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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Sincerely
Better Than Ezra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way you looked that fall
In your favorite dress
The day before you left
And since that time
I wrote a simple rhyme
And I miss you
The time we had,
The good and bad
The day we met that
I can't forget
Signed Sincerely, Me
Are you cross at your loss?
But could you be more obsessive
If I'd given you the chance
But since you asked,
A reply but it's the last
And I miss you
And the things you do
The love you fake,
The heart you break
The buzz you caught,
And the times we fought
Signed Sincerely, Me
Oh, my God, and don't forget P.S.
I moved away to a new address
It's far away and I think it's best
Signed Sincerely, Me
Why can't it be like it was?
The rain falls, the summer ends
Why can't it be like it was?
You always said you'd never go away
And I confess, I was such a mess
I drove for fifteen hours
On this nasty Greyhound bus
Yes, I've returned.
(You'd think that I would have learned.)
But I miss you and the things you do
The times we had, the good and bad
The day we met that I can't forget
Signed Sincerely, Me
Could you really be a bitch like that?
Broke my door when you stole the cat
Someone said that you even laughed
Signed Sincerely, Me
Why can't it be like it was?
The rain falls, the summer ends
Why can't it be like it was?
You always said you'd never go away
And I miss you...
The hope you give
The life you live
The cross you bear
The way you swear
The face you make
When you masturbate
Our bed in the moonlight
And the night we fought
You were so distraught
And the lies I denied
Even when you cried,
God knows I apologize,
Signed Sincerely, Me
Why can't it be like it was?
The rain goes, the sun returns
Why can't it be like it was?
You always said you'd never go away
You'd never go away
You'd never go away
Signed Sincerely, Me.
The song "Sincerely, Me" by Better Than Ezra is about a man who is missing a woman that he loved deeply. The song is essentially a letter that he has written to her expressing his feelings of love, regret, and longing. He reminisces about a moment when she looked beautiful in her favorite dress on the day before she left him. Since her departure, he has written a simple rhyme about her and thinks about her every day. The song expresses how he misses her deeply, including the good times and bad, the love and heartbreak, the buzz and the fights. The song's final verses reveal that he has returned, and he apologizes for his mistakes but still loves her deeply.
Overall, "Sincerely, Me" is a heartfelt song expressing a deep sense of longing and regret. The lyrics paint a picture of love and loss, of people who have loved each other deeply but who have also caused each other pain. The song's imagery is vivid and powerful, and it effectively captures the complex emotions that come with love and heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
I can still recall
I still vividly remember
The way you looked that fall
The sight of you during that autumn season
In your favorite dress
The particular outfit you adored
The day before you left
The day prior to your departure
And since that time
After that moment
I wrote a simple rhyme
I composed a basic poem
And I miss you
I am filled with nostalgia about you
And the things you do
I miss all that you bring into my life
The time we had,
The moments we shared
The good and bad
Whether good or bad, it all still lingers
The day we met that
The very day we first crossed path
I can't forget
I just can't shake off the memory
Signed Sincerely, Me
Concludes the letter
Are you cross at your loss?
Are you angry about the things you've missed out on?
But could you be more obsessive
But what if your obsession caused more pain?
If I'd given you the chance
If I had not been so foolish
But since you asked,
But since you requested
A reply but it's the last
Here's my final response
The love you fake,
The affection that wasn't real
The heart you break
The way in which you hurt me
The buzz you caught,
The excitement you felt
And the times we fought
And the times we argued
Oh, my God, and don't forget P.S.
Oh wow, and also note the postscript
I moved away to a new address
I relocated to a new place
It's far away and I think it's best
It's a distant place and it seems wise
Why can't it be like it was?
Why can't things reset to the early days?
The rain falls, the summer ends
It's getting colder as the rains fall before summer ends
You always said you'd never go away
You pledged that you would never depart
And I confess, I was such a mess
And I have to admit, I was in terrible shape
I drove for fifteen hours
I spent fifteen straight hours driving
On this nasty Greyhound bus
Transit on this dingy Greyhound bus
Yes, I've returned.
Yes, I have come back
(You'd think that I would have learned.)
(One could say I should have been wiser)
The hope you give
The prospect you present
The life you live
The way you exist
The cross you bear
The hardship you endure
The way you swear
The way you curse or promise
The face you make
The expression you pull
When you masturbate
When you pleasure yourself
Our bed in the moonlight
Our shared bed under the moonlight
And the night we fought
And the night we quarreled
You were so distraught
You were so upset
And the lies I denied
And the untruths that I refused to admit
Even when you cried,
Even when it brought tears to your eyes,
God knows I apologize,
But I truly regret and say sorry,
Could you really be a bitch like that?
Did you truly act that cruel?
Broke my door when you stole the cat
You broke my door while taking the cat
Someone said that you even laughed
I was told you laughed about it
The rain goes, the sun returns
The heavy rain clears and the sun comes back
You'd never go away
You had promised you would always stay
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KEVIN GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind