80s, Baby! with Seersha

I'm in the dark: Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday

• Seersha • Season 1 • Episode 5

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Release Date: November 20, 2024
Name of podcast: 80s, Baby! with Seersha  
Episode title and number: I'm in the dark: Voices Carry by 'Til Tuesday, Season 1, Episode 5

Episode Summary: In this installment of "80s, Baby!," host Seersha dives into the captivating story behind "Voices Carry," the quintessential New Wave song by Boston-based band 'Til Tuesday. The episode explores the fascinating evolution of "Voices Carry" itself, from its initial conception as a song written and performed from a different perspective, to the record label-mandated pronoun change that shaped the final version. Throughout the episode, Seersha offers insights for fellow artists, examining the tensions between artistic authenticity and commercial pressures, as well as the power of creatively adapting one's work.

Chapter Markers:
Intro - 0:00
Exposition - 0:56
"Voices Carry" Deep Dive - 3:05
Reflection - 10:36
Final Thoughts - 14:36
Credits - 15:36

Show Notes:
Check out the music video for Voices Carry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejh-bHa4To
Listen to Frisky Monkey and Seersha's cover of Voices Carry: https://open.spotify.com/track/1M829CnYjRxRzFMbCwI3zX?si=f33aab9b16874b60
Listen to Seersha's latest single, Can't Stop Time: https://linktr.ee/seershamusic?lt_utm_source=lt_share_link#414805114
Sign up for email updates directly from the studio desk of Seersha, PLUS get two exclusive, iconic cover songs from 80s bands, reimagined in a stripped-down style just for you: https://seersha.ck.page/1576e594fb

Want to get in touch? DM @seershamusic on social media, or find Seersha on the web at www.seershamusic.com.

I’m an 80s baby through and through, deeply in love with the decade that defined pop culture like no other. It wasn't always clear how this passion would shape my journey, but my love for both 80s-inspired music and jams straight from the era has led me on a wild journey from depressed corporate girly to embodying the essence of 80s pop-rock on stages across the world with Guardians of the Jukebox.

So whether you're an 80s aficionado, a fellow artist drawing inspiration from this colorful decade, or someone curious about my transformation from mundane 9-to-5 to musician living a retro-tinged dream, you've found your crew. Let’s be kind, rewind, relive, and re-love the 80s together.

Welcome to “80s, Baby!” I’m your host, Seersha.

If you caught the last episode, you know that we explored Pat Benatar’s classic – Love is a Battlefield – and its powerful message of female strength and resilience. Today, we're turning our attention to another iconic song that tackles complex relationship dynamics from a different angle – "Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday. As someone with a soft spot for enigmatic female vocalists, Aimee Mann's distinctive voice and songwriting, coupled with that moody new wave vibe, has always struck a chord with me. 

I was recently asked to perform some 80s music at an event put on by Poetry Atlanta and the Georgia Center for the Book, and the theme and title of the event was – Voices Carry. My friend Juan Cezar of Frisky Monkey was also performing with me, and we were invited to do a cover of Voices Carry, which is a song we both love - and also happens to be the theme of the event. Juan asked me if I would want to release it as a collaborative cover since we were prepping it for the event and I mean, how could I say no! If you haven’t checked it out already, I’ll link it in the show notes, I’m really pleased with the way it turned out. I always have a blast collaborating with Juan and Douglas of Frisky Monkey and Von Hertzog over at The Social Club worked his magic on the mix and master. So, tying in with the cover release, let’s look today at the origins of ‘Til Tuesday and Voices Carry.

The year is 1983. It’s time for the annual WBCN-FM “Rock and Roll Rumble.” A new wave band, formed at Berklee College of Music, enters the competition hosted by the popular Boston radio station, and manages to beat out 24 other bands to take home first prize, including the Del Fuegos, Jerry’s Kids, and Lizzie Borden & the Axes. That winning band was ‘Til Tuesday, formed by Virginia-born-and-raised Aimee Mann on lead vocals and bass guitar, Joey Pesce on keyboards and vocals, Michael Hausman on drums and Robert Holmes on guitar and vocals. Anyone in 1983 who knew anything about the rock scene in Boston knew who ‘Til Tuesday was. And come 1985, with the release of hit single Voices Carry, anyone who watched MTV or tuned into FM radio knew who they were.

Prior to forming ‘Til Tuesday, Aimee Mann had already cut her teeth as vocalist-bassist for The Young Snakes, which, believe it or not, was an early incarnation of Ministry. Ministry's Al Jourgensen has actually made the claim that Voices Carry was about his brief relationship with Aimee during their time in Boston. Meanwhile, Hausman had been making waves with The Dark, who had made it to the finals of the 1981 WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble. I’ll add here that some have pointed to a past relationship between drummer Michael Hausman and Aimee Mann as the inspiration for Voices Carry. Separately, Hausman actually went on to become Aimee’s manager (he still is to this day, in fact).

Ok, back to 1983 – the band’s victory song from the Rock and Roll Rumble, titled "Love in a Vacuum," saw significant regional airplay, and the band spent the next year and a half building their following across New England, playing venues like The Living Room and Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom.

When they signed with Epic Records in early 1985, the band headed to RPM Studios in New York to record their debut album. The band had initially considered either "Love in a Vacuum" or "Looking Over My Shoulder" as their first single, but Epic's A&R man, Dick Wingate, saw something special in "Voices Carry." 

Like many iconic songs, there's been quite a bit of speculation about the origins of this track. Various claims have circulated over the years – some say it was inspired by guitarist Robert Holmes' relationship with his wife. As I mentioned previously, others point to a past relationship between drummer Michael Hausman and Aimee Mann. And of course Al Jourgensen’s claim.

