Like many bands in the then-burgeoning alt-rock movement of the mid-'90s, Better Than Ezra enjoyed their period of greatest chart success immediately following their debut major-label release (Deluxe), which spawned their highest-charting hits. At least commercially (and in terms of mainstream radio play), the band has experienced slightly diminishing returns with each successive release; however, unlike the majority of their contemporaries, Better Than Ezra's extremely loyal fan base has kept the group from dropping off of the musical map. Ezra's followers, who refer to themselves as Ezralites, have never cared whether radio stations play the band or not--in fact, many fans follow the band religiously, attending scores of their performances. It is Ezra's loyal fans and a relentless touring schedule which has allowed them to continue to produce new music, remain extremely viable in the music world, and out-live their projected shelf life. Additionally, Better Than Ezra's independence and survival in a business that has chewed up and spat out many bands who they used to jockey for chart position seems to indicate that the band will be around to satisfy their fans' rapacious appetite for their music for many years to come.
In addition to vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin from Monroe, Louisiana, the current members of Better Than Ezra are bass guitar player Tom Drummond and drummer Travis McNabb. Original drummer, Cary Bonnecaze, left the band after the release of Deluxe. Original lead guitarist, Joel Rundell, committed suicide in 1990. Multi-Instrumentalist James Arthur Payne also from Monroe, Louisiana tours with the band, fills in vocal, keyboard, guitar, and harmonica parts, and is a fan favorite.
Who or what Ezra might be is a mystery that the band members have no interest in clearing up. Drummond once told a reporter that the meaning of the band's name is "so lame you wouldn't even want to print it." However, it has also been said that the name came into being when the then nameless band entered a battle of the bands in competition with a group named Ezra. Needing a name to register they simply said that they were better.
In 2005, Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry used the band's song "Juicy" as the background music for the second season of the show's promotional advertisement.
The band is slated to headline A Taste of Fort Collins in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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In 2009 there were line-up changes and a new album released. Drummer Travis McNabb left to tour with the Country music group Sugarland. The split was friendly and McNabb still serves on the Ezra charitable organizations. McNabb was replaced by Michael Jerome as touring and ?future? drummer, with Blair Sinta filling in on parts of the album Paper Empire and 2 dates of the bands summer 2009 concert tour.
Travis McNabb played his last show with Ezra on Feb. 15, 2009 in Metairie, Louisiana.
Paper Empire was released on May 12, 2009.
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Porcelain
Better Than Ezra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Showin' your face around here
Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
To dredge up all my fears
Well I wish I could shake some sense into you
And walk out the door
But your skin is like porcelain
Just the other day I felt, I had you by a string
Just the other day I felt, we could be everything
But now when I see you, you're somebody else
With somebody's eyes
And your skin is like porcelain
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
I don't know what I'm sayin'
Well, I don't know if you're there
In the words you are fadin
Do you even care, yeah
Well I wish I could kill you, savor the sight
Get into my car, drive into the night
Then lie as I scream to the heavens above
That I was the last one you ever loved
(skin is like)
Porcelain
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
Yeah
The lyrics to Better Than Ezra's song Porcelain describe the confusion and heartbreak of seeing someone you used to love, who has now become a stranger. The use of the phrase "skin is like porcelain" creates an image of the person being fragile and breakable, which contrasts with the strength and confidence shown in the line "I wish I could shake some sense into you and walk out the door." The repetition of "you've got a lot of nerve" highlights the bitterness and resentment felt towards the other person for coming back into their life and resurfacing old fears.
The singer's desperation is evident in the line "I wish I could kill you, savor the sight", which shows how deeply hurt they have been by the other person's actions. The final lines of the song, "yeah your skin is like porcelain", create a sense of finality, as if the singer has accepted that they will never fully understand or reconcile what has happened between them.
Overall, the lyrics to Porcelain are a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the intense emotions that can arise when encountering someone from one's past.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, you've got a lot of nerve
The singer is addressing someone who has wronged them and expressing their disbelief that this person has shown their face around them.
Showin' your face around here
The singer is indicating that the person they are addressing is not welcome in their presence.
To dredge up all my fears
The singer feels that the person they are addressing is responsible for bringing up painful memories and emotions.
Well I wish I could shake some sense into you
The artist desires to communicate some form of wisdom to the person they are addressing.
And walk out the door
The artist wants to leave the situation behind and move on from the person they are addressing.
But your skin is like porcelain
The singer is emphasizing the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
The singer reiterates their previous statement about the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Just the other day I felt, I had you by a string
The artist once felt that they had some sort of power or control over the person they are addressing.
Just the other day I felt, we could be everything
The artist previously thought that they and the person they are addressing had the potential for a meaningful relationship.
But now when I see you, you're somebody else
The artist feels that the person they are addressing has changed in some fundamental way.
With somebody's eyes
The singer is metaphorically stating that the person they are addressing has adopted someone else's perspective or values.
And your skin is like porcelain
The artist once again emphasizes the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
The singer repeats their earlier statement about the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
I don't know what I'm sayin'
The singer is expressing confusion and frustration about their current situation.
Well, I don't know if you're there
The singer is uncertain if the person they are addressing is truly present, both physically and emotionally.
In the words you are fadin'
The artist feels that their ability to communicate with the person they are addressing is diminishing over time.
Do you even care, yeah
The artist questions if the person they are addressing has any concern or empathy for their feelings.
Well I wish I could kill you, savor the sight
The singer is expressing a violent and vengeful desire towards the person they are addressing.
Get into my car, drive into the night
The singer is imagining a specific fantasy scenario where they act upon their violent impulses and leave without a trace.
Then lie as I scream to the heavens above
The artist imagines themselves crying out in agony and anguish, asking for some sort of divine intervention or justice.
That I was the last one you ever loved
The artist desires to be remembered as the last person that the person they are addressing loved, despite the current state of their relationship.
(skin is like)
The artist once again emphasizes the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Porcelain
The singer uses the word 'porcelain' to describe the person they are addressing, once again emphasizing their beauty and fragility.
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
The artist repeats their earlier statement about the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
The singer once again emphasizes the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing.
Yeah your skin is like porcelain
The singer repeats their earlier emphasis on the beauty and fragility of the person they are addressing one final time.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KEVIN GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind