Her first album "Pinwheels" was recorded shortly after her high school graduation. During a 1 1/2 year stint as a student at Ole Miss, Starr met and forged a friendship with fellow artist and producer Neilson Hubbard. To this day, Starr and Hubbard frequently collaborate. Her second release, the 7 track EP "Stupid Girl" references her experiences there which were not always pleasant.
Garrison was signed to Geffen Records who released her first major label album "18 Over Me" in 1997. "18 Over Me" includes the song "Superhero" which is her most well known song to date, it has appeared on several compilations including "Live at World Cafe" and CMJ magazine's sampler. Garrison re-recorded "Superhero" for her 3rd major release 2005's "Airstreams & Satellites". It also includes a faster version of "Molly" which originally appeared on the "Stupid Girl" EP. On both versions producer Neilson Hubbard sings back-up vocals. "18 Over Me" is currently out of print and can only be purchased used. Garrison occasionally has copies at her live performances, but currently Geffen owns the rights to it so she cannot re-release it.
On the moderate success of "18 Over Me" Garrison was invited to play on the highly successful all female festival tour Lilith Fair created by Sarah McLachlan. Starr left the deep south for Los Angeles in the mid 1990s. There was a huge gap between the release of "18 Over Me" (1997) and "Songs From Take-Off To Landing" (2004) because Garrison (along with many other artists) was dropped from the Geffen roster. Garrison recorded several demos of songs that would eventually become part of "Take-Off" those were never officially released and in the years between those recordings & the release of "Take-Off" the songs evolved and changed significantly. Between these releases Garrison released "24/7" an EP of live & acoustic versions of songs from "18 Over Me" as well as a cover of the Rolling Stone's "Taxman" and a previously unreleased song "Simple Theme". Also during this time Garrison released "Something To Hold You Over" for devoted fans who were asking for new recordings.
In Los Angeles she gained inspiration for two albums, "Songs From Take-Off To Landing" (which was finally released in February 2004) and "Airstreams and Satellites" (October 2005). "Airstreams" includes a hidden track in which Garrison makes her first definitive reference to being a lesbian. She has toured with the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Steve Earle, Melissa Ferrick and Mary Chapin-Carpenter.
In 2005, Starr returned to the south, more specifically, Nashville, Tenn., where she completed her most recent album, "The Sound of You and Me" (March 2006). Released by Vanguard Records it includes a fellow Vanguard artist Mindy Smith on background vocals for track "Kansas City, KS".
Starr's song "Superhero" was featured during ABC-TVs coverage of the Women's World Cup Soccer in 1999. More recently, Starr's "Beautiful in Los Angeles" was the featured song on the season one finale of MTVs original program "The Hills" (2006).
Starr is currently working on her next album, a greatest hits cd for which she asked fans to vote for their top 10 favorite songs. In early 2007 she released a statement that she is recording the songs that received the most votes and that the cd will be available at her Los Angeles shows in late January 2007. Garrison put that cd online for purchase on her official website www.garrisonstarr.com in March 2007.
Garrison's new album "The Girl That Killed September" will be released on October 18, 2007 on Media Creature. Available Online for $10 (CD) and $7.50 (DOWNLOAD) LISTEN | WATCH EPK http://www.mediacreature.com/playerpage/gstarr/blastplyr-lcns.html
Cigarettes And Spearmint
Garrison Starr Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I draw your face everywhere
You singing in my cigarette
I hear your voice everywhere
This is the first time
Neoreul cheoeum bon sunganbuteo
Nan nege kkeullyeosseo
And then a last time
Jigeum i gonggan
Sogeseodo neon nareul yuhokhaji woo
Neoneun keopi animyeon jinhan cigarette
Nado moreuge tto jungdokdwae like a poison
Ne moseup yeonae jungirago
Ige museun iriya oh no
Namjaneun nabakke moreundago mwo?
I yeou gateun neo
Kkoriga gilmyeon barphyeo uh
Nan yeonae jungeun motaedo narang sagwimyeon
On sesangsaramdeuri alge doel geol uri sai.
You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
Jenissi seulmyeosi pieoolla dambaeyeongicheoreom
Chumeul chujago dambaeyeongicheoreom
Uri dul manui bimil
Ttak jalla malhamyeon neon movie
Nareul gamdongsikineun gaebangjeogin moseup
Jikil geon jikineun geureon yeojaga neo
Hancham donganeul dambae taeumyeo
Ne saenggak meong ttaeryeo haru jongil
Chingudeuri malhagil
Neo wanjeon babo gata
I wanna be a perfect boyfriend
For you my girl
Nega wonhadeon namjaga doelge
Like a yeongicheoreom pieo oreuneun neo
Woo girl yeah
You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
This is the first time
Neoreul cheom bon sungan
Geu sunganbuteoyeosseo
Nege ppajyeobeorin geol beolsseo Baby
And then a last time
I gonggan sogeseo nal yuhokhaji
Oh no!
