Their debut single, I'm an Adult Now, quickly became a hit across Canada in 1986, sparked by a low-budget video which made it onto the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic. However, the band did not immediately sign to a record label, and released another independent single, Killed by Love, in 1988. The Amabile twins left the band that year, and were replaced by Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyck.
Also in 1988, they signed to Chrysalis Records. Their debut album, Love Junk, was produced by Todd Rundgren and released that year. "I'm an Adult Now" was re-recorded and released as a single again, making it to the charts a second time. The album sold over 100,000 copies in Canada, and was certified platinum, and is considered one of the classics of Canadian rock.
Stanwyck and Sinclair left, going on to form Universal Honey, after completing the band's follow-up with Rundgren, 1990's One-Sided Story.
Starting with the tour for the album, Brad Barker and Susan Murumets joined the lineup. Rachel Oldfield replaced Murumets in 1992. The band then went through difficulties with their record label, but signed to Mercury Records for 1993's The Downward Road.
Label troubles continued, and the band recorded their next two albums for the now-defunct Canadian label Iron Music. Oldfield left the band in 1995, and was replaced by Jennifer Foster, who in turn left the following year and was replaced by Renee Suchy.
Although the group never officially disbanded, after 1996 they did not record as a unit until 2005, when they recorded two new tracks for a greatest hits compilation.
A Villa In Portugal
The Pursuit Of Happiness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never sought perfection, I loved her for her flaws
Someday you've got to do something nice for someone
And not wait for the applause
I started pluralizing my sentences I guess I skipped a verse
The moment I relied on her everything got worse
Oh no I could not say
She could mean to be so cruel
>From a villa in Portugal
>From a villa in Portugal
She had the face of an angel mixed up with gypsy's hands
Her emotions blow to pieces, man she doesn't care where they land
She was going to a movie, a friend was gonna pick her up
She didn't say she was going all the way to the Iberian Peninsula
[chorus]
I never sought perfection, I loved her for her flaws
So I'm left her to wonder how the spell I was under
Is effect without the cause
It doesn't take a doctor with tools made to dissect
To smell in the air that hangs around here
Faith dying of neglect
[chorus]
In "A Villa In Portugal" by The Pursuit of Happiness, the singer seems to be reflecting on a past relationship that didn't go well. He starts off by saying that he never sought perfection in his partner, and loved her despite her flaws. He urges the listener to do something nice for someone without expecting gratitude, suggesting perhaps that this is something he failed to do in his relationship. He then admits that he made a mistake by relying too much on his partner, leading to the deterioration of their relationship. He seems to wonder whether his partner meant to be cruel in her actions, and the postcard he receives from her in a villa in Portugal seems to suggest that she's moved on from the relationship.
The singer also describes his partner's persona as having the face of an angel but with gypsy's hands, and being emotionally unpredictable. She didn't inform him that she was going on a trip to Portugal with a friend, leaving him wondering about her true intentions. The chorus of the song repeats the first verse, emphasizing that the singer loved his partner for her flaws and is now left wondering how their relationship ended despite that.
Overall, "A Villa In Portugal" seems to be a nostalgic and reflective song about a relationship that didn't work out. The singer seems regretful about the mistakes he made and the possibility that his partner was never truly invested in the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I never sought perfection, I loved her for her flaws
I accepted her for who she was, didn't wish for a perfect person
Someday you've got to do something nice for someone
We should do good without expecting anything in return
And not wait for the applause
Don't seek recognition for the good deeds we do
I started pluralizing my sentences I guess I skipped a verse
I got sidetracked and lost my focus
The moment I relied on her everything got worse
Things went downhill when I relied on her completely
Oh no I could not say
I couldn't express myself clearly
She could mean to be so cruel
She could be hurting me intentionally
But the proof is on this postcard
This postcard proves she went to Portugal without telling me
>From a villa in Portugal
She sent me this postcard from a villa in Portugal
She had the face of an angel mixed up with gypsy's hands
She had an alluring appearance but was unpredictable
Her emotions blow to pieces, man she doesn't care where they land
She is unstable emotionally and doesn't care about the aftermath
She was going to a movie, a friend was gonna pick her up
She lied about her whereabouts, saying she's going to a movie with a friend
She didn't say she was going all the way to the Iberian Peninsula
She didn't reveal that she was going to Portugal
So I'm left her to wonder how the spell I was under
I'm questioning how I fell under her charm
Is effect without the cause
The impact of our relationship still lingers despite the cause being unclear
It doesn't take a doctor with tools made to dissect
It's obvious to anyone that faith is dying due to neglect
To smell in the air that hangs around here
The atmosphere is filled with a sense of neglect and apathy
Faith dying of neglect
Our relationship is deteriorating due to neglect
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.