I'm leaving tomorrow
I'm leaving tomorrow
@magicdoc58
This song literally saved my life.
Thanks forever , Jimmy and Richard.
@occitanedeprovence
For all the 80's kids, this was golden 💕
@marengo950
C'est ça 👍
@justinvalverde3635
I really like the synthe arrangement it really drives the song...Brilliant
@causticlight3300
A "Dreamsong"! Thank you Jimmy and Richard 🥰
@zafnatpaneaj4992
Thats what I call Music...!
@totoro9590
Still relevant today. Boy can this man dance 😍😍
@davedawaking4185
I want the 80s back
@neilburns8869
I love the use of the violins in this song, often such an underrated musical instrument.
@junycy6
My favourite song by communards. 🎶 💛🤩