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.
No Safe Place
The Pursuit Of Happiness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before she finds another boy who will sit her by the fireplace
And sing her a song
It feels like there's no safe place
In a world that's come apart
And the deafening sound of a bursting bubble
Wakes you up with a start
Is there nowhere that is safe
All I need is an escape
A temporary place to hide
When she's coming in the door when she's walking out the door
hard to tell which is worse
That false feeling of relief when she comes in
Or the empty feeling when she's gone
And every night on the streets the forces of darkness
Score another victory
And I stand with the timid waiting for the devil
To make a martyr of me
[chorus]
Fold up the tents and load up the trucks
'cause it's time to move on
If we only knew where to go
I hope that we'd already be gone
And even when we're lying together, I make sure she falls asleep first
It seems when things are at their best, my mind starts to wander
to things at their worst
So do I fall asleep and dream of a peace that never will come
Or do I roll over and let her break the glass around my heart
And set off the alarm
[chorus]
The Pursuit Of Happiness's song "No Safe Place" talks about the constant fear and anxiety that the lead singer feels in a world that seems to be falling apart. He has a little girl who he loves and wants to protect, but he knows that soon enough, she will find someone else who will take his place. He is afraid of the world that she will grow up in, one that is filled with deception, darkness, and heartbreak.
The lyrics point towards a feeling of nihilism- it seems like there is no safe place in the world anymore. The bursting bubble is symbolic of the financial and social chaos that the world is experiencing- this chaos is waking him up with a start. He wants to escape, to find a temporary place to hide from the world, but he can't. The forces of darkness seem to be winning every time.
The lead singer seems caught between wanting to be with his loved ones and wanting to escape from the world. He wonders if he should dream of a peace that never will come or if he should let himself be vulnerable to love, knowing that it may come with heartbreak. In the end, there is a feeling of defeatism- the singer doesn't know where to go, all he knows is that he needs to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a little girl, though I know it won't be long
I have a daughter, but I know that sooner or later, she will grow up and leave my side.
Before she finds another boy who will sit her by the fireplace
Before my daughter finds someone else who can provide her with comfort and warmth.
And sing her a song
And serenade her with beautiful melodies.
It feels like there's no safe place
It feels like there is nowhere to go where we can be truly safe and secure.
In a world that's come apart
In a world that is already broken and lost.
And the deafening sound of a bursting bubble
And the sudden and overpowering noise of things falling apart.
Wakes you up with a start
Causes you to abruptly awaken from your illusions and false sense of security.
Is there nowhere that is safe
Is there really no place left in this world where we can feel completely and reliably safe?
Why can't we change the rules so I win
Why can't we just change the game so that I can come out on top and be the one who wins?
All I need is an escape
All I need is a sanctuary or a getaway where I can be free from all of my problems and worries.
A temporary place to hide
A brief and fleeting refuge where I can catch my breath and regain my strength.
When she's coming in the door when she's walking out the door
When my daughter is leaving or returning home.
hard to tell which is worse
Difficult to determine which one of these situations is more painful or difficult to bear.
That false feeling of relief when she comes in
The fake sense of comfort and safety that I feel when my daughter returns home.
Or the empty feeling when she's gone
Or the feeling of emptiness and loneliness that I experience when she is not around.
And every night on the streets the forces of darkness
And every night, evil and negative forces roam the streets unchecked and unopposed.
Score another victory
Claim yet another win over goodness, kindness, and love.
And I stand with the timid waiting for the devil
I stand among those who are scared and afraid, waiting for the worst to happen.
To make a martyr of me
To inflict pain and suffering upon me until I die in the name of a cause or belief.
Fold up the tents and load up the trucks
Pack up and get ready to leave.
'cause it's time to move on
Because the time has come for us to start anew and let go of the past.
If we only knew where to go
If we only have a clear direction or goal to work towards.
I hope that we'd already be gone
I wish that we have already left and found a better place to call home.
And even when we're lying together, I make sure she falls asleep first
Even when I am with my daughter, I still have the tendency to prioritize her well-being over mine.
It seems when things are at their best, my mind starts to wander
It appears that my mind tends to stray away and get lost in my worries even during moments of happiness and joy.
to things at their worst
To the bleakest and most difficult parts of life.
So do I fall asleep and dream of a peace that never will come
So, do I choose to escape reality by dreaming of a tranquil and harmonious future that may never actually come to pass?
Or do I roll over and let her break the glass around my heart
Or do I choose to let my daughter into my heart despite the risk of being hurt and vulnerable?
And set off the alarm
And trigger an alarm that warns me of any impending danger or harm that may come my way.
[chorus]
Refrain or chorus of the song, repeating the same lines and melody.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind