Greg & Steve are a musical group based in Los Angeles, California. The duo,… Read Full Bio ↴Greg & Steve are a musical group based in Los Angeles, California. The duo, composed of Greg Scelsa and Steve Millang, has been performing and recording children's music since the 1970s. Scelsa and Millang both perform as vocalists and guitarists.[1] They have recorded 18 albums, one music video compilation, and one live concert DVD.[2] Greg & Steve are marketed toward children from preschool age through primary school and have sold more than 4 million albums,[3] making them the best selling children's music duo in the United States.[4] They also have a rigorous concert schedule, playing an average of 100 shows per year[1] including venues such as Carnegie Hall.[5]
Scelsa and Millang, who have known each other since high school, moved from their hometown of Newport Beach, California to Los Angeles to "be closer to the music business" in 1968. They took jobs as special education assistants, and soon started performing music for the children, many of whom had emotional or behavioral problems.[6] They found that their music had a positive effect on children with disorders such as autism. For the next several years, they performed their music program for different schools.[5] In 1975, they decided to form a record company, Youngheart Records, and presented a recording of their music to National Association for the Education of Young Children convention attendees. After receiving a positive reaction at the conference, Scelsa and Millang formed "Greg & Steve" and began selling their recordings in the educational market.[1]
In 1991, Scelsa and Millang sold the majority interest of Youngheart Records to Creative Teaching Press and have expanded into internet and retail sales.[1] The expansion allowed them to begin selling their music in larger markets such as retailers Barnes & Noble,[5] and allowed them to focus on their music rather than on business tasks.[7] As of 2002, Greg & Steve have received nine Parents' Choice Awards.[8] In 2010, their album Jumpin' and Jammin was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Album for Children.[9]

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Greg & Steve Lyrics

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A friend would, I think, recognize that I haven’t been myself lately. Pressing the point of a ball point pen into my thumb until it hurts, until it bleeds. I’ve been here, writing frantically, I’ve been lost, like my time is short, incoherent, scratching this out in my skin. I wanted to confess, I wanted to let you know. I’m not handling this well. A lot of the time I don’t know what day it is or why it’s so important to write to tell you about the shape of clouds and what they might mean for you and me. I left a yellow cigarette lighter on a park bench. I can’t wash any of this out. I’m leaving prints on everything I touch. I saw the butane torch, I lifted up my hands, reaching for it, desperate for fire again, desperate to leave nothing left. I wanted to confess, I wanted to let you know. I’m not handling this well. All my life, I’ve been afraid to say that I need some help. I hate myself. All my life, I’ve been afraid to say anything, to tell someone that I’ve given up.

Overall Meaning

These lyrics depict a sense of internal struggle and emotional distress. The singer reveals that they haven't been themselves lately, possibly indicating a state of emotional detachment or turmoil. The act of pressing a ballpoint pen into their thumb until it hurts and bleeds could symbolize a self-destructive behavior or a way to cope with emotional pain. The singer describes their desperation and urgency to write, as if time is running out. They confess that they are not handling whatever they are going through well, implying that they are overwhelmed and unable to cope with their emotions.

The mention of the shape of clouds and their meaning for both the singer and the other person represents the desire to connect or communicate something important. However, the singer's state of confusion and disorientation, not knowing the day or the significance of writing about clouds, hints at their mental state.

The reference to leaving a yellow cigarette lighter on a park bench and leaving prints on everything they touch signifies a sense of insignificance and impermanence. It suggests that the singer feels like they are leaving a mark on the world but in a fleeting and temporary way. The mention of a butane torch and the singer's desperation for fire again could symbolize a desire for passion or intensity in their life, or even a wish to erase or destroy their own existence.

Overall, these lyrics express someone's inner turmoil, their difficulty in asking for help, their self-loathing, and their sense of giving up on life.

Line by Line Meaning

A friend would, I think, recognize that I haven’t been myself lately.
I believe a close friend would notice that I have been behaving differently than usual.

Pressing the point of a ball point pen into my thumb until it hurts, until it bleeds.
I have been intentionally hurting myself by repeatedly pushing a pen into my thumb until it causes pain and draws blood.

I’ve been here, writing frantically, I’ve been lost, like my time is short, incoherent, scratching this out in my skin.
I have been in a state of confusion and urgency, writing rapidly and chaotically, even resorting to scratching words on my skin.

I wanted to confess, I wanted to let you know. I’m not handling this well.
I desired to admit my struggles and inform you that I am not coping effectively with my current situation.

A lot of the time I don’t know what day it is or why it’s so important to write to tell you about the shape of clouds and what they might mean for you and me.
Frequently, I am unsure of the date and why it is significant for me to communicate with you about the appearance of clouds and the potential significance they hold for both of us.

I left a yellow cigarette lighter on a park bench. I can’t wash any of this out. I’m leaving prints on everything I touch.
I accidentally abandoned a yellow cigarette lighter on a bench in the park, and I am unable to remove the consequences of my actions. Everything I come into contact with bears evidence of my presence.

I saw the butane torch, I lifted up my hands, reaching for it, desperate for fire again, desperate to leave nothing left.
When I noticed the butane torch, I instinctively raised my hands, longing for the sensation of fire once more, yearning to eradicate any remnants of existence.

All my life, I’ve been afraid to say that I need some help. I hate myself.
Throughout my entire existence, I have harbored a fear of expressing my need for assistance. I despise who I am.

All my life, I’ve been afraid to say anything, to tell someone that I’ve given up.
For as long as I can remember, I have dreaded uttering any words revealing that I have surrendered or lost hope.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard Martin

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