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.
Siberia
Charlotte Hatherley Lyrics
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In everything you do
Your lies are all spilling out
They're coming fast and loose
Nobody talks in black and white
Are there any straight answers anymore
And your emerald city, sitting so pretty
Hold on, we're in oblivion falling way down
I'm bending over backwards
Into Siberian Khatru
Anyone of you know the way to get home
Hubris, honey you broke
My only golden rule
You never truly know somebody
Never know where they have been before
A leader, great powerful
You made a crisis unavoidable
And your emerald city, sitting so pretty
Over the opium sea
Hold on, we're in oblivion falling way down
I'm bending over backwards
Cling to the tether to the truth
Oh, all this tapestry.
My god, it's so unnecessary
All I really want is for it to be, oh
Is for it to be, oh, what a feeling
I'm gone in oblivion
Anyone of you know the way to get home?
Oh no, didn't you see
That it's all the same it doesn't matter what you are
Oh no, now you can see
That underneath it's not as good as what you thought
Oh no, didn't you see
That it's all the same, it doesn't matter what you are
Long way down
In oblivion
Bending over backwards
Oh no, nothing to show
Under it all it's not as good as what you thought
Way down, into the ground
Underneath for as far as you can see
Hold on, we're in oblivion falling way down
I'm bending over backwards
Cling to the tether to the truth
Oh, all this tapestry.
My god, it's so unnecessary
All I really want is for it to be, oh
Is for and to be, oh, what a feeling
But I'm gone in oblivion
Anyone of you know the way to get home
Hold on, in oblivion
Long way down
Bending over backwards
Anybody know the way to go to get me home?
Hold on, in oblivion
Long way down
Bending over backwards
Anybody know the way to go to get me home
From Siberia
The song Siberia by Charlotte Hatherley is a reflection on the chaos of life and the deceptive nature of people and situations. The lyrics suggest that crisis is an inevitable part of life, and often it comes unexpectedly from the ones we trust, just like lies that spill out uncontrollably. The lyrics also criticize the lack of straightforwardness in communication and the delusional beliefs that we hold onto, like emerald city sitting over opium sea.
The chorus, "Hold on, we're in oblivion falling way down, I'm bending over backward into Siberian Khatru, anyone of you know the way to get home," gives a sense of desperation and hopelessness, as if the singer is lost and searching for a way out of the chaos. The bridge condemns arrogance and ignorance that lead to the downfall of many, "Hubris, honey you broke my only golden rule, you never truly know somebody, never know where they have been before."
Line by Line Meaning
Crisis all comes when you dance
Trouble comes when you're too carefree and impulsive
In everything you do
Your actions have consequences
Your lies are all spilling out
You can't keep your secrets hidden forever
They're coming fast and loose
You're being careless with the truth
Nobody talks in black and white
There are no simple solutions or clear answers
Are there any straight answers anymore
Is there any truth left in the world?
And your emerald city, sitting so pretty
Your illusions and fantasies look appealing, but they're not real
Over the opium sea
In a place of drug-induced euphoria and addiction
Hold on, we're in oblivion falling way down
We're in a dangerous situation, losing control
I'm bending over backwards
I'm doing everything I can, even if it hurts
Into Siberian Khatru
Into a place of cold, emptiness, and despair
Anyone of you know the way to get home
Does anyone know how to find safety and comfort?
Hubris, honey you broke
Your arrogance and pride caused a big problem
My only golden rule
My most important principle or belief
You never truly know somebody
You can't always trust or understand someone completely
Never know where they have been before
You don't know someone's past experiences or secrets
A leader, great powerful
Someone with authority and influence
You made a crisis unavoidable
You caused a situation that couldn't be avoided or ignored
Cling to the tether to the truth
Hold on to what is true and real, even if it's hard to accept
Oh, all this tapestry.
The complex and intricate patterns of life
My god, it's so unnecessary
It's all too complicated and confusing
All I really want is for it to be, oh
I just want things to be simple and easy
Is for it to be, oh, what a feeling
To experience joy, happiness, and contentment
But I'm gone in oblivion
I'm lost in confusion and chaos
Oh no, didn't you see
Didn't you realize?
That it's all the same it doesn't matter what you are
No matter who you are or what you do, we're all in this together
Now you can see
Now you understand
Underneath it's not as good as what you thought
Beneath the surface, things are not as perfect as they seem
Long way down
It's a steep and difficult journey
In oblivion
In a state of confusion and uncertainty
Anybody know the way to go to get me home?
Does anyone have the answers I need to find my way back to safety?
Contributed by Christopher O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.