Eventually, Envelopes were approached by London based label Brille Records. We were going to be their first band. To make it work professionally though, we had to meet more often than a couple of times a year, and cut a few years from our usual song production time. So we had a crack at it, and told Brille what we needed to be a proper functioning band, for real: a house for five people, with recording equipment, and no obligations to work with anything other than the music to support our living. What do you know? They said yes.
To this day the band have cost tons and made zero money, but a few people think they are the best band ever. Music always gets you right at the heart when it risks being ridiculous. Envelopes are very direct and uncomplicated in this way. And yet, in other ways, elusive. The message is never in the lyrics, and rarely in a hook, but rather somewhere in the saturated cluster of melodies, woven into a multi-coloured flying rug, circling around your head on its passing. You have to hear it. Really. It is a message of all-defying unjustified joy. And ‘Here Comes the Wind’ is a future classic. Usually I’m all about “to each their own” and unwilling to pass aesthetic judgement, but this album is of profound quality.
My last nine months with the band, in 2005, I lived with them in a big house outside Elvington, North Yorkshire, surrounded by vast fields of farmland. Animal Farm, GTA San Andreas and the 144 episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, imported from Hong Kong, only lasted so long. Cabin fever, running out of heating oil and endless amounts of rain nearly broke us. Our hope was only kept alive by frequent London shows and the pot of gold stored on our hard drive, the possibility of a damn good album. Sometimes we could almost touch it. I have heard seven versions of some of these songs and recorded half of them. There were a few defiantly behaving children I thought I would never see, or hear, released. That’s why it is so rewarding to finally hear them completed. Although, I must admit that the versions I am listening to whilst writing this will undergo a few changes still. It is Envelopes we are talking about and they have serious problems declaring anything finished and final.
I am proud of this bunch. I had to jump ship shortly after the efforts of six months of recording were reinterpreted as “sketches”, and recording from scratch was declared to commence in a real studio. But they bit the bullet. It’s been over a year now, and I have hardly seen them. They entered boot camp mode, closed the blinds and learned how to use the fancy coffee machine in southern Sweden’s Tambourine Studios. And then they didn’t leave.
Halfway through their Tambourine exile I saw one of their rare Swedish concerts. It’s such a treat to be off-duty and just enjoy the show. My last effort for the band was writing a book of bass tablature for my replacement Ulf, for him to learn before their tour. He did it flawlessly. Listening to my favourite band playing my favourite songs on stage, for the first time, was easily one of my very best concert moments. It happened to be the band I had never been able to see before, since I was in it. They were good. Very good. Do try and see them. People usually really like it.
Biography by Maja Karlsson, former bass player.
Audrey In The Country
Envelopes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There are cows and bees and nice trees
I was in the country I was in the country
With Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen
Running after me
There´s flies and lakes and long snakes
I was in the country I was in the country
With Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen
Running after me
And Im there I am not scared
There are cows and bees and nice trees
I was in the country I was in the country
With Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen
Running after me
And Im there I am not scared
The lyrics to "Audrey In The Country" by Envelopes paint a picture of someone being in the countryside surrounded by cows, bees, and beautiful trees. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the peacefulness of the setting. However, the tone of the lyrics shifts when the singer mentions Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen chasing after them. The sudden appearance of these Hollywood movie stars in a peaceful country setting creates a sense of chaos and danger.
The lyrics also mention flies, lakes, and long snakes, further highlighting the unpredictability and wildness of the natural setting. Despite all of this, the singer declares that they are not scared. This can be interpreted as either the singer being brave and unafraid, or perhaps their fear is so extreme that they have become numb to it.
Overall, the lyrics to "Audrey In The Country" by Envelopes create a vivid scene of beauty and danger in the countryside. The addition of the two famous movie stars adds a surreal and unexpected element to the song, making it both captivating and unsettling.
Line by Line Meaning
There are cows and bees and nice trees
The singer is describing a peaceful country setting with pleasant surroundings.
I was in the country I was in the country
The singer is emphasizing that they were truly in the country, not just imagining it.
With Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen running after me
The singer is suggesting that they were having an adventure in the country with two famous actors chasing after them.
There´s flies and lakes and long snakes
The artist is noting some of the less pleasant aspects of being in the country, such as pesky insects, bodies of water, and potentially dangerous animals.
And Im there I am not scared
Despite the intimidating presence of Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen and the potential dangers of the country, the artist is not afraid and is enjoying their adventure.
Lyrics © CHRYSALIS EDITION FRANCE, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Audrey PIC, Carl ORRLING, Martin KARLSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind