Mat Brooke and Jenn Champion formed Carissa's Wierd out of Seattle in 1995, and released three albums before their 2003 breakup. Their plaintive, melancholy, beautiful music won over many who were exposed to it. The band's lineup changed throughout the band's existence. Mainstays in the band included violinist Sarah Standard, drummer (and later bassist) Ben Bridwell, drummer Sera Cahoone, drummer Creighton Barrett, and keyboard/accordian player Jeff Hellis. Their final album, Songs About Leaving, was a modest success in the Northwest, topping many critics charts and leaving fans hungry for more. Sadly, the band decided to go their separate ways in September of 2003. Jenn is now performing under the name S and Brooke and Bridwell went on to create Band of Horses. Brooke has since moved on to become part of Grand Archives and Sera Cahoone has launched her solo career. As of April 2007, both Grand Archives and Sera Cahoone have been signed to Sub Pop Records. In March 2010, Hardly Art announced that it would release a compilation of Carissa's Wierd material, with songs picked by Brooke and Champion, followed by reissues of the group's first three full-length records. The band played a reunion show on July 9, 2010 to support the compilation.
On August 2, 2011, Hardly Art announced pre-orders for a new 7", called 'Tucson,' and would include two new songs, the band's first recordings in over seven years featuring the original lineup. The 7" would include the songs 'Tucson' and 'Meredith & Iris,' and on August 4, 2011, Meredith & Iris was put up for stream on soundcloud. It was also announced that the band would be playing another reunion show in Seattle on September 24, 2011.
You Should Be Hated Here
Carissa's Wierd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
we're both hoping
failing slowly
attempting one thing to stand up
with dignity
to walk away
do the time to prove it all
the new lines
wrapped my eyes around
the scars upon my head
were only meant
to spell apologies
there's a (tent full of?)
was impossible to find
but until you find me
???
standing stupid looking blind
(??? I could do anything
right ??
to say that you were wrong
this night is guaranteed to all turn black
with memories that haunt the past)
i'm only here to fall apart
you've been angry from the start
but I know these trainwrecks happen all the time
everything no one knows
you should be hated here by now
this was the prettiest lie that I told tonight
it's been the prettiest lie that I told all year
the unmade bed inside the room
where I don't feel comfortable at all
where blankets stare at me for hours
and I stare right back so self righteously
(it could be now
and I don't feel proud
i'm so sorry now
i'm sorry now)
and it all comes down to composure that's been lost
when it all comes down to composure that's been lost
The first two lines of the chorus, “they're all surrounding, we're both hoping,” set up an image of two people, perhaps trapped, surrounded by others and hoping for a way out. The next few lines suggest a struggle against failure, an attempt to stand up and walk away with dignity. The line “do the time to prove it all” could indicate a sense of needing to endure something in order to come out on the other side, to prove oneself worthy or capable. The verses are less clear in their meaning, with references to scars, apologies, and blindness. The repetition of “it's been the prettiest lie that I told” suggests a sense of self-awareness, perhaps regret or shame for past actions. The final line, “when it all comes down to composure that's been lost,” could suggest that all the struggle and effort to maintain dignity has been for naught, as composure and control slip away.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of struggle, both internal and external, and a desire for escape or redemption. The repetition of certain phrases and images, such as the prettiest lie, suggests a cyclical pattern of behavior or thought that the singer is trying to break free from. The sense of being trapped, either physically or psychologically, runs throughout the song, echoing the title's suggestion that “you should be hated here by now,” as though the environment or situation itself is something to be despised.
Line by Line Meaning
they're all surrounding
We are surrounded by people who are watching and waiting for us to fail.
we're both hoping
We are both hoping that somehow we can find a way to succeed despite the odds against us.
failing slowly
We are not succeeding, but rather we are slowly losing ground and failing in our attempts.
attempting one thing to stand up
We are trying to do something to regain our footing and succeed in the face of adversity.
with dignity
We are trying to maintain our dignity and self-respect even as we struggle to succeed.
to walk away
We may ultimately have to walk away from this situation if we cannot find a way to succeed within it.
do the time to prove it all
We need to put in the effort and hard work necessary to prove ourselves and succeed.
the new lines
We are trying out new strategies and approaches to try to change our situation and succeed.
wrapped my eyes around
We are looking closely and carefully at every aspect of our situation, trying to find a way to succeed.
the scars upon my head
We have been hurt and damaged by the difficulties we have faced in trying to succeed.
were only meant to spell apologies
Our scars only serve as a reminder of the apologies we need to make for the mistakes we have made in trying to succeed.
there's a (tent full of?)
There is something we have been searching for that we have been unable to find or achieve, which may be crucial to our success.
was impossible to find
Whatever we have been searching for seems to be out of reach and impossible to attain.
but until you find me
Until we can find what we have been searching for, we will continue to struggle and be unable to succeed.
standing stupid looking blind
We feel foolish and helpless, unable to see a way out of our predicament or to succeed.
(??? I could do anything
Even if we had the ability to do anything we wanted, we may still not be able to succeed in this situation or find what we need.
right ??
to say that you were wrong
Blaming others for our situation will not help us succeed, and instead we need to take responsibility for our own failures and try harder to improve.
this night is guaranteed to all turn black
Things are likely to get worse rather than better, and we can expect the situation to become even more difficult.
with memories that haunt the past)
Our past failures continue to haunt us and make it difficult for us to succeed in the present.
i'm only here to fall apart
We feel as though we are only here to fail and fall apart, rather than to succeed.
you've been angry from the start
Others are angry with us for our failures in trying to succeed, and this makes it even more difficult for us to find a way to improve.
but I know these trainwrecks happen all the time
Although our situation may seem unique and difficult, many others have faced similar struggles and failures in trying to succeed.
everything no one knows
There may be important secrets or information that we are not aware of that could help us to succeed.
you should be hated here by now
Others may be so frustrated with our failures that they should hate us for not succeeding by now.
this was the prettiest lie that I told tonight
We have been telling ourselves and others a lie about our chances of success in this situation, and it is a very pretty and appealing lie to believe.
it's been the prettiest lie that I told all year
The lie we have been telling ourselves about our ability to succeed in this situation is one that we have been believing and clinging to for a long time.
the unmade bed inside the room
Our lack of success has left us feeling uncomfortable and uncertain, like an unmade bed in a messy room.
where I don't feel comfortable at all
We do not feel at all comfortable or confident in our ability to succeed in this situation.
where blankets stare at me for hours
We feel as though the inanimate objects in our environment are judging us and our inability to succeed.
and I stare right back so self righteously
We try to project confidence and self-righteousness, even when we know we are failing to succeed.
(it could be now
There may be a way to succeed that we have not yet discovered or attempted in our current situation.
and I don't feel proud
Despite our best efforts, we do not feel proud of our current situation or of ourselves for our inability to succeed.
i'm so sorry now
We feel remorseful and regretful for our failures and inability to succeed.
i'm sorry now)
and it all comes down to composure that's been lost
Our inability to succeed may be due in part to our loss of composure and confidence in ourselves, making it difficult to perform at our best.
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.