Mat Brooke and Jenn Champion formed Carissa's Wierd out of Seattle in 1995, and released three albums before their 2003 breakup. Their plaintive, melancholy, beautiful music won over many who were exposed to it. The band's lineup changed throughout the band's existence. Mainstays in the band included violinist Sarah Standard, drummer (and later bassist) Ben Bridwell, drummer Sera Cahoone, drummer Creighton Barrett, and keyboard/accordian player Jeff Hellis. Their final album, Songs About Leaving, was a modest success in the Northwest, topping many critics charts and leaving fans hungry for more. Sadly, the band decided to go their separate ways in September of 2003. Jenn is now performing under the name S and Brooke and Bridwell went on to create Band of Horses. Brooke has since moved on to become part of Grand Archives and Sera Cahoone has launched her solo career. As of April 2007, both Grand Archives and Sera Cahoone have been signed to Sub Pop Records. In March 2010, Hardly Art announced that it would release a compilation of Carissa's Wierd material, with songs picked by Brooke and Champion, followed by reissues of the group's first three full-length records. The band played a reunion show on July 9, 2010 to support the compilation.
On August 2, 2011, Hardly Art announced pre-orders for a new 7", called 'Tucson,' and would include two new songs, the band's first recordings in over seven years featuring the original lineup. The 7" would include the songs 'Tucson' and 'Meredith & Iris,' and on August 4, 2011, Meredith & Iris was put up for stream on soundcloud. It was also announced that the band would be playing another reunion show in Seattle on September 24, 2011.
Brooke Daniels' Tiny Broken Fingers
Carissa's Wierd Lyrics
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not dead like you are
i would sit by you, but you're not here,
you're not here at all
tiny broken fingers in the doorway
how was i to know?
guess i didn't think those screams were for real
in a house where the tree fell
they came the next day
they took that tree away and made me cry
did you hear she saw demons in the bedroom
her lungs were broken
but then they worked fine
blue light comes around
blue light dont come around right now
you might not like what you see, be ashamed
The lyrics of Carissa's Wierd's song "Brooke Daniels' Tiny Broken Fingers" delve into the dark themes of death and loss, as well as the pain and guilt that come with it. The singer is addressing someone who has died and expressing a wish that they were still alive. They express a desire to be in their presence, although they know that this is impossible.
The reference to "tiny broken fingers" in the doorway suggests that there was an accident or something traumatic that occurred, which the singer initially failed to recognize. There is a sense of regret and self-blame in their admission that they "didn't think those screams were for real," indicating that they may have missed warning signs leading up to the tragedy.
The lyrics also hint at a history of mental illness, with the mention of demons in the bedroom and broken lungs that suddenly started working again. The blue light that is referenced seems to symbolize a sense of foreboding or unease, and the singer warns that it might reveal things that would be hard to face.
Overall, "Brooke Daniels' Tiny Broken Fingers" is a haunting exploration of grief and the complicated emotions that come with losing someone you care about deeply.
Line by Line Meaning
If you were here right now
I wish you were here with me
not dead like you are
I regret that you are no longer alive
i would sit by you, but you're not here,
I would spend time with you if you were here, but unfortunately you are not
you're not here at all
It's disappointing that you are not present with me
tiny broken fingers in the doorway
There are few broken fingers lying in the doorway
how was i to know?
I had no way of knowing about the situation
guess i didn't think those screams were for real
I didn't believe that the screams were a sign of something serious
in a house where the tree fell
The incident happened in a house where a tree had fallen
we spent all day in the branches
We spent the whole day in the branches of the tree which had fallen
they came the next day
The people came the following day
they took that tree away and made me cry
I was sad when they removed the tree
did you hear she saw demons in the bedroom
Have you heard that she saw demons in the bedroom
her lungs were broken
Her lungs were severely damaged
but then they worked fine
They started working properly again
blue light comes around
The blue light appears from time to time
blue light dont come around right now
The blue light is not present at the moment
you might not like what you see, be ashamed
You could possibly dislike what you will witness, and feel embarrassed.
Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.