Julien Baker & TORRES – “Tuesday”: A Haunting Confession of Shame and Liberation

TORRES’ latest song, “Tuesday”, featuring Julien Baker, is a deeply personal and confessional track that unearths the scars of a past love silenced by religious and societal pressures.

With a raw narrative that blends vulnerability and defiance, the song tells the story of a relationship that never had the chance to thrive, weighed down by shame and self-denial.

Lyrics Analysis: A Story of Love, Betrayal, and Shame

The lyrics unfold like a painful memory—TORRES recalls falling in love with Tuesday, a girl who initially sought comfort in her, only to later turn away under the pressure of a conservative upbringing. The lines:

“Instead of backing me up, Tuesday melted right down / Asked me to write her mother and say, ‘Sorry for the confusion’”

capture the painful reality of being forced to erase one’s own identity. The moment is heartbreaking, as the narrator is coerced into denying her love and reaffirming devotion to both “Jesus and men.”

The emotional weight of this repression manifests in self-destructive ways. One of the most harrowing moments in the song describes the narrator’s downward spiral:

“That night, for the first time, I took a knife / To the paper-thin skin on my arm.”

This painful confession highlights the internalized harm that comes with forced denial, making “Tuesday” one of TORRES’ most gut-wrenching lyrical moments.

Musical Composition: Sparse Yet Devastating

The song’s stripped-down arrangement allows the storytelling to take center stage. Julien Baker’s harmonies add depth to the emotional weight, her voice intertwining with TORRES’ to create a sense of shared sorrow.

The minimal instrumentation—primarily acoustic guitar and atmospheric textures—reinforces the song’s confessional nature, making each lyric feel like an intimate revelation.

Key Musical Elements:

• Minimalistic Folk-Americana Instrumentation – The song’s simplicity highlights its raw emotional content.
• Julien Baker’s Haunting Harmonies – Her backing vocals emphasize the song’s sorrow and longing.
• Gradual Build in Emotion – The track moves from soft contemplation to a cathartic conclusion.

A Song of Reclamation and Defiance

As “Tuesday” progresses, the narrative shifts from regret to self-realization. The closing lines offer a moment of powerful reckoning:

“Now I know that your shame was not mine / And I am perfect in my Lord’s eyes.”

This declaration reclaims both personal identity and faith from the restrictive views imposed upon the narrator.

And then, in a final cathartic release, TORRES delivers a parting shot that fully severs the weight of the past: “And one more thing: If you hear this song / Tell your mama she can go suck an egg.”

Conclusion: From Silence to Strength

For years, shame tried to bury this story. But “Tuesday” ensures it won’t be forgotten. TORRES and Julien Baker craft a song that speaks for all the voices once forced into quiet submission. It’s not just about survival—it’s about finally being heard.

For those who wants to hear the song, it’s available on Youtube.

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Julien Baker & TORRES – “Tuesday” Lyrics

[Verse 1: TORRES]
Left Georgia for Tennessee when I was eighteen
Met a girl named Tuesday who shined her light on me
She was five foot nine with a storm in her eye
And of all the shoulders on which she could’ve cried
She picked mine
She picked mine

[Chorus: TORRES, TORRES & Baker]
Now I wish that I hadn’t
Stepped down and lied
When I acted like it was
Nothing to me
And if I could only
Go back in time
I’d rewrite our whole story

[Verse 2: TORRES, TORRES & Baker]
Well, her mama caught wind
That her daughter’s friend
Might be of the wrong persuasion
Next thing I know, her mama’s calling
Telling her daughter
Just the thought of it made her sick over the toilet
Instead of backing me up, Tuesday melted right down
Asked me to write her mother and say, “Sorry for the confusion”
That of course there had been no sin
To emphasize how much I love Jesus
And men

[Chorus: TORRES, TORRES & Baker]
How I wish that I hadn’t
Stepped down and lied
When I acted like it was
Nothing to me
‘Cause that night, for the first time
I took a knife
To the paper-thin
Skin on my arm
Oh my Lord, oh my Christ
Is this the end?
I heard myself cry
From the tile
The darkness of eternal night started
Closing in
And I thought surely
No future exists

[Verse 3: TORRES]
Tuesday, now I hardly think of you
But when I do I only think of shame
And girl I tell ya, if I could do it again
I sure as hell wouldn’t do it the same

[Chorus: TORRES, TORRES & Baker]
No, I cannot believe that
I stepped down and lied
I should have told
You I loved you
And now I know that
Your shame was not mine
And I am perfect
In my Lord’s eyes

[Outro: TORRES]
For a decade, I let you live in my head
But with this exorcism, I put our story to bed
And one more thing: If you hear this song
Tell your mama she can go suck an egg