As of 2009, the band consists of Kristen Henderson on bass guitar/bg vocals, Cathy Henderson on lead guitar/bg vocals, Dena Tauriello on drums and Nini Camps on rhythm guitar and lead vocals.
The band is primarily known as a touring band, at one time performing 260 shows a year. They earned a dedicated fanbase early on that follows them from concert to concert along the East Coast and increasingly across the country. Fans refer to the band simply as "AR" or "Antigone".
Their first four albums were recorded mostly with independent labels and financed through fan donations. In 2003 they signed up with Lava Records after label president Jason Flom spotted them playing at one of their gigs. In 2005, they became the first artists to be promoted in Starbucks' Hear Music Series, created to discover and spotlight new music. The high visibility, exclusive sale, in-store promotion and airplay at Starbucks across the country helped the band's acoustic EP From the Ground Up sell over 450,000 copies by the end of 2005. The album's single, "Don't Look Back," was very popular among country audiences, and its video received heavy airplay on CMT.
Antigone Rising have shared the stage with Joan Jett, The Rolling Stones, moe., Rob Thomas, Aerosmith, The Allman Brothers and The Bangles[1]. They performed at Lilith Fair 1998 and SXSW 2005 and have co-written with Chris Trapper of The Push Stars and Rob Thomas.
Right or Wrong
Antigone Rising Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stained glass windows and padlock drawers
Deep dark closets and parkay floors
Amy she lives in the house next door
Amy she's everyone's favorite whore
And you know what she says
Right or wrong
Right or wrong
I want to give it to you
Madeline she's in love with Germaine
Germaine's in love with her brother Ray
Ray's got no plans right now anyway
Madeline's husband and brother Ray
There go Madeline's husband and brother Ray
And you know what they say
Right or wrong
Right or wrong
Right or wrong
I want to give it to you
She knows you
She knows you
Why it feels she's got your pulse under her thumb
She knows you
She loves you
But maybe love's blind
And it feels she's got your pulse under her... thumb
And here I sit unrelieved
Pen in my hand and heart on my sleeve
Analyzation is art's pet peeve
Pen in my hand and heart on my sleeve
Pen through my heart and blood on my sleeve
Right or wrong
Right or wrong
Right or wrong
I want to give it to you
And maybe that's why
Why it feels she's got your pulse under her thumb
In Antigone Rising's song "Right or Wrong," the lyrics explore the lives of three different characters - Amy, Madeline, and the singer herself - all of whom are struggling with their personal situations. Amy, the singer's neighbor, is described as living in a mysterious and closed-off house with secrets in the form of deep, dark closets and padlocked doors. Yet, she's still a charming character, and everyone seems to like her despite her reputation as "everyone's favorite whore."
Madeline is in love with her brother Ray, who has no plans or direction in life, and her husband. The three of them have an unhealthy dynamic, and Madeline's love for her brother has strained her relationship with her husband. The song implies that her marriage is not fulfilling, and she's looking for love elsewhere.
The singer admits that she's tired of analyzing and dissecting her own feelings as if they are an art form. She's frank about wanting to give in to her desires, even if it is against conventional morality. The final lines of the song suggest that everyone is under someone's control, as it feels like their pulse is under someone's thumb.
Line by Line Meaning
Amy, she lives in the house next door
The singer introduces Amy, the name of a woman who lives nearby.
Stained glass windows and padlock drawers
Amy's house is described with stained glass windows and padlock drawers.
Deep dark closets and parkay floors
The deep dark closets and parkay floors of Amy's house are mentioned.
Amy she lives in the house next door
The singer repeats that Amy lives next door.
Amy she's everyone's favorite whore
The negative opinion people have about Amy is made clear.
And you know what she says
The singer implies that Amy talks about something we don't yet know about.
Right or wrong
The singer repeats the phrase 'right or wrong' to emphasize the importance of making a decision.
I want to give it to you
The singer is implying that there's something important they want to share.
Madeline she's in love with Germaine
Another character, Madeline, is introduced as someone in love with another person named Germaine.
Germaine's in love with her brother Ray
The singer reveals that Germaine is in love with their own brother Ray.
Ray's got no plans right now anyway
Ray is apparently without plans for the moment.
Madeline's husband and brother Ray
The husband of Madeline is named, along with her brother Ray.
There go Madeline's husband and brother Ray
The singer portrays Madeline's love affair with her brother Ray as having serious consequences.
She knows you
The singer refers to someone who knows the listener well.
And maybe love's blind
The singer suggests that the love Madeline and Germaine have for each other is misguided or problematic.
And it feels she's got your pulse under her... thumb
The person in question seems to have a strong influence over the listener or protagonist of the song.
And here I sit unrelieved
The singer presents themselves as being in a stressful situation.
Pen in my hand and heart on my sleeve
They express a sense of vulnerability through this metaphor.
Analyzation is art's pet peeve
The singer suggests that they don't enjoy analyzing situations or emotions.
Pen in my hand and heart on my sleeve
The metaphor is repeated, emphasizing the singer's emotional state.
Pen through my heart and blood on my sleeve
The metaphor is taken further, suggesting an even stronger sense of vulnerability or heartbreak.
I want to give it to you
The singer repeats this phrase, implying that the information they want to share is still important.
And maybe that's why
The singer speculates about the reason why the listener is so influenced by the other character in the song.
Why it feels she's got your pulse under her thumb
The metaphor is repeated to suggest that the person in question still holds a lot of power over the listener.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WANDA JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind