Sean Beavan co-founded 8MM and quietly self-released their debut EP, Opener, through their website while he was producing Kill Hannah's "For Never and Ever" in 2004. Fronted by his wife, Juliette, who has been described as a cross between Billie Holiday, Beth Gibbons and Jessica Rabbit, 8MM quickly became a local underground buzz. Internet word-of-mouth led to tremendous organic support followed by global critical acclaim from artists and tastemakers such as the influential Nic Harcourt of KCRW.
As a producer and mixer, Beavan has worked with a cadre of seminal artists including Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Depeche Mode, No Doubt, System of a Down and Slayer (amongst many others).
Opener
8mm Lyrics
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she says someday will get here soon
and when it does
boy, I'm oughta here
she says I don't remember love
but it must be cut above
from what's going on around here
what is wrong with me?
I'm out of love
these are the dreams that scars are made of
is it too much to ask to win just once?
just once?
she says
X marks the spot
where I used to feel
baby it's all right cuz it
never heals
what is wrong with me?
I'm out of love
these are the dreams that scars are made of
is it too much to ask to win just once?
just once?
isn't wanting enough?
isn't wanting enough?
what is wrong with me?
I'm out of love
these are the dreams that scars are made of
is it too much to ask?
is it too much to ask?
(Beavan / Beavan - ASCAP / Easy Girl Music / Wavedriver Music 2003)
The lyrics of 8mm's song "Opener" portray a woman's feeling of loneliness and hopelessness despite being surrounded by people. The first line, "She sits alone in a crowded room" sets the scene for the rest of the song. She is lost in her thoughts and feels trapped in her current situation. She longs for a change in her life, which she hopes will come soon. The line "and when it does, boy, I'm oughta here" shows that she has some sort of plan in mind. However, it is clear that she does not remember what love feels like, which is a poignant and sad aspect of the song.
The chorus is haunting and echoes the theme of lovelessness and feeling defeated. The line "what is wrong with me? I'm out of love" is quite straightforward in its meaning. She is struggling to find love and feels like a failure because of it. The line "these are the dreams that scars are made of" suggests that her longing for love is causing her pain and leaving deep emotional scars. The repetition of the line "is it too much to ask to win just once?" emphasises her desperation and frustration.
The last verse wraps up the song with the line "isn't wanting enough?" which is a poignant and powerful line. The woman in the song is left questioning her desires and why she cannot just be content with wanting love. The song overall portrays someone who is lost in their own thoughts and fighting a battle against their own insecurities.
Line by Line Meaning
She sits alone in a crowded room
The woman feels lonely and disconnected despite being surrounded by people.
she says someday will get here soon
She is optimistic that her future will be brighter and better than her current situation.
and when it does
Referring to the future, which she believes will be better than the present.
boy, I'm oughta here
She is looking forward to leaving this place, hoping to start anew.
she says I don't remember love
She does not know what love is or what it feels like because she has not experienced it.
but it must be cut above
She believes love is something special and something that is not currently present in her life.
from what's going on around here
The events happening around her indicate that love is missing from her life.
what is wrong with me?
She is questioning herself and her current state of being.
I'm out of love
She is missing and has exhausted all opportunities for love in her life.
these are the dreams that scars are made of
Her unfulfilled dreams and the pain caused by missing love are leaving imprints that can last a lifetime.
is it too much to ask to win just once?
She feels like she is constantly losing, and wonders if it is too much to ask for a single win or victory.
just once?
She hopes that a single victory or moment of happiness will be enough to change her life for the better.
X marks the spot
Referring to a treasure map, indicating there is something important that she has lost or is searching for in her life.
where I used to feel
She is searching for something that she once felt but has since lost, again referring to love.
baby it's all right cuz it
Despite her struggles and hardships, she is using a term of endearment to reassure herself that everything will be okay.
never heals
The hurt and pain caused by the absence of something important, like love, is something that does not go away or heal easily.
isn't wanting enough?
She questions whether simply wanting something, like love, is enough to make it happen or come true.
is it too much to ask?
She is still hoping and questioning whether it is too much to ask for something like love, despite her previous failures to find it.
Contributed by Xavier M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.