Their level of commercial success was almost unprecedented by an indie act when their first album 'Reading Writing and Arithmetic' (Rough Trade, 1989) debuted in the British charts at number 4, (even cracking the US Top 40) with little publicity and almost a year after the legendary single and John Peel fave 'Can't Be Sure' peaked at number 45. This now seminal album also featured the single "Here's Where The Story Ends" (more recently covered by 'Tin Tin Out') and other classic indie pop tunes 'Skin & Bones', 'Hideous Towns' and 'I Kicked A Boy'.
A US tour and a (soon to become infamous) "break" preceded follow-up album 'Blind' (1992) for which sky-high critical expectations couldn't be met, though single 'Goodbye' fared well reaching number 27.
It was a long wait before third and most recent album 'Static and Silence' (Parlophone, 1997) was released, followed by a 3-date UK, and 14-date U.S tour. Single "Summertime" (their most successful hit to date on the UK charts) was taken from this album, and garnered airplay in most parts of the world, although the follow-up "Cry" didn't fare quite as well. Gavurin formed a friendship with the comedian David Baddiel when growing up in North London, which would lead to the Sundays providing the song "Another Flavour" (sans vocals) from Static and Silence as the theme tune to the Newman and Baddiel in Pieces TV series.
No new material has been released by The Sundays since Static and Silence (and its attendant singles) in 1997. Harriet Wheeler and David Gavurin have settled down and are raising a family. Patrick Hannan has become a session drummer and occasional record producer. Bassist Paul Brindley, like Harriet and David, is no longer a part of the music industry.
In April 2014, Adam Pitluk, the editor of American Airlines' magazine American Way, tracked down and conducted an interview with Wheeler and Gavurin in which he put forward the idea of a reunion. The response to this was as follows - "First let’s see if the music we’re currently writing ever sees the light of day, and then we can get on to the enjoyable globe-trotting-meets-concert-planning stage."
There is also a Japanese independent rock/punk band named SUNDAYS. They started out in September 2007 and released their first mini-album on a major label in January 2013.
Medicine
The Sundays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lose my mind here any day now
Don't be sad, we're only half way there
O no, that's what I call home
You remember the hills we slithered down
"I'm not going anywhere"
You lied
Hell here on my own
And don't go imagining that time is medicine
Mark those days & swallow your pills
Proud of my wise head on young shoulders
Too bad there was nothing there at all
Hell on my own
Hell here on my own
And it was such a really cold hand
I held as the wind sighed
"I'm not going & how could I lie?"
Just be glad there's no way back there
I need another look at before
Though heaven knows how I'd ever
Make my way back there
And I need another look at before
Although heaven knows how I'd ever
Make my way back there
Now I know it's hopeless
And I realize it's nowhere
Hell here on my own
The Sundays' song "Medicine" is a melancholic tune that seems to explore themes of isolation and loneliness. The lyrics contain a sense of longing for something that can never be reached, and there is a palpable sense of sadness that permeates the song. The refrain of "Hell on my own" emphasizes the sense of loneliness that the singer is feeling and underscores the feeling of hopelessness that pervades the song.
The singer speaks of wanting to "dig down to the earth" and lose their mind, suggesting a desire to escape from the world and their troubles. However, they also feel a sense of nostalgia for the past, with lyrics like "You remember the hills we slithered down" and "I need another look at before." There is a sense that the past held something that the present does not, and the singer is yearning for it.
The chorus, "And don't go imagining that time is medicine/Mark those days & swallow your pills," suggests a sense of resignation and acceptance that things may never get better. The singer seems to acknowledge that they are stuck in their current situation and that there may not be a way out. The final two lines, "Now I know it's hopeless/And I realize it's nowhere," drive home this sense of hopelessness and despair.
Overall, "Medicine" is a poignant and emotional song that speaks to the feelings of isolation and longing that we all experience at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Dig down to the earth here outside
Going deep into reality, confronting what surrounds us.
Lose my mind here any day now
Feeling unstable, uncertain, and vulnerable.
Don't be sad, we're only half way there
Trying to stay positive, reassuring oneself that the journey is not yet over.
O no, that's what I call home
Realizing that the state of feeling lost and confused is familiar and comfortable.
You remember the hills we slithered down
Reminiscing about past experiences, perhaps with a sense of nostalgia or regret.
"I'm not going anywhere"
Making a statement with false confidence, unwilling to admit vulnerability or uncertainty.
You lied
Realizing that the previous statement was not true.
Hell on my own
Being stuck in a difficult situation, feeling helpless and alone.
Hell here on my own
Repeating the previous line for emphasis, feeling trapped and desperate.
And don't go imagining that time is medicine
Rejecting the idea that time will heal everything, acknowledging that pain and struggle cannot be easily forgotten.
Mark those days & swallow your pills
Trying to cope with the pain through medication and reminders of the past.
Proud of my wise head on young shoulders
Feeling confident and mature despite being young and inexperienced.
Too bad there was nothing there at all
Realizing that the confidence was misplaced, as there was no substance or meaning behind it.
And it was such a really cold hand
Recalling a past moment of physical or emotional discomfort, perhaps with regret or sadness.
I held as the wind sighed
Describing a scene of vulnerability and exposure, feeling at the mercy of nature.
"I'm not going & how could I lie?"
Echoing a past statement of false confidence, acknowledging the difficulty of facing reality.
Just be glad there's no way back there
Recognizing that some past experiences cannot be undone, and that it's better to move forward than to dwell on them.
I need another look at before
Feeling a desire to revisit the past, to understand it better or to find closure.
Though heaven knows how I'd ever
Acknowledging the difficulty of achieving this desire, feeling uncertain and helpless.
Make my way back there
Emphasizing the challenge of revisiting the past, implying that it might not be possible or worthwhile.
Now I know it's hopeless
Realizing that the previous desire is impossible to achieve, feeling defeated and hopeless.
And I realize it's nowhere
Coming to terms with the fact that there is no easy way out of the current situation.
Hell here on my own
Repeating the earlier refrain, underscoring the enduring pain and struggle of the present moment.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: TIMOTHY JAMES ARTHUR WHEELER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind