Carole & Tuesday Tells You All You Need to Know in Just Two Songs

Carole & Tuesday is the story of two young women from drastically different backgrounds who come together in the hopes of becoming professional singer-songwriters in a future where nearly all music is designed by AI to best appeal to consumers. On the other side of the coin is their rival, Angela, who, instead of writing and singing from the heart, is turning over everything to AIs in order to become a star. But if you want to know who these characters are and what drives them, all you need to do is look at the anime’s two key songs “The Loneliest Girl” and “Move Mountains.”

Image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter

From the start, both of these songs are treated a bit differently than the other music in the series. Most songs are sung only once–be they Carole and Tuesday’s numerous songs or any of the other artists featured on the show. “The Loneliest girl” and “Move Mountains,” on the other hand are showcased in an unfinished state before being shown in full. Through added familiarity, these songs are given more power and importance in the minds of viewers. This is 100% by design, of course. After all, these songs tell you all you need to know about Carole, Tuesday, and Angela

In “The Loneliest Girl,” the verse is sung by Tuesday and describes her circumstances.

[Tuesday]
It’s a little cold in paradise tonight
Love faded
I’m finding new forms, I’ll ride it out
It’s fine for now

Tuesday literally comes from what many of us would consider a paradise. Her family is rich and powerful. With her brother a success and obvious heir to the family, nothing is expected of her but to sit quietly in the family mansion. What was once a loving family has become an emotionally cold prison as her mother’s political career takes up more and more of her time.

With an absence of love in her life, Tuesday was forced to find her own thing to love–her own passion. And she did in the form of music. With her guitar, she thought she could ride it out–that she’d be fine if she has her music. She could continue on as a bird in a cage as long as she could sing.

[Tuesday]
Then you come along and I cry
Liberated
I’m seeing clearly now, there’s no turning back
And I’m overwhelmed

All that changed the moment she met Carole. Literally crying as she listened to Carole’s mournful song–the instrumental prototype to “The Loneliest Girl”–she knew she had found a kindred spirit. Alongside Carole, she is liberated from her cage and is truly able to pursue the music she loves.

Image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter

Now, living and performing with Carole, Tuesday can see her past for the hell it was. And in recognizing that, she realizes she can’t go back to it. And understandably, that leaves her overwhelmed.

[Carole]
Do you really want to set the night on fire?
You’re my only way out
Do you really want to turn your life around again?
You know you’re my last chance

Carole, on the other hand, has been struggling on her own. No family. No money. No support. She has written her own songs and sung them–standing on the street, ignored by everyone. She desperately wants to share her music with the world but it’s clear she can’t do it on her own. However, together with Tuesday, they have a chance–not just to make it big but to make it out of her hand-to-mouth living situation.

She’s humbled by Tuesday casting away her old life to try for musical success along with her. Because to Carole, this is her last and only chance to become who she wants to be.

[Carole and Tuesday]
Can you feel my, can you feel my
Can you feel my tears? They won’t dry
Can you feel my, can you feel my
Teardrops of the loneliest girl?
The loneliest girl

In the chorus, the two sing to each other. Until now, they have been crying in their isolation–crying an endless stream of metaphorical tears. But now, these are no longer tears of sadness. These are the tears of happiness for the two “loneliest girls” who have finally found someone to share their lives and dreams with. And each wants the other to know just how meaningful this is.

“Move Mountains” likewise gives a telling peek into Angela’s soul. (Song begins at 00:50)

[Angela]
Everything is hard to do the first time
But if I fall, it’ll make me stronger
I’ll get up and try again

Angela’s story is one of success–or rather being pushed to success. A childhood TV star-turned-supermodel, she has worked her way from the bottom to the top of two different industries. Despite her bad attitude towards others, she never quits and pushes on. Even physical abuse from a parent can’t keep her down.

[Angela]
I will follow my dreams forever
Long as we’ll be together
Through the storms and bad weather
You make me better

The important thing to remember about Angela is that, like Carole and Tuesday, she is still a teenager. This means she was likely pushed into the entertainment industry as a child. Now, for the first time, she is able to exercise her own agency and do what she wants to do–what she’s dreamed of doing: become a singer.

Image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter

She is willing to do anything to achieve this goal–even though she knows it’s not something she can do alone. Thus, she chooses the most direct path to success: she agrees to be a puppet for Tao, a music producer with a record number of hits under his belt. And just as the song says, he makes her better than she ever would have been alone.

[Angela]
If I believe I can do anything
I can move mountains, I can move mountains
If I believe I can do anything
I can move mountains, I can move mountains
If you’re in need, know I’ll be your friend
I can move mountains, I can move mountains, yeah
Anything the world throws at us, I’ll be by your side
Till we make it out and everything’s alright
No matter what, I will fight till the end
I can move mountains, I can move mountains, yeah

Angela has the self-confidence (read: “ego”) to truly believe things will go her way if she works hard enough. After all, she’s done exactly that so far. And with Tao by her side, nothing seems impossible. Despite the physical and emotional pain she’s suffered since teaming up with him, he’s not steered her wrong yet.

Image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter

However, at the same time, this chorus is actually rather ironic because it lays out her true feelings. Just as she’s relying on him, she wants him to rely on her–to see her as something more than a replaceable tool to sell his next hit song. This is her plea to him.

Unfortunately, he seems far more interested in Carole and Tuesday’s music than hers. Of course, this makes Angela even more driven to succeed at her dream and prove she is the best.

Image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter

In the end, these two songs tell you all you need to know about these characters. “The Loneliest Girl” paints Carole and Tuesday as starcrossed friends who free each other from their respective hopeless existences through their music. Likewise, “Move Mountains” exemplifies Angela’s drive to make it to the top of the music industry–all the while revealing that, despite her off-putting personality, she wants to be needed by those she relies on. These songs are a fantastic use of music as a storytelling device and make the anime infinitely better for it.

Carole & Tuesday can be seen on Japanese Netflix. (Judging by past Japan-first Netflix releases, it should be available worldwide around late August.)

Top image source: ＴＶアニメ「キャロル＆チューズデイ」(公式) on Twitter