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.
Little Platoons
The Pursuit Of Happiness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are like the people in my dreams
The numb walk with the wicked
And I walk in between
They're really hard to talk to
But they've always something to say
It's either thick and incoherent
Or undercut with rage
People are aimless - not so smart - a bit lazy
Things in my neighbourhood can get a little rough
But that's where my room is, that's where I keep my stuff
Women around here don't fare all too well
There's usually a comment or a taunt from some loser who smells
The ones who get married or shack up don't last too long
Their men like to fight - sometimes with guns
Things out here can get a little crazy
People are aimless - not so smart - a bit lazy
Things in my neighbourhood can get a little rough
But that's where my room is, that's where I keep my stuff
Some of the old ones have lived here for years
They keep their places nice in spite of everything
Once they had a meal for the lonely and downtrodden
Now they lock their doors tight - those days are forgotten
At night there's a lot of yelling at each other and to themselves
I hope I never hear somebody's final cry for help
There's a lot of hate out there so I keep my head down
Past the 7-11, down my dark street till I get home
Things out here can get a little crazy
People are aimless - not so smart - a bit lazy
Things in my neighbourhood can get a little rough
But that's where my room is, that's where I keep my stuff
The Pursuit of Happiness's song "Little Platoons" is a vivid portrayal of the singer's neighborhood, where the harsh realities of life are on full display. The opening lines suggest a disconnection between the singer and their neighbors, as they liken them to the people in their dreams. The singer sees them as divided between the "numb" who walk with the wicked, and themselves who walk "in between," suggesting a sense of moral superiority or perhaps a feeling of being caught between different worlds.
The song continues with the singer's observations of their neighbors, describing them as "hard to talk to" and prone to incoherent or rage-filled outbursts. The neighborhood is depicted as a place where things can "get a little crazy," with people who are "aimless" and "lazy." The singer expresses sympathy for the women of the neighborhood who face taunts and abuse from men who like to fight, sometimes with guns. Despite the challenges of their surroundings, the singer finds solace in the safety of their own home, where they keep their belongings and shut out the chaos and danger of the outside world.
Line by Line Meaning
My neighbours in the real world
The people who live near me in the physical world
Are like the people in my dreams
Seeming unreal, strange, or overwhelming
The numb walk with the wicked
People who are emotionally detached associate with immoral people
And I walk in between
I am in the middle and feel disconnected from others
They're really hard to talk to
It's difficult to carry on a conversation with them
But they've always something to say
They always have something to express or communicate
It's either thick and incoherent
What they say is not easy to understand
Or undercut with rage
What they say is filled with anger or resentment
Things out here can get a little crazy
The environment can be chaotic
People are aimless - not so smart - a bit lazy
People lack direction, intelligence, and motivation
Things in my neighbourhood can get a little rough
The area where I live can be violent or unstable
But that's where my room is, that's where I keep my stuff
Despite the chaos outside, this is still where I call home
Women around here don't fare all too well
Women are not treated well in this area
There's usually a comment or a taunt from some loser who smells
Those making negative remarks are often unpleasant individuals
The ones who get married or shack up don't last too long
Couples don't always stay together here
Their men like to fight - sometimes with guns
Men here engage in physical fights, and sometimes dangerous weapons are involved
Some of the old ones have lived here for years
Some people have been living here for a long time
They keep their places nice in spite of everything
Despite the challenges of the environment, these people maintain their living spaces
Once they had a meal for the lonely and downtrodden
In the past, they provided a meal for those who were lonely or struggling
Now they lock their doors tight - those days are forgotten
Now, they keep their doors locked and no longer offer help to others
At night there's a lot of yelling at each other and to themselves
During the night, people here are often screaming at others or talking to themselves
I hope I never hear somebody's final cry for help
I do not want to hear someone's last plea for assistance
There's a lot of hate out there so I keep my head down
There is a significant amount of animosity in the area, so I try to stay out of trouble
Past the 7-11, down my dark street till I get home
I have to walk down a poorly lit road to get to my house
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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