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.
Down On Him
The Pursuit Of Happiness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep him next to you
With all you have to go through
It's all that you can do
And those books that you've been reading
Tell you how to please your man
So you take it on yourself
Take it all into your hands
When he's distant and he's moody
You're sure that it's your fault
You want to be the kind of woman
Who will be his one and all
You know it makes him happy
Know how to give a thrill
So you do what you have to
Or some other woman will
You go down on him again
Do you hide inside yourself
So that you don't bother him
Do you laugh and shrug it off
When resentment begins
You know he doesn't give back
As much as he could
Would you slit your throat to sate him
I don't think that you should
Go down on him again
The lyrics to "Down On Him" by The Pursuit of Happiness tell the story of a woman who is trying her hardest to keep her partner happy, and going to great lengths to do so. She's read books on how to please him, and is willing to take it all into her own hands, including going down on him, in order to keep him close. The song explores the pressure that women often feel to be everything to their partners, and how this can become a burden that is difficult to bear.
The song also touches on the issue of unequal give and take in relationships. The woman in the song is aware that her partner is not giving back as much as he could, but is willing to go to extremes to sate him anyway. The lyrics ask the question of whether it's healthy to always put someone else's needs before our own, and whether we should be willing to harm ourselves in order to please someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, you try so hard to keep him
You put in a lot of effort to keep him close to you
Keep him next to you
You want to keep him by your side all the time
With all you have to go through
Despite all the challenges you face
It's all that you can do
You feel like you have no other choice
And those books that you've been reading
You've been trying to learn how to please him
Tell you how to please your man
The books give you tips on how to make him happy
So you take it on yourself
You feel like it's your responsibility to keep him satisfied
Take it all into your hands
You take control of the situation
And go down on him again
You perform oral sex on him again
When he's distant and he's moody
When he's not in a good mood and is keeping his distance
You're sure that it's your fault
You blame yourself for his behavior
You want to be the kind of woman
You aspire to be the type of woman who can meet all of his needs
Who will be his one and all
Who will give him everything he wants and needs
You know it makes him happy
You know that pleasing him brings him happiness
Know how to give a thrill
You know how to excite him sexually
So you do what you have to
You do what it takes to keep him happy
Or some other woman will
Otherwise, he might find someone else who can satisfy him
Do you hide inside yourself
Do you keep your true feelings hidden from him
So that you don't bother him
So that you don't upset him or cause any problems
Do you laugh and shrug it off
Do you pretend like everything is okay even when it's not
When resentment begins
When you start feeling angry or resentful towards him
You know he doesn't give back
You realize that he doesn't put in as much effort as you do
As much as he could
He's capable of doing more than he does
Would you slit your throat to sate him
Would you go to extremes to satisfy him
I don't think that you should
It's not healthy or reasonable to do so
Go down on him again
Performing oral sex on him is what you resort to in order to please him
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MOE BERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind