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.
Party
Envelopes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And now I had enough of it
And you read my palm and in it "i'm not leaving without you"
I am only half an inch from my own disaster
Forever the white is grey
Give me what I need again for my own protection
Oh, if there's a birthday party
If there's a party, can I come? Can I come?
Once upon a time I was falling in love
Now I'm only falling apart
Totally fucked from the start
Forever the white is grey
Give me what I need again for my own protection
A good way to fall asleep
Give me what I need again for my own protection
If there's a party, can I come all along?
Oh, if there's a birthday party
If there's a party, can I come?
Can I come? All along
Oh, if there's a birthday party
Life on the country side is doing me good
But I think I will go home in a while
The first verse of this song depicts a change in emotion for the singer. They initially did not have any trouble, but now they have had enough of it. The second line is a bit more cryptic: “And you read my palm and in it 'I'm not leaving without you'”. This could be interpreted as someone promising to stick by the singer's side through any challenges they may face.
The chorus of the song has a sense of desperation to it. The singer is asking if they can come to a party. It's unclear why the singer wants to come so badly, but there is a sense that they are in need of some kind of escape or distraction. The repetition of the line “If there's a party, can I come?” suggests that the singer is fixated on this idea.
The second verse of the song reveals some backstory about the singer. They were once in love, but now they are falling apart. The line “Totally fucked from the start” suggests that the relationship may not have been healthy from the beginning. The chorus repeats with the same sense of desperation.
The final verse of the song is a bit more hopeful. The singer notes that life in the country has been good for them, but they think they will go home soon. This could be interpreted as the singer realizing that they need to face their problems head on, rather than running away to parties or distractions. However, the chorus repeats one more time, suggesting that the singer is not quite ready to give up their escapist tendencies yet.
Line by Line Meaning
Aaah, I didn't have any trouble
I thought I was doing fine until now.
And now I had enough of it
But now I've reached my limit.
And you read my palm and in it "i'm not leaving without you"
Someone showed me a sign that made me think I'm meant to be with them.
I am only half an inch from my own disaster
I'm teetering on the edge of major trouble.
Forever the white is grey
Things that used to be pure and good are now tainted or uncertain.
Give me what I need again for my own protection
I need something to help me feel secure and safe.
If there's a party, can I come all along?
I want to be included in the fun and festivities.
Oh, if there's a birthday party
Specifically, if there's a celebration for someone's birthday.
Once upon a time I was falling in love
I used to be head over heels for someone but that's no longer the case.
Now I'm only falling apart
Things have gotten much worse since then and I'm struggling to keep it together.
Totally fucked from the start
It seems like everything has been against me from the beginning.
A good way to fall asleep
I've found a method that helps me drift off at night.
Life on the country side is doing me good
Living in a rural area is having a positive effect on my well-being.
But I think I will go home in a while
However, I still feel the pull to return to my original home.
Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.