Jaukhan yeongi sogeseodo
Ttoryeotagi manhan neomanui jansang
Neol mannan huro sumanheun
Mangsangdeullo gadeuk cha inneun nae meori
Neo saenggakdeullo gadeuk cha got doel geoya minmeori
Cheoeum bon sunganbuteo nuni gayo nuni ga
Nado mollae poneuro soni gayo soni ga
Hancham donganina geurin neoran seukechibuk
Naegen bin gonggan ttawin eobseo
Woah You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
You swim in my cigarette
My cigarette woo yeah
Jjarbeun Cigarette geu jjarpdeon sigane
Maldo eobsi nan heundeullyeo han gujeol si gata
Dodohan geon butjabeul geol yegohan neoui yeonginya
Anim cheoeumbuteo heuteo naraganeun yeongiilkka
In Garrison Starr's song "Cigarettes and Spearmint," the singer begins by drawing her lover's face on her cigarette and hearing their voice everywhere. She reflects that this is the first and last time that she will feel this way, as she cannot forget her lover. She compares her lover's impact on her to the poisonous effects of cigarettes. The singer wonders if her lover knows how different she is from other men since she is like a woman, and she suggests that she has been hurt by this in the past. She reflects on the secrets she shares with her lover and how other people would see them.
The second verse features a rapper named Jenissi reflecting on his own relationship with a woman. He talks about dancing with her and sharing secrets. He reflects on his foolishness in their relationship, wondering if he can be the perfect boyfriend. The chorus is repeated, emphasizing that the lover is in everything through the metaphor of the cigarette. In the final verse, the singer reflects on the various moments where she has encountered her lover and how she feels those moments with her whole body.
Interestingly, the title of the song refers to two distinct but related things: cigarettes and spearmint. The cigarettes seem to represent a sort of addiction or habit, while spearmint could represent a fresh start or a cleansing. The contrasting images of cigarettes and spearmint could represent the singer's desire to break away from her past while still being unable to escape her addiction to her lover. Additionally, the Korean rapper Jenissi who is featured in the song is known for being a member of the K-pop group Topp Dogg.
Line by Line Meaning
You swim in my cigarette
The other person is inseparable from the singer's cigarette habit, they are closely associated.
I draw your face everywhere
The singer cannot help but imagine the other person's face and presence all around her.
You singing in my cigarette
The other person's voice echoes in the singer's mind as she smokes.
I hear your voice everywhere
The other person's voice is present in the singer's thoughts and consciousness all the time.
This is the first time
The singer is remembering a specific moment of meeting or interacting with the other person.
And then a last time
The singer is coming to terms with the fact that this moment was the beginning of something that will soon end.
You singing in my cigarette
Again, the other person's presence is felt in the singer's cigarette habit and addiction.
I hear your voice everywhere
The other person's voice lingers in the singer's mind and life.
You are a cigarette, unlike coffee
The other person is an addiction that is poisonous and unhealthy like a cigarette, not something that would be nourishing like coffee.
I unknowingly get addicted again like a poison
The singer is aware of the harm the other person brings, but is still drawn to them like an addiction.
What's this? Am I in the middle of a love?
The singer reflects on the unexpected feelings and emotions that come with a relationship.
You are like a man, what do you know?
The other person is a mystery, much like any man, and the singer cannot fully understand them.
Trembling at the end of a cigarette
The singer is emotionally and mentally affected by the other person.
Even if I'm not in a relationship, if we're together
The singer realizes that simply being with the other person is enough to feel satisfied and complete.
The whole world will know about us
The singer believes that their connection is special and powerful enough to be recognized by others as well.
I wanna be a perfect boyfriend for you my girl
The singer desires to be the best possible partner for their significant other.
You are like a bulletproof vest
The other person protects the singer from outside danger, but also makes them feel invincible.
This is the first time, the moment I saw you
The singer remembers and cherishes the first time they laid eyes on the other person.
I've been caught by you since then
The singer has been hooked on the other person ever since their first encounter.
In this space, you reject me
The singer feels rejected and hurt by the other person, who is present in the same physical space but emotionally distant.
Even in this cramped space, my thoughts of you grow
Despite the difficult circumstances, the singer's feelings and thoughts about the other person only intensify and grow stronger.
At the beginning, my eyes close
The singer recalls the moment of first meeting with the other person, feeling enraptured.
Even my hand moves unconsciously
The singer is so enamored with the other person that even their physical reactions are out of their control.
For a moment, I become a fool
The other person has an effect on the singer that makes them lose their sense of reason and control.
You swim in my cigarette
The chorus repeats the idea that the other person is closely associated with the singer's smoking habit and addiction.
Writer(s): Garrison Starr
Contributed by Brayden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.