Originated from a surf rock group called the Crossfires, the Turtles delved into many genres such as breezy pop, psychedelic music, and folk rock. A precursor to the bubblegum pop of the late 60s and early 70s as well as a foil to the more self-consciously hip and "serious" acts of the era, the Turtles produced at least a dozen memorable, radio-friendly chart singles. Yet they remain best known for 1967's "Happy Together", which was their only chart-topping single.
The Turtles wound down their career in 1970.
The two prominent singers - Howard Kaylan ("Eddie") and Mark Volman ("Flo" a.k.a. "Phlorescent Leech") - collaborated with Frank Zappa for a short but very intensive period of one and a half years (between 1970-72) and were the cornerstone of what was known to be the Zappa "Vaudeville" band; two of the most famous achievements of that period being the albums Fillmore East β June 1971 and 200 Motels, the soundtrack of the film by the same name.
Wrong from the Start
The Turtles Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you tried to stop everything that you could
Now, you're like a meadow that needs rainin' on
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' 'cause I've gone
You're livin' with one man and watchin' one more
You made up your mind but your heart wasn't sure
Now, you're like a meadow that can't grow no corn
There were two ways that I had to choose
You knew all along if I won you would lose
You're like a meadow that needs rainin' on
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You climb up your staircase and count every step
But you know you're trying so hard to forget
You look in the mirror and comb your fair hair
You look at his picture and see my face there
There were two ways that I had to choose
You knew all along if I won you would lose
You're like a meadow that needs rainin' on
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
The Turtles' "Wrong From the Start" is a song about a failed relationship. The lyrics tell the story of a person who warned their partner that their relationship was doomed from the beginning, yet they were ignored. The person tried to end the relationship, but their partner was unsure and indecisive, leading to heartbreak in the end.
The metaphor of a meadow needing rain is used throughout the song. The partner who initially warned about the relationship's failure is now like a meadow, in need of "raining on" or some sort of support. Conversely, the other partner is like a meadow that cannot grow anything, in need of tears to fertilize their crops, but their tears have already dried up.
The chorus repeats the line, "You told me to leave, now you're cryin' 'cause I've gone," emphasizing the irony of the situation. The singer tried to end the relationship when they knew it wouldn't work, but now that it's over, their partner is still sad.
Line by Line Meaning
You said what we did from the start was no good
You expressed that our relationship was not good from the beginning
And you tried to stop everything that you could
You made every effort to end our relationship
Now, you're like a meadow that needs rainin' on
Now, you are in a state of despair and longing for something to make you feel complete
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' 'cause I've gone
You asked me to leave, but now you are upset because I left
You're livin' with one man and watchin' one more
You are in a relationship with one man, but you are attracted to another man as well
You made up your mind but your heart wasn't sure
You came to a decision, but deep down, you were unsure of it
You're like a meadow that can't grow no corn
You are unable to produce anything positive or fulfilling in your life
You're lookin' for tears but your tears have all gone
You are seeking an emotional release, but you are already empty of tears
There were two ways that I had to choose
I was faced with a decision between two options
You knew all along if I won you would lose
You were aware that if I chose one option, it would come at your expense
You climb up your staircase and count every step
You engage in meaningless or obsessive behavior to try to distract yourself from your emotions
But you know you're trying so hard to forget
Despite your distractions, you are aware that you are actively trying to forget something
You look in the mirror and comb your fair hair
You pay excessive attention to your appearance in an attempt to distract yourself from your emotions
You look at his picture and see my face there
When you look at the picture of the man you are with, you see my face instead
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You wanted me to leave, but now you are upset because I am no longer there
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You wanted me to leave, but now you are upset because I am no longer there
You told me to leave, now you're cryin' cause I've gone
You wanted me to leave, but now you are upset because I am no longer there
Contributed by Nathaniel C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.