Aimee Mann herself has a different story. On Conan O'Brien's podcast, she revealed that she wrote it about a male friend who was in a relationship where his girlfriend didn't want to show affection in public. You know, the classic “keep your voice down, don't tell people we're going out" situation. What makes this even more fascinating is that producer Mike Thorne has mentioned that the song originally featured Mann singing to another woman, possibly from the perspective of the man in the relationship.

So the original version of "Voices Carry" was written and performed from a different perspective entirely. Ok, how did the song end up about a man instead of a woman? It turns out that Epic, concerned about potential commercial impact, pushed for the change.

Despite the lyric change, the song's emotional core remained intact. Released in April 1985, "Voices Carry" shot to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #29 in Canada, and #81 in Australia. The overall album itself peaked at #19 on the Billboard 200, with subsequent singles "Looking Over My Shoulder" and a re-recorded "Love in a Vacuum" also charting, though not reaching the same heights.

The music video deserves special attention, as it became one of MTV's most iconic clips of the era. Much like Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield," that we talked about last month, it pushed boundaries in terms of storytelling and visual narrative. Filmed at multiple Boston locations, including the historic Strand Theatre and Davio's Restaurant, it culminates in a powerful scene at Carnegie Hall. The narrative follows Mann's character dealing with an oppressive boyfriend who tries to mold her into his upper-class lifestyle. The video's climactic moment, where Mann stands up in Carnegie Hall and defiantly sings while her boyfriend tries to silence her, was inspired by a similar scene in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much," and became one of MTV's most memorable moments. The band's powerful visual storytelling was recognized at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards, where they won Best New Artist.

With their signature new wave sound, 'Til Tuesday found themselves in impressive company, alongside acts like The Cure, Simple Minds, and The Cars. Mann's steady stare and art-school aesthetic offered a compelling contrast to contemporaries like Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. Her songwriting, which earned praise from none other than Joni Mitchell, evoked the raw beauty of Patti Smith while maintaining its own cynical, evocative, and literary quality.

The success of "Voices Carry" led to tours opening for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Rick Springfield, and Hall & Oates. They were regularly playing venues like the Paradise Rock Club, Orpheum Theatre, and the Boston Garden.

Looking back in a 2021 interview with The Guardian, Mann reflected on the intense pressure from Epic executives to deliver "humongous hits." She compared their attitude to treating artists like replaceable horses in a stable – a perspective that seems particularly relevant given the original themes of "Voices Carry" and its exploration of power dynamics and self-expression.

I’ve shared with you the highlights of the story behind "Voices Carry" – now I’d like to offer three takeaways for us as creatives that stood out to me from our deep dive.

First, let's talk about artistic authenticity versus commercial compromise. The evolution of "Voices Carry" from its original concept to its final form is an interesting example of navigating carefully between our artistic vision and commercial pressures. Epic Records' push to change the gender perspective could have diminished the song's impact. Instead, it actually seemed to help the song resonate with a larger audience. As artists, we often face similar choices: when do we stand firm, and when do we adapt our vision? I think the key is ensuring that any compromises that we make don't sacrifice the emotional truth at the heart of our work. I also think that sometime it’s ok to choose artistic vision over what might be the more commercial, mainstream, easier to understand choice. But whichever way we go as artists, I think it empowers us to make that choice for ourselves and know what we’re choosing between – whether we stick with our original vision, our original wording, whatever that looks like – or make a slight, maybe even superficial shift, to make our work more accessible to our audience. 

Next, let’s talk a little bit about career evolution and continuing to evolve as an artist. It’s hard for me to imagine Aimee Mann’s career if ‘Til Tuesday had stayed together – she’s developed such a strong identity as a highly respected songwriter (she was named one of the greatest living songwriters by NPR and Paste), while also pursuing new projects such as her collaboration with Ted Leo, called the Both, painting and making comics, and acting. I also think it’s so fascinating that Michael Hausman moved on from drumming and went on to become her manager. Their career transitions are a great reminder that where we begin does not determine where we end up. And that over the course of a creative career, we may experience shifts, sometimes pretty extreme shifts, that get us where we ultimately need to be to fully realize our gift in the world.

Third, let’s consider how "Voices Carry" demonstrates how a great piece of art can have very different meanings to different people. The song's story has been interpreted differently by various people, and each interpretation adds depth to its emotional resonance. This reminds us that our art can transcend our original intentions, taking on new meaning as others bring their own experiences to it. When we create, we're not just telling our story – we're creating space for others to find their own stories within our work. And with that in mind, we should do our best to accept this, perhaps even celebrate this fact, and not worry about how others perceive or interpret what we create.

"Voices Carry" stands as a testament to the enduring power of authentic storytelling in music. Whether you interpret it as a story about a man struggling to express his feelings, a woman finding her voice in an oppressive relationship, or something entirely personal to you, its message about the need to be heard and validated remains powerful almost 40 years later.

As we continue to celebrate and draw inspiration from the 80s, songs like this remind us why the decade's music continues to resonate. They weren't just catchy tunes – they were complex narratives about human experience, wrapped in innovative production and fearless creativity.

Until next time, keep your voices strong and your hearts open. This is your host, Seersha, signing off. Shine bright and love on your friends!

And that's a wrap on episode five of our musical journey through the 80s! I hope you feel inspired, moved, and maybe even a little nostalgic after diving deep into the story behind Voices Carry by ‘Til Tuesday.

Be sure to tune in next time as we uncover the secrets behind another beloved 80s anthem – it will be our special Christmas episode and the last episode of the season!

And of course, a big thank you to our production team for making this all possible:

Written and Produced by: Seersha 

Theme Music by: Seersha and Richard James Smith

For more information, or to suggest a song you'd love us to explore, DM me on social media @seershamusic or find me online at www.seershamusic.com.