Kristin Hersh spent more than a decade previously playing with Throwing Muses, releasing several solo albums as well. Her solo tours in the late 1990s and early 2000s focused on acoustic guitar playing. In 2003, she launched the more electric guitar-oriented 50 Foot Wave.
The band was designed as a power trio, with a lineup including former Chalk FarM drummer Rob Ahlers and Throwing Muses bassist Bernard Georges. Hersh contributes guitar, lyrics, and vocals to this project. The band's first live performance was recorded in Burbank in October 2003 and released on a very limited basis as an official bootleg. Among other live appearances internationally in 2004, 50 Foot Wave performed a month-long residency of shows in January that year at the Silverlake Lounge, while the group was based in the Los Angeles area. The group's self-titled studio mini-album was co-released in March 2004 by the band's ThrowingMusic label and 4AD Records.
Hersh has described 50 Foot Wave's music as "having a lot of math in it," while also calling it less emotionally and musically "tangled" than some of her past Throwing Muses work. Others have described some of the new songs as having "confrontational" lyrics.
In March 2005, the group released its long-planned, full-length album, Golden Ocean, on ThrowingMusic, in partnership with 4AD.
The group toured Europe and the United States in 2005, while Hersh simultaneously continued her solo concerts in alternating parts of the year.
In December 2005, the band released a new EP called Free Music! available via free FLAC and mp3 downloads at their website and several download partner sites. The downloads reserved some rights though Creative Commons licenses.
In December 2008, the band released their new EP Power + Light as a stream. In early March 2009, the band released all their previous albums along with a selection of live tracks, an Instrumental EP and the upcoming Power+Light album for download at their website. As before the tracks were available in FLAC and mp3 format and the band reserved some rights though Creative Commons licenses.
10-Clara Bow
50 Foot Wave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never liked you, but I wish I did
But I wish I did
Whether it was soaking in your poppy tea
Or your southern hospitality
Your voice has a sing-song quality
And bones were made to be broken
Yes, all right, I can
With sunburned lips I can bitch
Yes, all right, I can
With sunburned lips I can bitch
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
Paste eaters like this sad season
Strong women gripe and bite your heavy tongues
And bite your heavy tongues
Whether it was soaking in your poppy tea
Or your southern hospitality
Your voice has a sing-song quality
And bones were made to be broken
And bones were made to be broken
Yes, all right, I can
With sunburned lips I can bitch
Yes, all right, I can
With sunburned lips I can bitch
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
About another stupid summer
The song "10-Clara Bow" by 50 Foot Wave is a complex one that deals with themes of regret, unrequited love, and the struggles of dealing with a difficult past. The opening lines of the song, "I didn't use you, but I wish I had / I never liked you, but I wish I did," set the tone for the entire piece. The singer is expressing remorse for not having taken a chance on a relationship that could have been meaningful, and looking back with regret at the way things turned out.
The next stanza shifts the focus to the other person, and describes the various things that they did that made an impression on the singer. They reference "soaking in your poppy tea" and "your southern hospitality," as well as the other person's "sing-song quality" voice. The line "bones were made to be broken" is a reference to the danger that sometimes comes with taking risks, and the potential for things to go wrong.
Line by Line Meaning
I didn't use you, but I wish I had
I didn't take advantage of you before, but now I wish I did
I never liked you, but I wish I did
I never felt any affection for you, but now I regret that
Whether it was soaking in your poppy tea
Whether it was enjoying the effects of your poppy tea
Or your southern hospitality
Or the warm welcome and generosity of your Southern culture
Your voice has a sing-song quality
Your voice has a musical, melodic quality
And bones were made to be broken
Our bodies were meant to endure pain and hardship
Yes, all right, I can
Yes, I am capable of doing that
With sunburned lips I can bitch
Despite the discomfort of sunburned lips, I can still complain
About another stupid summer
About another unremarkable, unpleasant summer
Paste eaters like this sad season
Only those who are dull and unrefined enjoy this depressing season
Strong women gripe and bite your heavy tongues
Even confident, powerful women will express their dissatisfaction and frustration
And bite your heavy tongues
And they will do so without holding back
About another stupid summer
About another unremarkable, unpleasant summer
About another stupid summer
About another unremarkable, unpleasant summer
About another stupid summer
About another unremarkable, unpleasant summer
About another stupid summer
About another unremarkable, unpleasant summer
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@j0eX
Can't understand why she is not on any "Greatest Guitarists " lists. Makes no sense. Such an imaginative, soulful musician. Thanks for posting.
@sadiqmohamed681
She refused to play nicely with the record companies. I agree with you. And she is till doing it now in 2020.
@AnthonyDOrazio
I mean, she wasn't even the best guitarist in Throwing Muses - but I don't disagree with you.
@MrBardoTube
In an interview she said she was fourth in a best female guitarists ranking
@Ring0fSaturn
Kristin is in a league of her own. On electric or acoustic guitar, she's incredible.
@backcountryme
I was a huge Throwing Muses fan in the 90s. Hearing her voice takes me back.
@Ring0fSaturn
All members of 50 Foot Wave threw themselves 100% into their songs and Kristin's son (?) brings brilliant dance moves to the mix. 🎵🖤
@pachiove
This song is a little masterpiece.
@64TMS
I was just listening to "Bug" over and over (20 times)
@64TMS
Kristen needs to front 3 or 4 more bands and then someone will notice. 🤪