Mann attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, but dropped out to sing with her first punk rock band, the Young Snakes; the band released the EP Bark Along with the Young Snakes in 1982, and a compilation album was issued in 2004. In 1983, seeking a return to "sweetness and melody", she co-founded with Berklee classmate and boyfriend Michael Hausman the new wave band 'Til Tuesday, which achieved minor success in 1985 with its first album, Voices Carry. The title song is said to be inspired by Hausman and Mann's breakup; the video became an MTV staple, winning the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, though Mann's signature spiky hair would lead some to dismiss the group. Mann performed with the rock band Rush on the song "Time Stand Still" (from Hold Your Fire, 1987), singing backup vocals and appearing in the music video. With Mann playing an increasingly important role in songwriting, 'Til Tuesday released two more albums, Welcome Home and Everything's Different Now. On the final album and tour, musician Jon Brion joined the band, which broke up in 1990 when Mann left to start her solo career.
Around the time of the first album's release, Mann began a romantic relationship with Jules Shear; they broke up before the final 'Til Tuesday album, which contained the song "J For Jules". Professional relationships from the band would continue: Hausman later became Mann's manager, and Brion produced her first two solo albums.
Solo career
In 1993, Mann released Whatever, her first solo album. Promotion suffered due to the collapse of her label, Imago. While only a small hit, the album was critically praised, and paved the way for her next release, 1995's I'm with Stupid, through Geffen Records. Again, reviews were positive, but sales were weak.
Mann had met musician Michael Penn in the 1980s and with comparable songwriting styles and record-industry woes to share, they struck up a friendship during the recording of Stupid, which blossomed into romance and their 1997 marriage. Around this time Brion produced her album Bachelor No. 2, but Geffen saw no hit singles in the material and ordered her back to the studio. The album languished while Mann and the label fought.
Meanwhile, iconoclastic film auteur Paul Thomas Anderson, for whom Penn and Brion had composed a soundtrack, became a close friend. Mann gained greater public recognition in 1999 — indeed, more than anything else since "Voices Carry" — when she contributed eight songs to the soundtrack of Anderson's Magnolia, including the Academy Award-nominated song, "Save Me". Anderson deliberately worked from Mann's lyrics to create the film's characters and situations. Due to this exposure, Mann became sought after to contribute to soundtracks, a success made ironic by the music industry's indifference.
Independence
Fed up with both ineffectual promotion and artistic meddling by her record label, an experience documented in her song "Calling It Quits", she struck out on her own and founded SuperEgo Records in 1999. Mann self-released Bachelor No. 2 in 2000 (see 2000 in music), having negotiated a contract release from Geffen, and though initially only sold at concerts and via her website, the album became successful, allowing her to secure retail distribution through SuperEgo. The album, which included some songs from Magnolia and new material, was widely admired and Mann's "more indie than indie" success was carefully noted by other musicians.
Mann, Penn, Brion, Fiona Apple, and other musicians had by this time developed a subculture around the Largo nightclub in L.A. Penn and Mann formed a concept called Acoustic Vaudeville to recreate it on tour in California and eventually on an irregular, ongoing national tour. The Acoustic Vaudeville shows intermix music and stand-up comedy; among the comedians joining them for individual shows were Janeane Garofalo, Patton Oswalt, and David Cross.
Aimee continued her solo career with Lost in Space (2002), a somewhat more sombre album in the same vein as Bachelor No. 2. In 2004 her website released the Lost in Space Special Edition, which featured a second disc containing six live recordings, as well two B-sides and two previously unreleased songs. In November of that year Live at St. Ann's Warehouse, a live album and DVD recorded at a series of July 2004 shows in Brooklyn, came out; the two discs were sold packaged together in either a CD jewel case or a DVD case.
Mann described her next album, The Forgotten Arm (2005) as a concept album set in the '70s about two lovers who meet at the Virginia state fair and are now on the run. The Joe Henry-produced album, which was recorded mostly live and has few overdubs, was released May 3, 2005. The album reflects Mann's interest in boxing in its illustrations as well as its title, derived from a boxing move in which one arm is used to hit the opponent, causing him to "forget" about the other arm, which is then used to deliver a harsher blow. The album received weaker reviews overall, with critics impressed at the totality but unimpressed with any individual songs.
In October 2006 Aimee released 'One More Drifter in The Snow', an album of Christmas songs. All bar one of the songs, 'Calling on Mary' were covers of holiday classics.
Mann's independence from the industry led her to more explicit political stances. She joined Artists Against Piracy, a group formed to act against the illegal downloading and file sharing of copyrighted music from the Internet. Mann, Penn and Hausman took their experience with SuperEgo to found the independent music collective United Musicians, which is based on the principle that every artist should be able to retain copyright ownership of the work he or she has created, in contrast to normal music industry contracts.
