The Smithereens are a powerpop/rock group from Carteret, New Jersey. The gr… Read Full Bio ↴The Smithereens are a powerpop/rock group from Carteret, New Jersey. The group formed in 1980 and for most of its existence consisted of founding members Pat DiNizio (lead singer/guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar), Mike Mesaros (bass), and Dennis Diken (drums). Following DiNizio's death in 2017, the band has continued to perform with guest singers.

The group gained some notoriety when a single from its first album, Blood and Roses, was included on the soundtrack for and as the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun movie Dangerously Close and the video got some moderately heavy rotation on MTV. The group spent some time in its initial semi-celebrity phase defending itself in Rolling Stone against thinly-veiled accusations of sounding too much like The Byrds and The Beatles, pointing out that its Marshall Amplifier-heavy live sound was closer to heavy metal than it was to The Beatles.

Along with a basic Eastern-coast roots-rock sound that owed much to the inspirations of DiNizio, including Buddy Holly, The Who, The Clash, Elvis Costello, and Nick Lowe, the Smithereens deployed a uniquely retro obsession with Mod, the late British Invasion pop of John's Children and The Move, and other artifacts of fifties and sixties culture that lent its music substance and style. The highest position a Smithereens album attained on the Billboard pop charts was in 1990, when 11 peaked at #41 on the strength of the single A Girl Like You (which hit #38). The group is still active and tours frequently, but went for seven years without releasing a new studio album, following God Save the Smithereens in 1999.

In January 2007, the band released a cover of the album Meet the Beatles titled Meet the Smithereens. Bassist Mike Mesaros does not appear on the album, replaced by Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion . An album of original material was promised for later in the year, but Christmas with The Smithereens, released in October 2007, included only three original songs along with nine covers of Christmas songs.

Groovy Tuesday
The Smithereens Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Woke up on a groovy Tuesday.
Even my hangover's fine.
Woke up on a groovy Tuesday.
Hung my mind out on the line.

Tuesday's groovy. Tuesday's groovy.
Now, I know that nothing lasts.
Woke up on a groovy Tuesday,

Everything is not the same.

Woke up on a groovy Tuesday.
Think I'll even change my name.
Tuesday's groovy. Tuesday's groovy.
Now, I know that nothing lasts.

And I can't help it if I'm not the one you need.
It doesn't matter if I'm still the lost ball in the weeds.
Woke up on a groovy Tuesday,
Flower pot, man, looked my way.

Woke up on a groovy Tuesday.
I can see what he can't say.

Tuesday's groovy. Tuesday's groovy.
Now, I know that nothing lasts.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Smithereens's song Groovy Tuesday depict the singer waking up on a "groovy" Tuesday, feeling good despite having a hangover. He describes how he "hung [his] mind out on the line," suggesting that he is airing out his thoughts and feelings. He acknowledges that nothing lasts forever, and that everything is not the same as it was before. Perhaps he is going through changes in his life, as he contemplates changing his name.

The chorus repeats that "Tuesday's groovy," emphasizing the positive feeling of the day, but also reiterating that nothing lasts. The singer seems to be feeling a bit misunderstood, stating that he "can't help it if [he's] not the one you need," but that it doesn't matter if he's still "the lost ball in the weeds." The verse ends with the singer noticing a flower pot man looking his way and feeling like he can see what the flower pot man can't say. This could mean that the singer feels like he is in tune with the world around him, or that he is in a heightened state of awareness.

Overall, the lyrics to Groovy Tuesday present a picture of someone going through changes, feeling good about themselves and the world around them, but acknowledging that nothing lasts and that they may not be understood by others. It's a celebration of living in the moment and appreciating the groove of life.

Line by Line Meaning

Woke up on a groovy Tuesday.
I woke up feeling great on a Tuesday.

Even my hangover's fine.
My hangover doesn't even bother me, I feel great.

Hung my mind out on the line.
I'm taking a break from my thoughts and letting my mind rest.

Now, I know that nothing lasts.
I've come to the realization that everything changes.

Everything is not the same.
Things aren't the way they used to be.

Think I'll even change my name.
I feel like making a big change, perhaps even changing my name.

And I can't help it if I'm not the one you need.
I'm okay with not being what someone else needs.

It doesn't matter if I'm still the lost ball in the weeds.
Even if I feel lost, it doesn't bother me because I'm enjoying the moment.

Flower pot, man, looked my way.
A random occurrence caught my attention and made me smile.

I can see what he can't say.
I understand the moment even though I can't put it into words.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: MARK JOHNSON *, PAT DINIZIO, STEVE FORBERT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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