After being dropped by the label in 1999, she released several more records under the Dead Daisy banner: Science Fair in 1999, Dead Relatives in 2000, Girl Versions in 2001, and Asianblue in 2002. She toured extensively in David Bowie's backup band during 2000 and 2001. She also toured with Swedish band The Cardigans in 2004 on the Chicks With Attitude tour.
Gryner has since released a DVD called Videochrome in 2003, featuring all four of her independent music videos and three previously unreleased songs. She released an album of Irish cover songs, Songs of Love and Death, featuring a guest contribution from Gryner's neighbour Kate McGarrigle, in January 2005.
On September 27, 2005, she released a limited edition homemade album called The Great Lakes which she wrote, recorded, mixed, printed, hand-stamped, stapled, embossed, cut, burned, packaged, and signed specially for her fans.
Gryner married visual artist Sean Odell in 2004. The couple currently lives in rural Ontario.
In 2005, she started a new band, Hot One, where she performs bass and vocals. Other Hot One members include Nathan Larson (guitar and vocals), film-score composer and guitarist with of Shudder to Think and Guided by Voices. Larson is married to the Cardigans' front-woman Nina Pearson. Kevin March is Hot One's drummer and Jordan Kern plays guitar. Hot One will be released in late August 2006.
Emm's latest studio album, The Summer of High Hopes was released in Ireland on May 12, 2006 and in North America on September 26, 2006. In the November 2006 issue of Q Magazine, celebrating the magazine's 20th anniversary, U2 frontman Bono recognized the track "Almighty Love" from Emm's new album as one of six songs that he wished he had written from the last 20 years of music.
Gryner also contributed vocals to the song "It's Always Raining in Dublin" on vitaminsforyou's 2006 album The Legend of Bird's Hill. She contributed on the 2006 Oxfam album by The Cake Sale.
Death Is A New Day
Emm Gryner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I try to shine like a brand new star, but it's hard to do
How famous do I have to be to see you again?
How much money do I have to have to but the end
I've got nothing to say, and nothing to do
But I heal soon
'Cause death is a new day
Seven here and midnight where you are
I never knew that easy feeling
Could make all this so hard
If I called you a dead man, I might survive
Dancing to you favourite rock songs in my spare time
Every other thing that breathes goes up against you
They'll try to srape you away from my skin, but they'll always lose
As I close the door on you, and
The end is crusade
I tell the pieces of you to go, but
I feel them stay
The opening lines of "Death Is A New Day" by Emm Gryner describe a sense of isolation and stagnation: "All the world's on hold inside this room / I try to shine like a brand new star, but it's hard to do." The singer seems to be struggling with fame and success, wondering how much it takes to reconnect with someone they've lost: "How famous do I have to be to see you again? / How much money do I have to have to but the end." These lines suggest a feeling of desperation but also uncertainty - the singer is searching for a sense of purpose but is unsure of what exactly they need to do to find it.
Despite this struggle, the main refrain of the song is a statement of acceptance: "Cause death is a new day / A new day without you." The idea of death as a new beginning is a powerful one, and Gryner's lyrics seem to be exploring the possibility of finding hope in the face of loss. The singer acknowledges the pain and the difficulty of moving on, but ultimately seems to be embracing the idea that life goes on - even without the person they've lost.
The final verse of the song is a complex mix of emotions, with the singer referencing both dancing and death as they confront their feelings about the person they've lost: "If I called you a dead man, I might survive / Dancing to your favorite rock songs in my spare time." These lines suggest a sense of guilt and also a desire to hold on to memories of the person they've lost. Ultimately, though, the singer seems to be facing the reality of the situation: "As I close the door on you, and / The end is crusade / I tell the pieces of you to go, but / I feel them stay." The final line is particularly poignant, as it suggests a sense of acceptance: the pieces of the person they've lost will always be a part of them, even as they move forward into this new day.
Line by Line Meaning
All the world's on hold inside this room
The singer feels trapped and isolated, unable to escape from their current situation.
I try to shine like a brand new star, but it's hard to do
The singer is struggling to maintain a positive attitude in their difficult circumstances.
How famous do I have to be to see you again?
The singer is addressing someone they miss deeply and wondering what it would take to be reunited with them.
How much money do I have to have to but the end
The artist is expressing the futility of trying to buy their way out of their problems; money can't solve everything.
I've got nothing to say, and nothing to do
The artist is bored and unfulfilled in their current situation.
But I heal soon
Despite their difficulties, the singer is optimistic that they will recover from their emotional wounds.
'Cause death is a new day
The singer sees death as a fresh start, a chance to leave behind the pain and suffering they are currently experiencing.
A new day without you
The artist is acknowledging that the person they miss will not be part of this new beginning.
Seven here and midnight where you are
The artist and the person they are missing are in different time zones, highlighting the distance between them.
I never knew that easy feeling
The artist is nostalgic for a time when things were simpler and less stressful.
Could make all this so hard
The singer is surprised and frustrated that something that used to come easily now feels difficult and painful.
If I called you a dead man, I might survive
The artist is grasping at straws, trying to find a way to cope with their feelings of loss and grief.
Dancing to you favourite rock songs in my spare time
The singer is finding solace in the memory of the person they miss by enjoying the things they once enjoyed together.
Every other thing that breathes goes up against you
The singer sees the world as hostile to their happiness and to the memory of the person they miss.
They'll try to srape you away from my skin, but they'll always lose
The singer is determined to hold onto their connection with the person they miss, despite the challenges they face.
As I close the door on you, and
The artist is acknowledging that they are moving on from this chapter of their life, including the person they miss.
The end is crusade
The artist is framing their journey as a battle or quest, acknowledging the difficulty of the path ahead.
I tell the pieces of you to go, but
The singer is trying to let go of the past, but is finding it difficult to fully move on.
I feel them stay
The memory of the person they miss continues to linger and impact the singer, even as they try to move forward.
Contributed by Gabriella S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.