June 2008 brought the release of '@#%&*! Smilers,' a collection of songs featuring greater use of keyboards. Aimee's set at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in the same month featured a number of selections from the new album as well as a number of her concert standards. Aimee and her band covered Elton John's 'My Father's Gun' as part of the set.
Red Vines
Aimee Mann Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just read the dialogue balloon
Everyone loves you--why should they not?
And I'm the only one who knows
That Disneyland's about to close
I don't suppose you'd give it a shot
Knowing all that you've got
Just close your eyes, 'cause, baby,
You never do know
And I'll be on the sidelines,
With my hands tied,
Watching the show
Well, it's always fun and games until
It's clear you haven't got the skill
In keeping the gag from going too far
So you're running 'round the parking lot
Til every lightning bug is caught
Punching some pinholes in the lid of a jar
While we wait in the car
With cigarettes and Red Vines
Just close your eyes, 'cause, baby,
You never do know
And I'll be on the sidelines,
With my hands tied,
Watching the show
And tell me, would it kill you
Would it really spoil everything
If you didn't blame yourself
Do you know what I mean?
Cigarettes and Red Vines
Just close your eyes, 'cause, baby,
You never do know
And I'll be on the sidelines,
With my hands tied,
Watching the show
Watching the show
The lyrics to Aimee Mann's song "Red Vines" seem to describe a situation where everyone else is happy and having fun, while the singer is feeling left out and less than content. The opening lines suggest that everyone else is still in the honeymoon phase of a relationship, and the singer sees this relationship as perfect and enviable. However, she is the only one who knows that Disneyland is about to close, which could be interpreted metaphorically as a warning that the happy atmosphere won't last forever. The singer asks if the person in the happy relationship would be willing to take a chance on something uncertain or difficult, despite the fact that they seem to have everything they want.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Cigarettes and Red Vines" which seems to be a reference to a romantic gesture or indulgence. The next line suggests that in order to fully enjoy this gesture, one must close their eyes and let go, perhaps suggesting that the singer is unable to do so. She feels stuck on the sidelines, watching the show but unable to participate.
In the second verse, the singer observes that sometimes people get caught up in the thrill of the moment and don't fully think through their decisions or actions. Perhaps the reference to collecting lightning bugs and punching holes in the jar lid implies that the happiness people pursue is fleeting and often misguided.
Overall, the song seems to be a melancholy reflection on the fleeting nature of happiness and the dangers of chasing it too blindly. The repeated phrase "you never do know" suggests that even when things seem perfect, they may not be, and the final repetition of the chorus suggests resignation to this fact.
Line by Line Meaning
They're all still on their honeymoon
Everyone else around seems to be caught up in their own blissful state.
Just read the dialogue balloon
Take a closer look at what is really happening in the situation. Don't just take things at face value.
Everyone loves you--why should they not?
It's no surprise that people are drawn to you. You have a lot to offer and are well-liked.
And I'm the only one who knows
Despite this, I am the only one who sees the potential dangers that are looming ahead.
That Disneyland's about to close
Something is coming to an end. The fun times will be over soon.
I don't suppose you'd give it a shot
I don't expect you to take action or do something about the situation.
Knowing all that you've got
You have so much to offer but currently, you are inactive.
Are cigarettes and Red Vines
These two things represent simple pleasures that bring comfort, but they are not a solution to the problems at hand.
Just close your eyes, 'cause, baby,You never do know
Don't worry too much about what may happen in the future. It will all work out, even if you don't know how.
And I'll be on the sidelines,With my hands tied,Watching the show
I will be an observer in this situation, unable to take action to influence the outcome.
Well, it's always fun and games until
Things may seem lighthearted and entertaining until something serious comes up.
It's clear you haven't got the skill
It becomes evident that you lack the ability or experience to handle the situation.
In keeping the gag from going too far
To prevent the situation from getting out of hand or becoming dangerous.
So you're running 'round the parking lot,Til every lightning bug is caught
Trying to keep busy, distracting oneself with small things that will only occupy time temporarily.
Punching some pinholes in the lid of a jar
Channeling energy into something that doesn't really matter, while ignoring the more important issues.
While we wait in the car
Others are unchanged, still waiting for something or someone to act.
And tell me, would it kill you?
It wouldn't be so bad to let go and admit that you don't have everything under control.
Would it really spoil everything?
Perhaps accepting that things are not perfect is better than trying to present a false facade.
If you didn't blame yourself
Stop taking all responsibility for situations that are beyond your control.
Do you know what I mean?
I am trying to make you understand that it's okay to let go.
Watching the show
Again, the only thing left to do is watch and wait for something to change.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Aimee Mann
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind