Athenaeum was an alternative pop rock four-piece band from Greensboro, Nort… Read Full Bio ↴Athenaeum was an alternative pop rock four-piece band from Greensboro, North Carolina, USA formed in 1990 at an eighth grade dance by Nic Brown and Mark Kano.

After several personnel changes, Kano and Brown recorded an eight song EP in 1995 with bassist Alex McKinney and lead guitarist Grey Brewster. The "Green Album," as it is widely known, sold about 10,000 copies.

In 1996 the band was signed by Atlantic Records. They released their major label debut, Radiance, in 1998. The first single, "What I Didn't Know," was a minor hit. During the recording phase for their next album, Brown left the band to attend college. He was replaced by Jeremy Vogt, who performed with the likes of Tonic and The Connells. Brewster also dissolved his membership with the group and was replaced by Mike Garrigan, the lead singer and songwriter of Collapsis.

This new line up played their first show on March 31, 2001, at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The new set included Garrigan's Collapsis anthem, "October". [correction they actually played their first show with this lineup in Boone, NC]

Athenaeum's sophomore album Athenaeum was released on September 18, 2001. However, it received little promotion in the wake of the September 11th attacks.

Athenaeum was eventually dropped by Atlantic Records. They toured for an additional three years and released their final record, Hourglass, a collection of rare outtakes and demos, before performing their last show at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on December 28, 2004.

Kano and Garrigan subsequently formed the band mg4 (with Alex McKinney, the original bassist for Athenaeum and Jeremy Vogt), who released an EP in the summer of 2004 titled Gravity Affects Me. "mg4" continues touring to date and information on shows can be found at Mike Garrigan's official website.

Discography and stand-out tracks :
- Radiance (1998): "What I Didnt know", "Flat Tire", "Radiance"
- Athenaeum (2001) : "Comfort", "Frozen in time", "Suddenly"
- Hourglass (2002) : "On Her Way", "Family Tree", "One Day at a time"

Banana
Athenaeum Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm alright, I'm OK
It's so bright
We can't stay
I'm too big
You're too thin
We're both pale and don't fit in

[Chorus:]

But I don't want to
And I don't need to
I like you best when
Your skin is see through
The sun is angry
And out to burn you
So I'll stay inside
Where nothing changes me

I'm alright, not today
We're too old to live that way
And I'm too big, you're too thin
We're both pale and don't fit in

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Banana" by Athenaeum are reflective of feeling like an outsider, not fitting in and feeling too big or too thin. The opening line "I'm alright, I'm OK" gives off the impression of someone trying to convince themselves that they are okay, despite feeling different or out of place. The following lines talk about the brightness being too overwhelming, almost as if it's too much for the singer to handle. They mention that they (the singer) are too big and the person they're talking to is too thin, which could relate to physical appearance or societal expectations. The line "we're both pale and don't fit in" is another reference to not feeling like one belongs.

In the chorus, the singer says they don't want or need to conform to the standards of society. They appreciate the person they're talking to the most when their "skin is see-through," which can be interpreted as being vulnerable and honest. The sun is depicted as angry and out to burn, which could be a metaphor for the harshness of life and the need to retreat from it. The singer chooses to stay inside where nothing changes them, which suggests that they feel safe and secure in their isolation.

In the second verse, the lyrics "We're too old to live that way" give off the feeling that the singer and the person they're talking to have been through the ringer of societal expectations and are tired of trying to fit in. The same lines about being too big and too thin are repeated, indicating that they are still struggling with the same issues. The chorus is then repeated, emphasizing the point that the singer values authenticity and connection over conformity.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm alright, I'm OK
I am doing well at the moment and have no problems.

It's so bright
The light is very strong and intense.

We can't stay
We cannot remain in this situation.

I'm too big
I am too noticeable and prominent in this setting.

You're too thin
You are too delicate and fragile to belong here.

We're both pale and don't fit in
We both lack vitality and do not belong in this environment.

But I don't want to
However, I have no desire to change myself.

And I don't need to
I have no obligation to conform to cultural standards.

I like you best when
I find you most appealing when you are

Your skin is see through
your vulnerability is apparent and you do not hide behind a façade.

The sun is angry
The sun is showing a degree of hostility towards us.