My Gen X Playlist: Voices Carry – Til Tuesday

Absent any new WordPress daily prompts, I pulled one from thecoffeemonsterzco.

What is your favorite cuisine to get takeout of?

I used to live on the Westside in my twenties. I shared an apartment with a few friends. Cooking wasn’t as much of a priority. We often picked up instead of spending time honing our nonexistent culinary skills.

There was a great taco hut down the street – Tito’s Tacos. They had the best tacos and burritos in town. It was a great go-to anytime of the week. I’m craving Tito’s just thinking about it.

I started eating Mexican take out during my college days and it followed me into early adulthood. I never met a taco I didn’t like. I hate to publicly admit it, but I even loved the mystery meat tacos at Jack in a Box. Back in the day you could get two for 99 cents. The greasy taco shell, a half slice of fake cheese melted into the mystery meat, a splash of hot sauce for a little kick and just a little bit of shredded lettuce to ease my conscience that it wasn’t 100% bad for you. Of course they had to use iceberg lettuce that lacks any nutritional value, but we won’t go there for now. The fact is, there was a vegetable squeezed inside the shell. Man, I haven’t had one of those in over twenty years.

When I lived in Pasadena, there was a Yucatán restaurant within walking distance. Even though we’d increase our step count walking to and from dinner, it didn’t exactly counterbalance the delicious calories resting in our full stomachs. If we didn’t order to go, we’d enjoy the mariachi band that went from table to table.

Since moving, I haven’t found a go-to Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood yet. We’ve tried a few and they were fine, but nothing to write home about. Makes me miss living in the city where we can find freshly made tamales. That’s not to say that I dislike living in suburbia. Quite the contrary. It’s a wonderful place to live. I just wish I had a taco place that was open into the wee hours of the morning. And since you’re in the midst of taking down my order, make that one within walking distance, please. There’s nothing more satisfying than scratching that itch of a midnight taco craving. Or so my twenty year old self tells me. If that order is not in the menu, I’ll settle for just finding myself a good Taco Tuesday place. It’s been far too long.

Since I don’t know any taco songs, I’m going to use a barely connectable segue at best. Taco Tuesday. Tuesday. Til Tuesday.

Til Tuesday was a 80’s band that had the hit song Voices Carry. It’s funny, I thought I knew more songs from the band, but this is the only one I remember. I looked up their greatest hits album and didn’t recognize any of the other songs.

“Voices Carry” was the debut single, from the debut album of the same name, and greatest claim to fame for ‘Til Tuesday. The group came out of Boston, Massachusetts, after winning a radio contest, Boston’s WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble, in 1983.

After one more album in 1988, they broke up. Kind of like The Velvet Underground, they are now seen as a band ahead of their time, adored by critics but not selling well enough to stay together.

Songfacts

I did enjoy Aimee Mann’s solo career better. My first toe dip in the water was her music in Magnolia. Weird movie, great soundtrack.

I'm in the dark, I'd like to read his mind
But I'm frightened of the things I might find
Oh, there must be something he's thinking of
To tear him away, eh-aye
When I tell him that I'm falling in love
Why does he say, eh-aye

Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry
Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry

I try so hard not to get upset
Because I know all the trouble I'll get
Oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
And something to fear, eh-aye
And I try so hard to keep it inside
So no one can hear

Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry
Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry
Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry

Oh, he wants me
But only part of the time
He wants me
If he can keep me in line

Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry
Hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry

Oh, hush hush, so shut up now
Voices carry
Oh, hush hush, keep it down now
Voices carry
Oh, hush hush, darling, she might overhear
Oh no, voices carry
(Hush hush) He said shut up, he said to shut up
Oh God, can't you keep it down?
Voices carry
Oh-no, voices carry
I wish he would let me talk