Anyone can ape and mimic, but to conjure takes a kind of magic. Rock and roll is the very history of repetition, picking the past up and dusting it off, passing it off as your own. Carney makes no bones about the bands they love and loved, but these are not influences worn on sleeves, this is the work of careful craftsmen in tune with invisible muses. First single, “Love Me, Chase Me,” is a potion derived from extracts of Beatles, Doors, Zeppelin, and Hendrix, but the wisp of white smoke rising from that test-tube is some other element, newly discovered.
“It’s cinematic, it jumps around to different places, and in the span of five minutes, it sort of sums up what we’re capable of as a band,” says guitarist Zane Carney of the song. “We’ve always wanted someone to listen to our music and immediately feel like they’ve been transported to another place,” adds lead singer, Reeve Carney. “That’s what I love. I like having a cinematic approach to music. I prefer things that feel a bit imaginary.”
Fitting then that Reeve was handpicked by director Julie Taymor (Across the Universe) to portray Peter Parker in the upcoming Broadway production of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. With music composed by U2’s Bono and The Edge, Spider-Man offered Reeve the kind of mentorship any young singer would cut a deal with the devil to get. “Reeve was everything we could have hoped for: an amazing voice and a truly charismatic presence,” says Bono. (That might be one of those things Reeve likes that “feels a bit imaginary,” but this is real.)
Along with drummer Jon Epcar and bassist Aiden Moore, Carney’s debut album Mr. Green: Vol. 1 is a kaleidoscopic summoning of music from multiple epochs and worlds beyond. Whether it’s the flirty Gallic cabaret of “Amelie,” the toy-store music-box lullaby that opens “Nothing Without You,” the waltzing velvety title track, or the 7-minute rafter-rattling blues epic “Testify,” Carney sounds nothing like a new band. This is a haunting, like a ghost sifted up through ancient floorboards. To even call them a “new artist” would betray the full-stride breadth of their abilities as songwriters and performers. They are happily, confidently, already ahead of themselves.
“I never like to stay in the same place for too long,” admits Reeve. “I always strive to do something I haven’t done before. In that way, this album is exactly what I’ve always wanted to make, but the next one will hopefully move in a whole different direction.” “I don’t want fame or glory,” adds Zane. “Making music is already such a gift. That’s what drives us. We know what moves us and we want to share it.”
Carney has built a big tent. All are invited. It’s a spectacle of infinite surprise. It’s imaginary. It’s real. It’s everything that rock and roll is supposed to be. It might just be the sound of that bubble of history bursting. Try not to fall in love.
Amelie
Carney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because she's scared of learning how to be
Amelie
C'est la vie, are the words she posts upon her mirror
Hoping one day that she'll see
Amelie
With her heart out on her sleeve
Oh, Amelie
Ooh when will she, fill the vacancy that keeps her ransom
Too accustom of defeat
Oh, Amelie
What you get is what you see
Amelie
She's sober, willing, and na??ve
Amelie
Oh, she's never known herself from Eve
Amelie
She's such a heavy-hearted ease
Amelie
The lyrics to Carney's song Amelie encapsulate the struggles of unrequited love and the fear of failure. It paints a vivid picture of a woman named Amelie, who is deeply in love with someone but too scared to act on her feelings. The opening line, "Amelie is in love with someone else," reveals her love is unrequited, and the subsequent line, "Because she's scared of learning how to be," indicates her fear of failure.
The chorus is a repetition of her name, suggesting that she is the focus of the song's themes. The phrase, "C'est la vie," which she writes on her mirror, means "that's life" in French, and shows her resignation to the fact that the person she loves is not reciprocating her feelings. The line, "Tenderly, she awaits his every move and query," highlights her devoted attempts to win him over, but also indicates her vulnerability and emotional exposure.
The song suggests that Amelie is quite naive and has never known herself from Eve, but it also acknowledges her courage, as she has not given up despite her unrequited love. The lines, "Oh when will she, fill the vacancy that keeps her ransom. Too accustomed to defeat," reveal her sense of feeling trapped in her situation and her desire to be free of it.
Line by Line Meaning
Amelie, is in love with someone else
Amelie loves someone but is in a relationship with someone else.
Because she's scared of learning how to be Amelie
Amelie is afraid to be herself and show her true feelings.
C'est la vie, are the words she posts upon her mirror
Amelie posts 'C'est la vie' (That's life) on her mirror as a reminder to accept life's ups and downs.
Hoping one day that she'll see Amelie
Amelie hopes that one day she will be able to see clearly and understand her situation.
Tenderly, she awaits his every move and query
Amelie waits patiently and attentively for her lover's every move and question.
With her heart out on her sleeve Oh, Amelie
Amelie wears her heart on her sleeve, meaning she is very open and unguarded about her feelings.
Ooh when will she, fill the vacancy that keeps her ransom
Amelie is searching for someone to fill the void in her life that is making her feel trapped and helpless.
Too accustom of defeat Oh, Amelie
Amelie is used to feeling defeated and disappointed in love.
What you get is what you see Amelie
Amelie is authentic and transparent in her actions and emotions.
She's sober, willing, and na??ve Amelie
Amelie is clear-headed, willing to love and trust, but lacks experience.
Oh, she's never known herself from Eve Amelie
Amelie feels like she doesn't really know who she is or where she belongs in life.
She's such a heavy-hearted ease Amelie
Amelie is a mix of heavy-heartedness (sad or depressed) and ease (untroubled or relaxed).
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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