Before her days in Ash, Hatherley was playing in the obscure punk rock band, Nightnurse, from the age of 16. They received moderate success, and Ash frontman Tim Wheeler was present at one of their gigs. She was later recruited as the fourth and final member. Her first album with the group was 1998s Nu Clear Sounds where she provided lead guitar for all tracks and also wrote the song WildSurf which appears on the album.
Apart from this, Hatherley mainly contributed to Ash with soulful guitar and some backing vocals, co-writing the odd song with Wheeler. The title track from Hatherley's first solo album, Grey Will Fade had previously been featured as a B-side to one of Ash's singles. The rest of the band had liked the song, yet felt it wasn't consistent with Ash's sound, and supported Hatherley when she decided to record her own album. This debut album, relased in 2004, has more than proved her songwriting ability. The three singles, Bastardo, Kim Wilde and Summer all received high praise from critics, as well as the album itself.
The videos to the tracks Bastardo and Summer were directed by her ex-boyfriend, Edgar Wright, who is best known as the director of the film "Shaun Of The Dead", which incidentally featured two tracks from Ash's fourth album proper Meltdown, the title track and Orpheus.
On January 20th 2006, she announced her departure from Ash, to pursue her solo career further.
Her first material since her departure from Ash came in the form of the Behave EP which featured tracks from her second album and was released on December 18 2006 on two formats - 7" vinyl and digital download. The EP featured the title track Behave as well as other tracks from her second album including Cousteau and Mr Ed.
Her second album, The Deep Blue, was released in March 2007 on her own label Little Sister Records which was founded by Charlotte together with her manager Ann-Marie Shields. Between this and the release of her 2009 third solo effort, New Worlds, she played with Bat for Lashes as a touring guitarist, and has played bass with Client since December 2007.
SUMMER
Charlotte Hatherley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I hope I feel better by the time it does
Then I could leave my room my cocoon
Find the door and walk out to the sun
Feel like I've moved on
Lessons learnt my mind is feeling calm and so reassured
Yeah things are on the up
Took my time to come around
From the day that I was shot down
Oh now I know that
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, 'cause I was somebody new
Oh now I know that
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, know what to do
A Silhouette in the shadows
I drank too much and darkness settled in and drew in me
And oh my bleeding heart did start to repair
And I could clearly see
Open the windows
Serotonin and the vitamins see D and E
Oh let it all sink in to your skin close your eyes
And you can feel the release
Took my time to come around
From the day that I was shot down
Oh now I know that
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, 'cause I was somebody new
Oh now I know that
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, know what to do
Summer is coming
And I hope I feel better by the time it does
Then I could leave my room
And walk out to the sun
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, 'cause I was somebody new
Oh now I know that
I confused myself with somebody else
I didn't know what to do, know what to do
Tried so many ways to come through for you
Tried to get it right and really improve
And yeah I really wanted to
Took my time to come around
Breathing in and breathing out
Won't you see what I can do
When I leave my room
The song "Summer" by Charlotte Hatherley is a pop-rock ballad that reflects on the themes of self-discovery and emerging from a dark period in one's life. The lyrics convey a sense of hope and optimism as the artist looks forward to the approaching summer season when she hopes to leave her cocoon and walk out to the sun. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song as Hatherley sings about her desire to feel better by the time summer arrives so that she can break free from her isolation and embrace the warmth and light of the season. She has moved on from her past experiences and feels more at ease with herself, as it's suggested by the second verse.
The chorus contains the recurring line, "I confused myself with somebody else," which serves as a metaphor for the struggles the artist faced with trying to understand her identity and find her place in the world. She admits that she didn't know what to do and was unsure of who she was, which caused her a great deal of confusion and pain. However, the repetition of the chorus also allows for a sense of resolution and acceptance, as Hatherley seems to have come to terms with her own identity and is ready to move forward with confidence.
The final verse serves as a resolution, as she sings about the different ways she tried to come through for someone in her past and how she took her time to heal and regain her self-assurance. The last line, "won't you see what I can do when I leave my room," emphasizes the sense of empowerment and possibility that comes with stepping out into the world and owning one's identity and capabilities.
Overall, the lyrics to "Summer" suggest that self-discovery and growth are ongoing processes, but they can lead to a greater sense of self-awareness and inner contentment.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer is coming
The season of summer is approaching
And I hope I feel better by the time it does
I hope my current state of mind improves before the arrival of summer
Then I could leave my room my cocoon
If I feel better, I can move on from my current state of isolation and confinement
Find the door and walk out to the sun
I can finally experience the warmth and light of the sun by stepping outside
Feel like I've moved on
I feel like I have progressed beyond my previous problems
Lessons learnt my mind is feeling calm and so reassured
I have learned important lessons and my mind is now more at ease and confident
Yeah things are on the up
Things are improving and looking up for me
I'm on top of the situation I've endured
I have overcome the situation that I had to endure
Took my time to come around
It took me some time to recover
From the day that I was shot down
From the day that I was defeated
Oh now I know that
I now realize that
I confused myself with somebody else
I mistook myself for someone else
I didn't know what to do, 'cause I was somebody new
I was unsure of what to do because I was in uncharted territory
A Silhouette in the shadows
A dark figure in the shadows
I drank too much and darkness settled in and drew in me
I consumed too much alcohol and it made me feel more depressed
And oh my bleeding heart did start to repair
My heart, which had been hurting, finally started to heal
And I could clearly see
I gained a clearer perspective
Open the windows
I invite fresh air and light into my space
Serotonin and the vitamins see D and E
I am getting natural boosts of serotonin and vitamins D and E
Oh let it all sink in to your skin close your eyes
I let the natural elements soak into my skin as I close my eyes
And you can feel the release
This can bring a sense of release and freedom
Tried so many ways to come through for you
I tried many different methods to make you happy
Tried to get it right and really improve
I put effort into trying to do better and improve myself
And yeah I really wanted to
I had a strong desire to succeed
Breathing in and breathing out
I focus on my breathing to relax
Won't you see what I can do
I want you to recognize my potential and what I am capable of
When I leave my room
I can accomplish great things when I escape my current state of isolation
I confused myself with somebody else
I thought I should be someone else
I didn't know what to do, know what to do
I was lost and unsure of how to proceed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLOTTE HATHERLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Eric CPOP
2021 anyone?? I bought both of her albums Grey Will Face and The Deep Blue back when they came out. Almost two decades later (let me just let that sink in for you millennials...) I've come back to rediscover how fun she is and pleasantly surprised that she's since released another two albums which I will surely check out.
Also a fun fact - I was the first person who tabbed the solo out on guitar and published it online.
simonpenum
Never knew Edgar directed her vids. I really dug the album back in 04. Still massively underappreciated imo
Roman Zet
Great underrated Rock-Album!
Philip Coburn
I don't normally bother posting comments on Youtube but this is such a great video I had to say something. Very, very cool! In fact you've inspired me to go back and re-edit and old video of mine. Cheers!!!
Anthony Carpendale
nice work. mind-melting edit job, I'd imagine.
Damian Harvey
excellent!
thatkypieguy
You can really notice the Scott Pilgrim influence from early on.
thatkypieguy
@Neil Godfrey the comic was published in the same year he made the video. Have a nice day.
Neil Godfrey
What are you talking about? Scott pilgrim wasn’t around in 04. You could argue that this video influenced Scott pilgrim but not the other way round. Tit
Grant Wilson
Genius the way it jumps along to the popnessness - it skips assuming you are smart enough to get the edit/on-with-ness. #onwithitnessness