Anya was born in Ann Arbor, Mich., and grew up in the Silicon Valley area of California as a capricious child with Russian-Agnostic/Irish-Catholic professor parents (psychology and russian literature/math) and a younger sister. After finishing high school, Anya moved to Los Angeles as an aspiring actress. With stints in the British American Drama Academy (taught by Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Anne Jackson and Eli Wallach) and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, Anya has also acted in television and film (in 2001, she starred in the feature film, 100 Girls). She eventually moved back home to earn a college degree in English and writing at Santa Clara University. She continued to struggle as an artist -- working in acting, musical theatre, music, improv and comedy -- but eventually found a job as a radio DJ on KSCU, Santa Clara University's college station.
After graduating, Anya took a radio station job in San Diego with Mike Halloran at XHRM-FM (92.5). After the station was bought out by another corporation, Halloran hired Anya at Y107 in Los Angeles before they both moved to Premium Radio 92/1 in San Diego's North County. After leaving that station, both disc jockeys landed at FM94/9.
It was in San Diego that Anya played her first open mic night and began to write her own songs. She quickly developed a live stage act using what she learned as an actress, comic and impressionist. Her recorded debut was a five-song EP called Exercises in Racketeering, which eventually led to a full-length album, Miss Halfway, which was released in early 2005. Anya subsequently opened for such artists as Jason Mraz and Rhett Miller. She was named one of the "Best Unsigned" acts by San Diego CityBeat.
The songs on Miss Halfway talk about her upbringing, ex-boyfriends and all the after-effects. Anya's album was also produced by Scott Russo, the frontman for rockers Unwritten Law, along with Peter King from The Surfers. The record eventually earned a San Diego Music Award for Best Recording. The title track also landed on Grey's Anatomy and was featured as the fifth song on the second Grey's Anatomy (soundtrack) disc along with The Fray, KT Tunstall, Gomez and Snow Patrol.
The internet radio station KGRL featured her as their Flower-Powered Artist for March of 2007. The feature includes an exclusive interview, CD Review of Miss Halfway, and an on-demand audio stream of an unreleased Anya Marina track titled "Try It And Like It."
Space Monkey
Anya Marina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been on a bender for weeks but it feels like I'm on the wagon
You're out of range, high in the atmosphere
Cell phone's all but blown and it sounds like you gotta gotta get outta there
Houston, there's trouble here
I'm out of reach, out of love, and I'm mostly out of you
They tell me space monkeys landed on the moon
Not keeping track but the phone rang two days ago
My face is a map and the tears indicate I've got a ways to go
Houston, there's trouble here
I'm out of reach, out of love, and I'm mostly out of you
And just as I say the word unbearable,
They tell me space monkeys landed on the moon
"Are you happy or sad ... or just pms-ing?"
I know what he wants in his nonchalance ... I know it's pressing.
Houston, I'm asking you...
To give a shout out to all the peeps in the posse, yo
O.K., for real: Could you relay a message fast
To the astronaut who wanted to know?
Yes, I do, I do believe in the sun
And I do, I do concede there is one
And you ... do you believe in the one
Do you, do you do you believe...?
The lyrics of Anya Marina's "Space Monkey" explore the feelings of being disconnected both physically and emotionally. The repetition of "Houston, there's trouble here" establishes a sense of remoteness and desperation, as the singer is out of range and out of love. The opening lines indicate the singer's listlessness, having been on the ground for too long, feeling as though they are on the wagon despite not actually being there. The line "Cell phone's all but blown and it sounds like you gotta gotta get outta there" suggests that the person on the other end of the line is in some sort of danger, making the singer's isolation more worrisome.
As the song progresses, the singer's frustration grows. The line "And just as I say the word impossible, they tell me space monkeys landed on the moon" adds an element of surrealism to the lyrics, highlighting the disconnect between the singer's mundane problems and the larger achievements of humanity. The question of whether the astronaut on the moon believes in "the one," presumably referring to a higher power, adds a philosophical layer to the song. The final line "Do you, do you do you believe?" echoes the singer's own uncertainty about their place in the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been on the ground, feet slowly draggin'
I have been feeling low and unenergetic.
I've been on a bender for weeks but it feels like I'm on the wagon
Despite partying for weeks, I actually feel like I've been abstaining from alcohol.
You're out of range, high in the atmosphere
You are unreachable, up in the sky.
Cell phone's all but blown and it sounds like you gotta gotta get outta there
My phone connection is terrible and it sounds like you need to leave wherever you are.
Houston, there's trouble here
I am in distress and need help.
I'm out of reach, out of love, and I'm mostly out of you
I feel disconnected both physically and emotionally, and I am losing touch with you.
And just as I say the word impossible,
Right after I say something can't be done...
They tell me space monkeys landed on the moon
...I find out that something even more improbable has happened.
Not keeping track but the phone rang two days ago
I haven't been paying attention to time, but it seems like it's been two days since we talked.
My face is a map and the tears indicate I've got a ways to go
I have been crying a lot and it shows that I still have a long journey ahead of me.
Houston, I'm asking you...
I need your help, Houston...
To give a shout out to all the peeps in the posse, yo
...to give a message to all my friends, yo.
O.K., for real: Could you relay a message fast
Seriously, can you pass along a message quickly?
To the astronaut who wanted to know?
There was an astronaut who was curious about something...
Yes, I do, I do believe in the sun
I believe in the existence of the sun.
And I do, I do concede there is one
...and I admit that it exists.
And you ... do you believe in the one
And you... do you believe in it?
Do you, do you do you believe...?
Do you really believe in it?
Contributed by Taylor D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.