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.
Revenge
Emm Gryner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Small-town haze
Fifteen virgins and
25 mistakes
I got a problem, but
You just could not see
Boy with a joke
Love like you mean it or
Just let it go
We had an issue, but
You just didn't fit in here
Think you've got a mate, but
There ain't no soul
Leave the resort for
This stupid hole
I wanted to show you
The things I know
As few as they may be
You let me down
You let me down
I'm sorry I had to hurt you
You let me down
You let me down
There's no easy way to say goodbye
Up from Minnesota
The stars you fucked around
Jason, I hear you
When no one hears a sound
We had an issue, and
You made your point quite clear
Hang with me one last time
The quiet we could never achieve
Taxi driver, take me down
To the home of the finally free
In Emm Gryner's song "Revenge," the lyrics evoke a sense of small-town recklessness and youthful rebellion. She paints a picture of a red-haired girl running through the small-town haze with other young girls who are virgins but have already made many mistakes. Gryner sings about how she had a problem that the other person could not see or understand, and how everything in their relationship always seemed like a show. She talks about how they had an issue that the other person just didn't fit in with.
Gryner continues with the idea that the other person thinks they have found a mate, but there is no soul there. Gryner wanted to show the person the things she knows, even though they may be few. The chorus repeats the words "you let me down" several times, emphasizing the hurt the other person caused. The verse about Jason from Minnesota is unclear, but it seems to suggest that the other person was unfaithful or betrayed Gryner.
The song's overarching message is that it's hard to say goodbye, but sometimes it's necessary for our own wellbeing. She implores the other person to hang out with her one last time, even if it's just for a moment of quiet. Gryner sings about how she wants the taxi driver to take her to the home of the finally free, suggesting that she has been liberated from a toxic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Red hair running through all the Small-town haze
The singer of the song, with striking red hair, roams around the dull small town.
Fifteen virgins and 25 mistakes
The singer had several sexual partners in her life and has made many mistakes.
I got a problem, but You just could not see
The singer has some underlying problems, which her partner fails to understand.
Boy with a joke Why is everything a show?
The artist's partner is not serious and takes everything lightly.
Love like you mean it or Just let it go
The partner must either commit to the relationship, or end it altogether.
We had an issue, but You just didn't fit in here
Despite several attempts, the partner fails to fit in with the singer and the small town folk.
Think you've got a mate, but There ain't no soul
The singer's partner may have found someone else, but she believes they are not a soulmate.
Leave the resort for This stupid hole
The artist wants her partner to leave behind his fancy lifestyle and join her in the small town.
I wanted to show you The things I know As few as they may be
The artist wanted to share her knowledge and experiences with her partner, but acknowledges that they are few.
You let me down You let me down I'm sorry I had to hurt you You let me down You let me down There's no easy way to say goodbye
The artist is hurt by her partner's lack of commitment, but apologizes for hurting them and acknowledges that there's no easy way to break up.
Up from Minnesota The stars you fucked around Jason, I hear you When no one hears a sound
The singer recalls her partner's infidelity and calls them out by name, even though they are not present.
We had an issue, and You made your point quite clear
Although the artist had issues with her partner, they succeeded in making their viewpoint clear to her.
Hang with me one last time The quiet we could never achieve Taxi driver, take me down To the home of the finally free
The singer requests her partner to spend one last quiet moment together before parting ways. She is seeking freedom from the woes of her relationship.
Contributed by Emma L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.