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.
Mr. Green
Carney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just how your life is falling apart,
Because you and me Mr.Green
Have different points of view upon the world and our reality,
Oh oh, how do i explain,
I can't stop faking that i think everything is okay,
And perfectly fine,
Cause the things i see on MTV It really makes me Sing along in my head,
When reality is boring me i change the channel And sing along in my head,
It's quite unhealthy wouldnt you say,
How far your mind is drifting away,
But I love seeing things like Infomercial heroes selling sex toys to twelve year olds
Oh oh, it makes me believe,
I'm better off faking that i think everything is okay
And perfectly fine,
Cause the things i see on MTV It really makes me Sing along in my head,
The wonderful lies,
When reality is boring me i change the channel And sing along in my head,
I honestly think,
You need to be cured,
To open your eyes and take part in the world, (x2)
Oh sweet psychiatry,
Has told me what to see,
But i won't fold under pressure, and i will never answer the question, (x4)
In my world i wanna keep on smiling,
Even if it means to keep on lying,
Justice isn't true,
And nothing is to gain for eyes so blue,
Justice is a game,
To make us all forget we're all to blame
The song "Mr. Green" by Carney deals with the concept of reality and how it is different for different people. The singer of the song, Mr. Green, and the singer have different views upon the world and its reality. The singer admits to faking his belief that everything is okay and fine, because the reality that he sees on television is too much to handle. He sings about how the lies and the fakeness shown on TV are a way for him to take a break from the constant boredom of reality and how it is quite unhealthy.
The song uses heavy sarcasm to point out the flaws in the system, the way the show a completely different version of reality on TV, selling sex toys to twelve years old and ignoring the real problems of the world. The singer understands that this isn't healthy and that Mr. Green needs to be cured from his skewed perception of reality. But he also acknowledges that sometimes the fakeness and lies are better to deal with than the harsh realities of the world.
Overall, the song is a satirical take on how people can cope with the harsh realities of the world and how sometimes faking it is the best option available.
Line by Line Meaning
Lay down explain to me from the start,
Please tell me everything that has gone wrong in your life, beginning from the very start.
Just how your life is falling apart,
Tell me how your life is becoming a mess.
Because you and me Mr. Green
The cause of your problems is your different way of looking at the world compared to me, Mr. Green.
Have different points of view upon the world and our reality,
Our perspectives on the world and what is real differ greatly.
Oh oh, how do i explain,
I don't know how to describe my feelings.
I can't stop faking that i think everything is okay,
I constantly pretend that everything is fine, even when it's not.
And perfectly fine,
I try to make everything look perfect, even when it's not.
Cause the things i see on MTV It really makes me Sing along in my head,
Watching MTV makes me sing along to the songs in my mind.
The wonderful lies,
The music on MTV is often not truthful or realistic.
When reality is boring me i change the channel And sing along in my head,
I switch off reality and sing along to the music in my mind.
It's quite unhealthy wouldnt you say,
This behavior is harmful, don't you agree?
How far your mind is drifting away,
Your mind is slipping away from reality.
But I love seeing things like Infomercial heroes selling sex toys to twelve year olds
I enjoy watching the absurd and unrealistic scenarios presented to me on TV.
Oh oh, it makes me believe,
This TV is so powerful, it makes me believe in the fake world it presents.
I'm better off faking that i think everything is okay
I am better off pretending everything is fine, even when it's not.
And perfectly fine,
I try to make everything look perfect, even when it's not.
Cause the things i see on MTV It really makes me Sing along in my head,
The music on MTV makes me sing along to the songs in my mind.
The wonderful lies,
The music on MTV is often not truthful or realistic.
When reality is boring me i change the channel And sing along in my head,
I switch off reality and sing along to the music in my mind.
I honestly think,
I really believe.
You need to be cured,
You need some sort of treatment or therapy to fix your way of thinking.
To open your eyes and take part in the world, (x2)
You need to start seeing the world for what it really is and engage with it.
Oh sweet psychiatry,
Referring to psychology and therapy.
Has told me what to see,
This therapy has helped me see things more clearly.
But i won't fold under pressure, and i will never answer the question, (x4)
I won't give in to pressure or go along with what others want me to do.
In my world i wanna keep on smiling,
In my mind, I always want to be happy and positive.
Even if it means to keep on lying,
Even if it means lying to myself about the reality of the world I'm living in.
Justice isn't true,
Justice and truth aren't necessarily the same thing.
And nothing is to gain for eyes so blue,
There's nothing to gain from being naive or too trusting.
Justice is a game,
Justice is often just a game or political tool.
To make us all forget we're all to blame
Justice is used to absolve everyone of the guilt of what they've done wrong.
Writer(s): Carney Reeve Jefferson
Contributed by Mateo L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.