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.
On Earth
The Sundays Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am singing to anyone listening, I'm listening...
I'm looking up to the sky, hand full of sand in my pocket
I can't fully describe
Except to say, that it varied, as it carried me
As far as I can see, the sand granules are very fine
They are not mine
World was on fire, people were perspiring
Put my fears up for hire, recollecting
Thoughts with a grain of salt, pages through the ages to survey
Land I walked on, I walk on...
Dust we come, dust we go
I'll return to the Earth, this I know
This is not mine
This is not my own
Allergies in season, lungs having trouble breathing
Grey matter sinking in to
No idealization, mistaken identity forgiven
Why so sure, that death will endure?
Let's die together, alone, together
Get my belongings together, get all my shit together
Now and forever more, together is home
Alone, together is...
This is not my mine
This is not my own
Will you hold my hand as I go?
The lyrics of The Sundays’ song “On Earth” speak of the singer’s anticipation and contemplation of mortality. As the train is coming in, the singer is singing, hoping that anyone is listening, including themselves. They are looking up to the sky, holding a hand full of sand, trying to articulate their thoughts and feelings. The sand represents the passing of time and how the singer cannot fully comprehend it. As far as they look, the sand granules are very fine, they are not theirs, they are not their own.
The following stanza brings a juxtaposition of the world being on fire with people perspiring, while the singer puts their fears up for hire, recollecting thoughts with a grain of salt, and surveying pages through the ages. The land they walked on, they walk on. The singer reflects on how dust we come, dust we go, and how they will eventually return to the Earth. Then, the singer voices their fears about mortality- season allergies and lungs having trouble breathing, while their grey matter sinks in to no idealization, and mistaken identity is forgiven. They contemplate why we are so sure of death being the end and ask to die together alone, together. They then express the desire to get their belongings together, all their shit together, now and forever more, together is home, alone, together is...
Overall, the lyrics appear to approach universal questions through the lens of the singer’s personal contemplation of mortality. The anticipation of the train symbolizes how time and death are constantly approaching, while the sand serves as a physical representation of time passing. The idea of dying together alone, together speaks to the human experience of wanting to find meaning and connection in an otherwise solitary journey.
Line by Line Meaning
The train is coming in, anticipation in the wind
As the train approaches, there is a sense of excitement in the air
I am singing to anyone listening, I'm listening...
I am singing to connect with anyone who can hear me, and listening for a response
I'm looking up to the sky, hand full of sand in my pocket
I gaze at the vastness of the universe while holding a handful of sand, feeling how small and insignificant I am
I can't fully describe
Except to say, that it varied, as it carried me
As far as I can see, the sand granules are very fine
The sand represents life's experiences that have carried me to where I am, and while I cannot fully describe them, they have shaped me into who I am today
They are not mine
They are not my own
The experiences and events in life that shape us are not owned by anyone and are universal
World was on fire, people were perspiring
Put my fears up for hire, recollecting
Amidst chaos in the world and fearful thoughts, I try to collect my thoughts and find perspective
Thoughts with a grain of salt, pages through the ages to survey
Land I walked on, I walk on...
I take a critical approach to my thoughts and the historical context surrounding them while realizing that life goes on and I must keep moving forward
Dust we come, dust we go
I'll return to the Earth, this I know
We all come from dust and will return to it in death, accepting this fact as a part of life
This is not mine
This is not my own
The inevitability of death and the cycle of life is not unique to me but is a universal experience
Allergies in season, lungs having trouble breathing
Grey matter sinking in to
No idealization, mistaken identity forgiven
As life gets harder and reality sets in, I let go of idealizations and forgive myself for past mistakes
Why so sure, that death will endure?
Let's die together, alone, together
Get my belongings together, get all my shit together
Now and forever more, together is home
Alone, together is...
Death is a mystery, but we can face it together in companionship and through that find a sense of home
This is not my mine
This is not my own
Death is a universal experience, not solely owned by one person
Will you hold my hand as I go?
In the face of death, will you be there to support me?
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Ben Martin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind