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.
Walking In The Woods
The Pursuit Of Happiness Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked at her shoes and then her face
She seemed soft and genuine
She smiled when she caught me so I diverted my look
And when I lifted my head she was back inside her book
And I wished I could walk over and just say hello
She's the kind of girl it would be nice to know
On a subway train at eight a.m. are you
[Chorus]
We walk the streets like we are walking in the woods
You never know when you see a pair of eyes
If you're seeing a friend
Two weeks later I was riding the same train
I saw her face and then I read the name
It said she'd been beaten pretty bad
And there was a picture of her grief-stricken Mom and Dad
And I wondered what happened to her books and her things
If she was wearing the same skirt and same earrings
And I'm sorry lovely one that I didn't get to meet you
But when you walk in the woods sometimes
The wolves are gonna eat you
The Pursuit of Happiness's song Walking in the Woods describes the missed connection and sense of regret one feels when they see someone they're attracted to on a train, but are too afraid to speak to them. The singer admires the girl's beauty from a distance, but doesn't approach her because it's not a socially acceptable thing to do on a crowded train. He compares the busy city streets to the serenity of the woods and talks about how it's hard to know if you're seeing a friend or a stranger when you make eye contact with someone.
In the second verse, the singer reads about the girl in the newspaper and finds out that she was beaten badly. He wonders about her possessions and what she was wearing at the time. He expresses his regret for not saying hello to her and warns that in life, sometimes the people you're drawn to can be dangerous, like wolves in the woods.
The song speaks to the fleeting nature of encounters and the regret that can come with missed opportunities. It also touches on the potential danger in seemingly innocent situations. Overall, Walking in the Woods is a poignant and thoughtful reflection on the risks and rewards of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I think it was her skirt that first attracted my eye
My attention was drawn to her because of her skirt
I looked at her shoes and then her face
After noticing her skirt, I glanced at her shoes before finally looking at her face
She seemed soft and genuine
My impression of her was that she was gentle and authentic
She smiled when she caught me so I diverted my look
When she noticed me looking at her, she smiled and I looked away
And when I lifted my head she was back inside her book
When I looked up again, she had resumed reading her book
And I wished I could walk over and just say hello
I wanted to approach her and start a conversation
She's the kind of girl it would be nice to know
I thought she would be a pleasant person to meet and get to know
But that's not the kind of thing that you're likely to do
However, it's not common to start random conversations with strangers on a subway in the morning
On a subway train at eight a.m. are you
In such a busy environment like the subway at 8 am, it's unlikely
We walk the streets like we are walking in the woods
In today's society, we can never be sure if those we see on the streets are strangers or acquaintances
You never know when you see a pair of eyes
You can't tell if someone is familiar just by seeing their eyes
If you're seeing a friend
Unless, of course, they are actually a friend
Two weeks later I was riding the same train
Two weeks after first seeing her, I was on the same train again
I saw her face and then I read the name
I noticed her face first, and then read her name tag
It said she'd been beaten pretty bad
Her name tag indicated that she had been physically assaulted
And there was a picture of her grief-stricken Mom and Dad
The picture accompanying the article showed her parents who were mourning the incident
And I wondered what happened to her books and her things
I began to think about what might've happened to her possessions
If she was wearing the same skirt and same earrings
I wondered if she was still wearing the same outfit
And I'm sorry lovely one that I didn't get to meet you
I regret not being able to meet her
But when you walk in the woods sometimes the wolves are gonna eat you
Unfortunately, we live in a world where bad things can happen, even to good people
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MOE BERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dean Michaud
Still my favorite album, to this day.
Love Junk lives on.
lyricalgenius23
+Dean Michaud (Karnatos) I still tell women that Love Junk is one of my favorite all-time albums waiting to meet a woman who knows who I am talking about!
johnnyjoey
Just rediscovered this song. I used to put this song on replay on my CD player. Best TPOH song in my opinion. Moe kind of catches you by surprise on that last line...when you walk in the woods sometimes the wolves are going to eat ya! Very innocent up until then.
Loony Linn
johnnyjoey followed by lions and ghosts...
Kevie Dwight
Wow loved this band when I was living in Florida in the Navy in the 1980's! Hadn't thought of them in quite a while but did today and glad to see them all over youtube! Love this song, Moe is s true poet!
Geoff Edwards
Great song off a great album. Got Love Junk for a mere 99 cents. Pursuit of Happiness are another underrated Canadian band.
bob m
ahh awesome memories, what a great band, definitely underrated
kottmeier
One of my all time favourite tracks - haunting.
dil Currie
saw them live once in London with Blue Rodeo and Edie Brickell and the new bohemians... they stole the show...
ken burton
Love TPOH and especially this album. I used to listen to everyday. So many good memories. This is my favorite TPOH tune. \m/ \m/