Girl in a Coma formed when best friends Jenn Alva and Phanie Diaz met in Jr-high school art class over a mutual love of the Smiths, Nirvana, and skipping school. All they needed was a singer. Enter Nina Diaz, Phanie’s little sister. Nina blew them away with her mesmerizing vocals, a powerful voice some critics have compared to Bjork, Patsy Cline, and the band’s hero, Morrissey himself. The trio practiced for three years, gigged at local punk rock clubs, played a High School talent show, one kid’s birthday party, and then hit the road, building up a solid and loyal fan base across the country.
In 2006, the Girls played for Joan Jett and long-time songwriting partner and producer, Kenny Laguna, at New York’s Knitting Factory as part of a cable TV show featuring unknown bands. Jett and Laguna were so impressed with the band that they signed GIAC to their label, Blackheart Records, on the spot.
The band’s 2007 debut album, Both Before I’m Gone, was a critical hit with raves from Alternative Press Magazine, the LA Weekly, Bust magazine, among many others, with the album reaching No. 23 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart and No. 21 on iTunes. “Clumsy Sky,” the band’s first single, won a 2007 Independent Music Award.
In 2009, the band released their follow up album, Trio B.C. The album is a unique amalgamation of eclectic influences: oldies, rockabilly, 90s alternative, and contemporary bands both indie and mainstream.
Just a year later, the band recorded a companion piece to Trio B.C. Produced by Grammy-award winning producer Greg Collins (U2 and Gwen Stefani), Adventures in Coverland. features reinterpretations of songs and artists who have impacted the band. The songs range from a punked out version of Selena’s “Si Una Vez” to a stripped down version of Joy Division’s “Transmission.”
In early 2011, new material was piling up and the band was ready to head back into the studio to work on their upcoming album, Exits & All the Rest.
From sharing stages with their heroes to experiencing Arizona’s controversial laws firsthand, the album was born in an especially intense period for the band. The Girls headed a few miles north to Austin and recorded with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Trail of Dead). It was the band’s first time working on analog tape and all the basic tracks were laid down live. The recording process seemed to help the band capture some of the raw energy and power that they are known for in their live shows.
The Photographer
Girl in a Coma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As she lay stiff and sexless on your bed.
You pushed aside and asked to hide
Along with all your brutal reality slides.
We had front seats for your slide show.
We had front seats for your slide show.
Oh just shut up and let the photo talk
Oh just shut your mouth
and stand up straight.
Flash goes the camera called life's mistakes
We had front seats for your slide show.
We had front seats for your slide show.
We had front seats for your slide show.
The Girl in a Coma's song The Photographer is a haunting and thought-provoking song that tells the story of a photographer who has taken advantage of a model. The first verse, "A perfect lie did save your life / As she lay stiff and sexless on your bed," suggests that the photographer was about to kill his victim, but something made him change his mind. The "perfect lie" could refer to a number of things - maybe he told himself that it was just a photoshoot gone wrong, or that the model had consented to something she hadn't really agreed to. Either way, the photographer was able to escape punishment by lying about what had happened.
The second verse, "Mr Demille, the close up shot / Oh just shut up and let the photo talk," suggests that the photographer is trying to justify what he did by saying that the photos will speak for themselves. He wants the viewer to focus on the artistry of the images rather than the reality behind them. However, the line "Flash goes the camera called life's mistakes" suggests that the photographer knows deep down that what he did was wrong, and that the camera has captured his guilt and regret.
The chorus, "We had front seats for your slide show," suggests that the people listening to the song are watching the photographer's downfall play out in front of them. They have a bird's-eye view of the situation, and are judging the photographer for his actions.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on exploitation in the creative industry, and asks the listener to consider the morality behind the art that they consume.
Line by Line Meaning
A perfect lie did save your life
You were saved by telling a well-crafted lie
As she lay stiff and sexless on your bed.
A woman you were with died and you left her body there
You pushed aside and asked to hide
You ignored the woman's death and tried to hide it
Along with all your brutal reality slides.
You also tried to hide other dark aspects of your life
Mr Demille, the close up shot
You are comparing yourself to a famous movie director
Oh just shut up and let the photo talk
Stop talking and let the photograph speak for itself
Oh just shut your mouth
Stop talking
and stand up straight.
You should be confident and unapologetic about what you have done
Flash goes the camera called life's mistakes
Your mistakes in life are like a photograph that cannot be undone
We had front seats for your slide show.
We were close to you and witnessed your life's tragedies
We had front seats for your slide show.
We were close to you and witnessed your life's tragedies
We had front seats for your slide show.
We were close to you and witnessed your life's tragedies
Contributed by Lila N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.