Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, USA, in 1992. For most… Read Full Bio ↴Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon, USA, in 1992. For most of its existence, Everclear consisted of Art Alexakis (b. 12 April 1962, Los Angeles, California, USA; vocals, guitar), Craig Montoya (b. 14 September 1970; bass, vocals) and Greg Eklund (b. 18 April 1970; drums). Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994. Montoya and Eklund departed the band in 2003, but Alexakis has continued performing as Everclear with a new lineup.

After a solo tour in the fall of 2003, Alexakis decided to continue with Everclear, organizing a new band that made its debut in March of 2004. The new lineup consisted of bass player Sam Hudson, guitarist Dave French, and drummer Eric Bretl. In the summer of 2004, the band added keyboard player Josh Crawley, and swapped Bretl for former Everclear drum tech Brett Snyder. The new lineup released its first recording, a cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, that summer. A self-released EP of performances recorded for XM Satellite Radio called Closure was given out at shows in the fall of 2004.

Free of a major label, Alexakis spent the ensuing year and half slowly recording material for a new Everclear release. He admitted that the time after the breakup of the original lineup served as a "wake up call", during which he suffered his third divorce and a filing for bankruptcy. Alexakis announced the completion of the album in early 2006,titled Welcome To The Drama Club. The new band is now on Eleven Seven Music.

In August of 2008, drummer Brett Snyder left the band after four years. He was then replaced by Tommy Stewart, who previously played in bands Fuel and Godsmack.

Detroit
Everclear Lyrics

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I am dreaming of a Michigan girlfriend
All bright-eyed and happy in pain
I am dreaming of a Michigan girl
See her come around
Fall down, break & scatter everywhere
I close my eyes and I can see her waiting
I am pleading for a Michigan dream girl
I am pleading for a Michigan girl

See her come around
Big lie wrapped inside her little glove
I close my eyes and I can see her waiting patient for me
I cover my ears
I clear my mind
She starts to fade
I am dreaming of a Michigan girlfriend
She's starting to fade
I am dreaming of a Michigan girl
I close my eyes
I see her waiting oh so patient for me
I cover my ears

I close my mind
She's starting to fade

Overall Meaning

Everclear's song "Detroit" is a reflection on longing for a past love with conflicting emotions that are hard to escape. The lyrics "I am dreaming of a Michigan girlfriend / All bright-eyed and happy in pain / I am dreaming of a Michigan girl / See her come around / Fall down, break & scatter everywhere," and "See her come around / Big lie wrapped inside her little glove," showcase the singer's yearning for a former lover who may not have been as perfect as initially thought. The imagery of the girl falling and breaking, and the big lie wrapped in her little glove, give way to the idea that perhaps the relationship was not as solid as imagined. However, the singer still craves that connection and cannot help but dream of her, even as she begins to fade away from his memory.

The chorus, "I close my eyes and I can see her waiting / I am pleading for a Michigan dream girl / I am pleading for a Michigan girl / She's starting to fade," shows the inner turmoil of the singer as he recognizes the potential for the relationship's toxicity, yet is still overcome by his emotions for his past love.

Overall, "Detroit" is a powerful and emotional song that encapsulates the struggle of moving on from a past relationship, with the lyrics expertly capturing the conflicting emotions that come with that process.

Line by Line Meaning

I am dreaming of a Michigan girlfriend
The singer wishes for a romantic partner from Michigan.

All bright-eyed and happy in pain
The ideal girlfriend is optimistic despite experiencing difficulties.

I am dreaming of a Michigan girl
The singer yearns for a girl from Michigan.

See her come around
The artist imagines the girl approaching him.

Fall down, break & scatter everywhere
The girl seems like she is flawed or vulnerable.

I close my eyes and I can see her waiting
The singer imagines the girl waiting for him.

I am pleading for a Michigan dream girl
The singer begs for a Michigan girl to appear in his dreams.

I am pleading for a Michigan girl
The artist repeats his request.

See her come around
The artist again imagines the girl approaching him.

Big lie wrapped inside her little glove
The girl appears innocent but may be hiding something deceitful.

I close my eyes and I can see her waiting patient for me
The singer still pictures the girl calmly waiting for him.