Formation and Early Years (2000 – 2001)
Emery formed in 2001 in Rock Hill, South Carolina but moved to Seattle, Washington in search of a better musical environment. The band was named after a first grader that Toby Morrell met while working as an intern for a teacher in college. The four members in the band at the time, Toby Morrell (vocals/guitar), Devin Shelton (drums), Matt Carter (guitar/keyboards), and Joel "Chopper" Green (bass) actually left Rock Hill, South Carolina for Seattle on September 11, the day of the terrorist attacks; they found out about the attacks when they stopped at a local diner in South Carolina. Most of the members are from the bands Sachul, Joe 747, Simply Waynes and Oogie Brown. After a little while Seth Studley, who was one of the original members of the band, broke out of a serious relationship and followed them to Seattle and resumed his post as drummer. Since Seth took over drums, Devin went ahead and took the position of guitarist.
The Weak's End (2002 – 2004)
After making Emerald City their new home in Seattle, Washington, Emery signed a record deal with Tooth & Nail Records, also of Seattle, in 2002. Wasting no time, Emery paired up with producer/engineer Ed Rose and worked on their debut album, The Weak's End. It was produced at the Black Lodge Studio in Eudora, Kansas. The record was released in January 2004 by Tooth & Nail Records. Emery toured extensively to promote their new release.
The Question (2005 – 2006)
While touring, Seth Studley decided to leave the band in order to get married and Emery had to look for a new drummer. While touring with Haste the Day, Dave Powell was brought out to audition. Powell was officially put in the band on November 2005. Powell originally played in the Indianapolis-based metalcore/hardcore band The Bowels of Judas.
Soon after touring, Emery went back into the studio to record their next record with production done by Aaron Sprinkle this time around. The band took five weeks in recording sessions. The Question was released on August 2, 2005. "Studying Politics" was released as the album's first single with a video emerging on June 29, 2005. On November 21, 2006, Emery re-released The Question, adding a DVD, five acoustic versions of previously recorded songs and two new demo tracks, which were produced by Matt Carter. The DVD included a documentary film of Emery, live songs and bonus footage.
After the re-release, Joel "Chopper" Green decided to leave the band. On September 19, 2006, Emery posted a blog on their website explaining the departure. Devin and Toby since then switched bass parts in concerts and in the studio.
I'm Only A Man (2007 – 2008)
While touring with Underoath in Australia, Emery announced that they were releasing a new album. The album, I'm Only A Man, leaked onto the internet before its official release on October 2, 2007. The album was produced by Ryan Boesch and Matt Carter and recorded at Dark Horse Studio in Tennessee. It received mixed reviews. Emery released a deluxe edition of the album as well, which featured four acoustic songs that were recorded while on the Take Action Tour with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and DVD with a live footage and a documentary. The iTunes version of the deluxe edition also added a bonus track called "Whoa! Man".
While Broken Hearts Prevail and ...In Shallow Seas We Sail (2008 – 2010)
Emery announced in an interview on TVU that they finished a new 8-track EP entitled While Broken Hearts Prevail, which was released on October 28, 2008. They began premiering some of the new material while on tour opening for The Almost, including a song entitled "Edge Of The World".
In an interview with Toby Morrell, Emery announced that would be releasing a new album called ...In Shallow Seas We Sail. Up until the announcement of Emery resigning to Tooth & Nail Records, it was unsure if the band would seek a new label, since their contract had expired. They re-signed with Tooth & Nail and soon gave out information on their new release.
On April 7, 2009, Emery released a new song entitled "Cutthroat Collapse" on their Myspace, Purevolume, and iTunes. On May 29, 2009, Emery put ...In Shallow Seas We Sail in its entirety up on their Myspace. On June 2, 2009, ...In Shallow Seas We Sail was officially released.
During their headlining U.S. tour, Emery had selected dates filmed for a DVD in the works. The release date is unknown at this time. Emery set out on tour supporting Underoath on their fall/winter headlining tour for the rest of the year. In the summer of 2010 they went on the "Scream it Like You Mean it" tour with Silverstein, Ivoryline, Dance Gavin Dance, We Came as Romans, Sky Eats Airplane, and I Set My Friends On Fire.
We Do What We Want (2011- 2012)
On January 26, 2011 it was announced that the band's fifth album We Do What We Want is set to be released on March 29, 2011. The band also released a clip of a song titled "Scissors". Another song titled "The Curse of Perfect Days" has been released to Christian rock radio stations.
On January 31, 2011, vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and bassist Devin Shelton announced he was taking an "indefinite hiatus" from Emery.
On February 1, 2011 a song titled "The Cheval Glass" was released on the band's Facebook, Youtube and Myspace page. On February 17, 2011, the band announced that We Do What We Want would be released through both Tooth & Nail and their hardcore/metal subdivision Solid State Records reflecting the heavier sound of the album.
In 2012, Toby Morrell and Matt Carter formed a side project duo, simply called Matt & Toby, with a more acoustic/electronic type sound. The duo released a self-titled album in November of that year via Tooth & Nail.
