The core of Geggy Tah comprises Greg Kurstin and Tommy Jordan. Each of them has a younger sister who was unable to pronounce her brother's name when very young; "Geggy" and "Tah" were the baby girls' mispronunciations of their brother's names.
Geggy Tah's first release, Grand Opening, appeared in 1994 on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label. For their 1996 release Sacred Cow, they added drummer Daren Hahn to the lineup. Also on Luaka Bop, the album spawned the hit single "Whoever You Are." The song appeared in a Mercedes commercial circa 2001.
In 1999, the band announced a new album entitled Music Inspired by The Fragrance, and released two songs ("Space Heater" and "Sweat") on the web in mp3 format. However (in part because of Luaka Bop's move from Warner Brothers to Virgin Records) the album went unreleased until 2001, by which point it had acquired a new title: Into The Oh.
Holly Oak
Geggy Tah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Planted by a passerby tossing acorn seeds
Till one takes hold and grows to be
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
When we were young
We could not afford fancy things, oh no
We carved our names
Forever eternity
But as our hearts
And names distort
As the oak grows to be
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
I will be home soon enough
Nature will make sure of that
Even if I forget about her love song
I'm gently tapped on the back
(gently tapped on the back)
A holly oak tree is shading me
Planted by a passerby tossing acorn seeds
Till one takes hold an grows to be
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
A shade of love inside a memory of
You and me and that holly oak tree
The lyrics of Geggy Tah's song "Holly Oak" tell a story of a holly oak tree that has become a symbol of love and memory for the singer and his beloved. The tree was planted by a passerby tossing acorn seeds, and as it grows to be a tall and strong tree, it provides shade for the singer and his companion. The tree becomes a representation of their love story, as they carve their names on it and spend time swinging under its branches during their youth. As time passes, their hearts and names may distort, but the holly oak tree remains a constant reminder of their love and memories together.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of longing and faith that the singer will be reunited with his beloved, even if he forgets about their love song. He feels a gentle tap on his back, as if nature is reminding him of the love and memories he shares with his companion. The repetition of the line "A shade of love inside a memory of you and me and that holly oak tree" emphasizes the idea that the tree has become a significant symbol of their love and connection.
Overall, the lyrics of "Holly Oak" offer a beautiful and poignant tale of love and the power of memory. The holly oak tree serves as a metaphor for the endurance of love and the permanence of memories, even as time passes and lives change.
Line by Line Meaning
A holly oak tree is shading me
I'm sitting under a holly oak tree, enjoying its shade.
Planted by a passerby tossing acorn seeds
The tree was planted by someone who threw acorns around randomly, probably not expecting it to grow so big.
Till one takes hold and grows to be
One acorn managed to take root and started growing into a tree.
A shade of love inside a memory of
The holly oak tree is a symbol of love and is forever etched in my memories.
You and me and that holly oak tree
The memory of you and me under the holly oak tree is a precious one.
When we were young
Back when we were just kids.
We could not afford fancy things, oh no
We couldn't buy or have expensive things back then.
So we would swing and one day
Instead, we would swing on a makeshift swing we made under the tree.
We carved our names
We even carved our names on the tree trunk, marking our love.
Forever eternity
Our love is forever and will never fade.
But as our hearts
Over time, our feelings for each other may change.
And names distort
Our names may become illegible due to the growth of the tree.
As the oak grows to be
As the tree gets bigger and stronger.
I will be home soon enough
I'll be going home soon.
Nature will make sure of that
Nature will take care of me and guide me back.
Even if I forget about her love song
Even if I forget about the tree and its symbolism for love.
I'm gently tapped on the back
I'm reminded of it in a subtle way, maybe by a gentle breeze or a rustling of leaves.
Contributed by Dominic I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Joel Johnson
on Whoever You Are
This song is so catchy, so great in every way. This song can NEVER get old.