Music Review: Go-Go's "Vacation"
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Vacation
Album: Vacation
Year: 1982
A summer fling Belinda Carlisle had while traveling meant more to her than she originally thought in the matter-of-fact "Vacation."
Summery keyboards and guitars open the single, setting a relaxed tone as though a person was sitting by the poolside drinking cocktails. In the first verse, she is thinking of her boyfriend she met and how all the things they did together. She's returned home and her life seems boring now. Her vacation was adventorous and she was discovering new things with her boyfriend, which she hopes she could easily go back to. However, she can't look forward to tomorrow, knowing she's without him and that she's stuck in her familiar routine. ("Can't seem to get my mind off of you/Back here at home there's nothin' to do/Now that I'm away/I wish I'd stayed/
Tomorrow's a day of mine/That you won't be in.")
She thinks she would be better off not having met him. But intially, she thought it was nothing but a few casual dates and it wouldn't lead to anything more. However, she realizes she underestimated her emotions. She kicks herself, for not realizing that the affair was going to meet it's (quick) end. ("When you looked at me/I should've run/But I thought it was just for fun/
I see I was wrong/And I'm not so strong/I should've known all along/That time would tell.")
In the pre-chorus, she's mentions she's been home for two weeks. After the first week, she thought she would've tossed him into the trash like her used-up shampoo bottles. However, it's week two and she's upset he's not ther with her. ("A week without you/Thought I'd forget/
Two weeks without you and I/Still haven't gotten over you yet.")
In the chorus, she sings that she had been anticipating her trip for a long time. It was something that allowed her to forget her everyday stressors. However, she thinks she should've kept to herself. ("Vacation/All I ever wanted/Vacation/Had to get away/Vacation/Meant to be spent alone.")
The chorus is repeated again before the keyboard solo.
The pre-chorus is sung once. Then, the chorus is repeated three times to end the single.
"Vacation" is my favorite Go-Go's single. For as carefree as the music is, the lyrics are forlorn and regretful. "Vacation" is an excellent example of the Go-Go's songwriting: short, simple, and using tone to their advantage. Sometimes not much needs to be said and specific details are useless. While the band would mature greatly on their next album, "Talk Show," "Vacation" was an indication of the depth and fresh approaches to otherwise ordinary topics.
Album: Vacation
Year: 1982
A summer fling Belinda Carlisle had while traveling meant more to her than she originally thought in the matter-of-fact "Vacation."
Summery keyboards and guitars open the single, setting a relaxed tone as though a person was sitting by the poolside drinking cocktails. In the first verse, she is thinking of her boyfriend she met and how all the things they did together. She's returned home and her life seems boring now. Her vacation was adventorous and she was discovering new things with her boyfriend, which she hopes she could easily go back to. However, she can't look forward to tomorrow, knowing she's without him and that she's stuck in her familiar routine. ("Can't seem to get my mind off of you/Back here at home there's nothin' to do/Now that I'm away/I wish I'd stayed/
Tomorrow's a day of mine/That you won't be in.")
She thinks she would be better off not having met him. But intially, she thought it was nothing but a few casual dates and it wouldn't lead to anything more. However, she realizes she underestimated her emotions. She kicks herself, for not realizing that the affair was going to meet it's (quick) end. ("When you looked at me/I should've run/But I thought it was just for fun/
I see I was wrong/And I'm not so strong/I should've known all along/That time would tell.")
In the pre-chorus, she's mentions she's been home for two weeks. After the first week, she thought she would've tossed him into the trash like her used-up shampoo bottles. However, it's week two and she's upset he's not ther with her. ("A week without you/Thought I'd forget/
Two weeks without you and I/Still haven't gotten over you yet.")
In the chorus, she sings that she had been anticipating her trip for a long time. It was something that allowed her to forget her everyday stressors. However, she thinks she should've kept to herself. ("Vacation/All I ever wanted/Vacation/Had to get away/Vacation/Meant to be spent alone.")
The chorus is repeated again before the keyboard solo.
The pre-chorus is sung once. Then, the chorus is repeated three times to end the single.
"Vacation" is my favorite Go-Go's single. For as carefree as the music is, the lyrics are forlorn and regretful. "Vacation" is an excellent example of the Go-Go's songwriting: short, simple, and using tone to their advantage. Sometimes not much needs to be said and specific details are useless. While the band would mature greatly on their next album, "Talk Show," "Vacation" was an indication of the depth and fresh approaches to otherwise ordinary topics.