Bad Christian Music (2013 - present)
In 2013 Emery did not resign with Tooth & Nail records, subsequently leaving the label. Later that year, they founded Bad Christian Music, a blog & podcast website, as well as an indie record label.
In 2014, the band released two books, Bad Christian, Great Savior, and The M Word.
On May 19th, 2015 Emery released their sixth full length album, their first album via Bad Christian Music, You Were Never Alone. The album peaked at No. 69 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on Top Christian Albums, No. 6 on Independent Albums, No. 8 on Alternative Music[ No. 10 on Top Rock Albums and No. 31 on Top Album Sales.
Bands such as Abandon Kansas and The Classic Crime have also joined the artist roster of Bad Christian Music.
Members
Toby Morrell: lead vocals, guitar
Matt Carter: guitar, aggressive vocals
Josh Head: keyboard, vocals, aggressive vocals
Dave Powell: drums
Former Members
Devin Shelton: guitar, lead vocals (on indefinite hiatus now)
Seth Studley: drums
Joel Green: bass
Joey Svendsen: bass
Miss Behavin'
Emery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No! She won't, she won't, she won't wait!
No! She won't, she won't, she won't wait!
No! She won't, she won't, she won't!
Always what you meant, never what you said.
Passing over me like a book you've read.
But I let it fall, balling every wish.
Offer me one wish.
If it's her you want, this is what it takes
If it's her you want, this is what it takes
Let's get this over.
(Let's get this over.)
Discuss and deny something; simply just lie
(Let's get this over.)
And wait and see if she's something like me.
If you just open your eyes, you could get out of this,
But your such a success, you're just not built for it.
I never knew how much it takes to accept...
I never knew how much it takes
To accept that you're a fake.
If you just open your eyes, you could get out of this,
(If you just open your eyes)
But your such a success, you're just not built for it.
(If you just open your eyes)
Sometimes I think you just need some time.
Sometimes I think you just need some time.
Sometimes I think I need some to get along without.
To get along without
(To get along without)
Everyone's saying that they've got the answers.
(To get along without)
Well hoping's deceiving, it spreads like a cancer.
To get along without
In "Miss Behavin'," Emery sings about a woman who is not willing to wait for anyone or anything. She will not settle for less, and she knows what she wants. The singer acknowledges that the woman's words are often different than her actions, and that she can be a bit of a mystery. She's hard to pin down, and it's difficult to know what she wants or how she feels. The singer wishes that she would offer him just one wish so that he could better understand her.
The lyrics suggest that the woman the singer is talking about is in a relationship of some sort. He hints that he is competing with another man for her attention and suggests that he is willing to do whatever it takes to win her over. He's frustrated that she won't give him the time of day and feels like she's putting up a wall between them. The singer also recognizes that he has accepted some things in their relationship that are not true or authentic, and that he needs to confront those issues.
The song ends on a somewhat ambiguous note, with the singer pondering the idea of getting along without the woman he's been chasing after. He seems to wonder if he really needs her or if he's been fooling himself this whole time. Overall, "Miss Behavin'" is a reflective and introspective song about love, desire, and self-deception.
Line by Line Meaning
No! She won't, she won't, she won't wait!
She is not going to wait around for something to happen or for someone to make a move.
Always what you meant, never what you said.
You never say what you really mean, leaving me guessing and unsure.
Passing over me like a book you've read.
You barely acknowledge or remember me, treating me like a familiar but insignificant object.
But I let it fall, balling every wish.
I've given up and lost hope, crushing my dreams and desires into a tight ball.
Take my hands and eyes, but I beg you this:
I want you to commit fully to me, to hold my hands and look into my eyes, but there's one thing I need from you first.
Offer me one wish.
Grant me a single wish, as a sign of your love and devotion to me.
If it's her you want, this is what it takes
If you're truly interested in her, then this is what you'll need to do to pursue her.
Let's get this over.
Let's end this discussion, even though it might not be truthful or candid.
Discuss and deny something; simply just lie
Let's have a conversation where we both pretend and deceive each other, even if it's a lie.
And wait and see if she's something like me.
Let's see if the other woman is similar to me, to find out if you have a type or a preference.
If you just open your eyes, you could get out of this,
If you were to see clearly and honestly, you could escape this situation or this mindset.
But your such a success, you're just not built for it.
You may be successful in some areas, but you're not prepared or equipped to handle these emotional challenges.
I never knew how much it takes to accept...
I wasn't aware of how much effort and resilience it takes to come to terms with something difficult or painful.
To accept that you're a fake.
To admit or acknowledge that you're not genuine or honest with yourself and others.
Sometimes I think you just need some time.
Maybe you just need some space or time to figure things out and to heal.
Sometimes I think I need some to get along without.
Sometimes I feel like I need to learn how to cope and live without you.
To get along without
To carry on and function without the help or presence of someone else.
Everyone's saying that they've got the answers.
Many people claim to know the solutions or the truth about something, but it's not always accurate or helpful.
Well hoping's deceiving, it spreads like a cancer.
Having hope or expectations can be deceiving and harmful, and it can spread negativity and pain.
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind