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.
Heather Rhodes
Carissa's Wierd Lyrics
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lullabies they're sounding like sirens now
just like Heather Rhodes when she was 17 years old
put another cigarette out in the square of my back
memories might last for years
and birthday cakes they always taste like crap
this isn't an insult
to your intelligence
we both already know
how you feel about that
this isn't an invite
this isn't anything at all
except for the fact that your here and I'm gone
saw someone today who looked exactly like you
its funny how the years go by
saw someone today who looked exactly like you
its funny how the years go by
The lyrics to Carissa's Wierd's song "Heather Rhodes" convey a sense of bittersweet nostalgia and longing for the past. The singer reflects on the passing of time and the memories that persist, even as everything else changes. The opening lines suggest a resignation to the fact that there will be no tragic events, only the mundane sounds of lullabies that now seem to resemble sirens. The reference to Heather Rhodes at 17 years old hints at the idea that the past is a place of innocence and beauty that can never be recaptured.
The reference to cigarettes being put out on the square of the singer's back creates a vivid image of pain and vulnerability. The memories that persist are not just happy ones, as evidenced by the line about birthday cakes always tasting like crap. The singer clarifies that this is not meant to be an insult to the listener's intelligence, but the implication is that some things are simply beyond explanation.
The repeated line "saw someone today who looked exactly like you" underscores the idea that the past is always with us, even as time marches on. The final line, "it's funny how the years go by," sums up the mixed emotions of the song - a combination of nostalgia, regret, and wonder at the passing of time.
Line by Line Meaning
There will be no tragedies
Nothing catastrophic is going to happen
lullabies they're sounding like sirens now
Sweet soothing songs now seem alarming like an emergency signal
just like Heather Rhodes when she was 17 years old
The singer might be going through a similar situation to what Heather Rhodes went through at the age of 17
put another cigarette out in the square of my back
Experiencing pain and hurt, like being burnt by cigarette stub
memories might last for years
Life expereinces tend to linger on and not fade with time
and birthday cakes they always taste like crap
Even sweet things like birthday cakes don't give the usual sense of joy or delight anymore
this isn't an insult to your intelligence
There is no intention of belittling the listener
we both already know how you feel about that
It is already understood how the listener feels about a particular topic
this isn't an invite, this isn't anything at all
There is no request or proposal to be made, nothing at all is expected to occur
except for the fact that your here and I'm gone
The only truth is that the listener is present in the moment but the singer has left / moved on
saw someone today who looked exactly like you, its funny how the years go by
The singer saw someone who resembles the listener, marking the changes and surprises that time brings along
saw someone today who looked exactly like you, its funny how the years go by
The singer saw someone who resembles the listener, marking the changes and surprises that time brings along
Contributed by Taylor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.