Tonic’s Emerson Hart Explains “If You Can Only See” Was A Surprise Hit

Tonic frontman Emerson Hart recently interviewed with CBS about fame in the 1990s and how the band’s singles, “If You Can Only See” and “Open Up Your Eyes” still live on. 

“It was (surreal), man, because you remember ‘Lemon Parade’ came out in ‘96 and the first single off that record was ‘Open Up Your Eyes,’” Hart told CBS. “We were in a van and touring and stuff like that, and then that went to No. 1. And then we were in a bus... and I was like, ‘Wow, this is as good as its ever going to get. I’m going to just soak all of it up.’”

Hart remembered the particular DJ who started playing “If You Can Only See”. 

“Kevin Weatherly, who was at KROQ, which was a big Los Angeles station at the time, added “If You Can Only See” and we had not planned for that to be the second single.  It was gonna be “Casual Affair” which was a heavy rock song, since we were already plowing down the road of rock radio at that point and he added it, and that was just it – from the bus to the plane. It’s amazing how quickly that can happen. I’m so grateful.”