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.
Phonecall 45
Emm Gryner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A grown-up reminder that I am still alive
I don't need another friend maybe you do
The speedway burned to nothing and I thought there might be you
I called Jonny up and I said
These are the things that I'd like to forget
I've had x number of endings
When do I begin
When do I begin
Los Angeles invades my privacy
Love and respect in the front of a book lied again to me
I don't need another war maybe you do
A list of all the things that do not belong to you'
The lava train came through my northern town
I will show you mine if you show me around
I don't need another rush maybe you do
Deep inside I know I am coming back for you
Emm Gryner’s “Phonecall 45” is a reflective song which addresses vast concepts like stagnancy, frustration, and unfulfillment. The first verse conveys a dispiriting feeling of being caught up in the monotony of routine life, “A corporate nightmare on a Sunday night”. It highlights the crucial realization that she is alive but questions the purpose of mere existence. The lines “I don't need another friend maybe you do / The speedway burned to nothing and I thought there might be you” reveal the emptiness and loneliness she feels with the need for companionship which she is still not sure of wanting. The burning of the speedway metaphorically signifies the end of something important and the hope that there might be someone by her side to share the pain.
The second verse deals with the falsehoods in relationships that often cause hurt when the truth is revealed. The line, “Love and respect in the front of a book lied again to me” indicates that someone she trusted had misled and betrayed her. To escape from this, she explores what she doesn't need, like another war, and shifts her focus to the things she craves, perhaps someone she hopes to connect with. The phrase “The lava train came through my northern town” may be a reference to a slow movement that causes damage over time, but the line “I will show you mine if you show me around,” suggests a desire to trust someone and be vulnerable. The chorus “I’ve had x number of endings, when do I begin” clearly shows that the singer has had enough failed attempts and is now looking out for a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
A corporate nightmare on a Sunday night
A terrible experience related to work on a weekend night
A grown-up reminder that I am still alive
Something that happened made the singer realize that they are still alive and facing adult responsibilities
I don't need another friend maybe you do
The singer doesn't desire the company of more friends, but suggests that someone else might
The speedway burned to nothing and I thought there might be you
Something important burned to the ground, and the singer considered that someone they care about might have been hurt in the incident
I called Jonny up and I said
The singer made a phone call to a person named Jonny
These are the things that I'd like to forget
The singer wishes to forget certain things that happened
I've had x number of endings
The singer has had a specific number of endings, which is not specified in the lyrics
When do I begin
The singer is unsure when to start moving forward
Los Angeles invades my privacy
The city of Los Angeles is interfering with the singer's ability to have privacy
Love and respect in the front of a book lied again to me
The things written about love and respect in a book did not turn out to be true for the singer
I don't need another war maybe you do
The singer doesn't want to engage in any more conflicts, but suggests that someone else might
A list of all the things that do not belong to you
The singer has made a list of things that are not someone else's property
The lava train came through my northern town
Something destructive entered the singer's town from the north
I will show you mine if you show me around
The singer is willing to share something in exchange for being shown something else
I don't need another rush maybe you do
The singer doesn't want to experience anything else exciting, but suggests that someone else might
Deep inside I know I am coming back for you
The singer has a strong sense that they will return to someone they care about
Contributed by Ella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.