Meaningful songs #26 - TRACEY THORN

This  is the twenty-sixth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Too Happy", released in 1982, is by a singer called TRACEY THORN.

Tracey Thorn's debut album contained Too Happy

Too Happy speaks of indistinct and immature feelings of two (young) people who know they have love between them, yet cannot manage or understand the emotion within that love. For one so young at the time, Tracey's lyric shows great insight.  Beloved by lovers of wistful angst, this song has helped many through their first love.

In 1982 Tracey Thorn was not yet partnered with Benn Watt to be the group Everything But The Girl, but her debut album, A Distant Shore, from which came this song, was critically well received because of her reflective and plaintive lyrics. Recorded quickly, for only £138, it is somewhat "lo-fi" album in places.

TOO HAPPY
    
Just what has happened now I don't know

So happy five minutes ago

Laughing and talking of things that we planned

Then a wrong word and you dropped my hand

Sometimes I don't think and say things I don't mean

Expect you to read all the spaces between

Careless words I know you soon regret

Cry 'cause I can't bear you to think I'm upset

Then I joke and say now I'll go home

But you should know I'd never leave you here alone

Why must we go through these little scenes?

Each wondering what the other's silence means

I wouldn't break it by turning to shout

So soon forget what I was angry about

I never believed that you could be too happy

But I realize now that we can be

When we can't cope with this love that we've found

Seems we'll say anything to knock it down

Then I realize I love you more

And is that what we go through this for?

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series  or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here