A native New Yorker with a captivating voice and a clear gift for songwriting, Meredith began playing both piano and violin from an early age, switching to guitar through high school and college. She began playing solo shows in small venues around New England, and made a few cds to hand out at shows which proved incredibly popular. Word spread fast, and the 2006 heyday of myspace added rocket fuel to the fire. When we talked with her about working together after the Southpaw show, we had no idea that her songs had already sold 15,000 copies, had not seen the 17 pages of cover versions on youtube, and had never been to one of her (more common) solo shows.
The name Gregory And The Hawk was conceived in 2003, initially devised to avoid her being perceived or pigeonholed as a female singer-songwriter (though, perhaps ironically, when pressed for a list of influences Meredith cites Nick Drake, Liz Phair, PJ Harvey). Meredith remained playing alone under that name for a few years, until she met Mike McGuire in New York in 2005. The two played live shows together for several months before teaming up with bassist Jeff Ratner and drummer Adam Christgau (both of New York band Paper And Sand). The four of them recorded the 'Boats And Birds EP', which they self-released in 2006.
Soon after, the four friends moved apart, and so Meredith began playing live with just Jeff on upright bass, and herself on acoustic guitar and vocals. This was how she played most of the shows to support 'In Your Dreams,' the debut album, again self-released in 2007. The only players on 'In Your Dreams' were Meredith, Mike McGuire (who also engineered most of it), and Susan Ambrose. The recording of 'Moenie and Kitchi' was somewhat different; while Mike, Susan and a host of others contributed, many of the instruments were played by the album's producer Adam Pierce (Mice Parade).
The gentle, hook-laden songs of Gregory And The Hawk's mostly solo/acoustic sets have received much of their considerable attention through internet streaming and downloads, resulting in a groundswell of support that belies the fact that up until now, there has been no label, no manager, or indeed any other supportive network to help them on their way. Gregory And The Hawk have but one thing on their side - the ability to craft spellbinding, idiosyncratic pop songs, that sound at once suggestive, familiar, and yet very much of themselves.
‘Moenie and Kitchi’ was released in October 2008, with US and European tours embarked on in support of this.
Gregory and The Hawk are currently writing new material for an album set to be released in 2010. Leche is schedule for release on Nov. 9th in the US and Nov. 15th in the UK.
Discography:
Gregory and the Hawk (demo quality) - c. 2002; re-released 2005
8-track demos - 2005
Boats & Birds EP - 2006
In Your Dreams - 2007
Moenie and Kitchi - 2008 - Fatcat
Leche - 2010 - Fatcat
Come, Now - 2012
Stone (EP) - 2012
A Selection of Demos - 2014
On the Orange Mountain - 2017
Three Weeks No Songs - 2020
Texas Collectious - 2022
Singles:
Ghost - 2008 - Fatcat
Olly Olly Oxen Free - 2010
Some White Mountain - 2023
Bootlegs:
Live at Olives - 4/4/04
A Wish
Gregory and the Hawk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics to Gregory and the Hawk's song "A Wish" reveal a story of unrequited love and longing. The song starts with the singer expressing a desire to feel small under their love interest's sheets and to hear the complete truth from them every time they speak. However, the singer is aware that the love interest only cares about them half as much as they do.
As the song progresses, the singer describes moments of intimacy with the love interest where they feel small under their hands. But again, they are aware that the love interest is not fully invested in the relationship and is still in love with someone else. The singer feels envious and stuck in a situation where they want to end things, but the love interest's hold on them is too powerful.
The repetition of the line "And my blood won't stick to the confines of my veins. And your heart is gonna tear mine away" captures the physical and emotional pain of unrequited love. Despite their efforts to be tough, the singer is bound to cry and suffer. The lyrics suggest that the singer is aware of their situation but feels powerless to change it.
Overall, "A Wish" is a poignant and honest depiction of unrequited love and the emotional turmoil that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish to feel smaller under your sheets.
I long to feel safe and secure with you, like a child underneath their blanket, protected from the world around us.
I wish for the whole truth every time you speak.
I desire complete honesty from you, to know that you trust me enough to tell me everything that's on your mind and heart.
I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me While I watch you arrive, smoke cigarettes, sleep...
I am aware that you don't feel for me the same way that I do for you, even as I observe you performing mundane tasks like arriving, smoking, and sleeping.
And I guess it doesn't matter what I say or what I seem You stuck what I felt for you in the pocket of your jeans.
It seems like what I feel or say doesn't matter to you, and that you've stored away my emotions for you like a trivial object in your pocket.
Ignoring me the morning after isn't enough and I swear I'm gonna cry. I'm sick of tryin' to be tough.
You don't just hurt me by ignoring me the morning after, and it takes a toll on my inner strength to keep pretending that I'm not affected by it.
And my blood won't stick to the confines of my veins. And your heart is gonna tear mine away.
My emotions are overwhelming me and I can't suppress them any longer, and I fear that your actions and feelings towards me will damage my heart beyond repair.
And I wish to feel smaller under your hands, though you seem satisfied as you slip mine down your pants.
Despite feeling emotionally vulnerable with you, I still desire physical intimacy with you, even if it seems like you're only interested in your own pleasure.
And I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me While you lift up my shirt after asking politely.
Even as you ask for my consent before taking a physical action, I am aware that your feelings towards me are not as strong as mine towards you.
Cuz it's her you'll always love and it's her I'll always envy.
I can't help but feel envious of the person you truly love, knowing that no matter what I do, I can never replace them in your heart.
I want to end this now so dreams of you won't keep me up. But I swear I'm gonna cry. I'm sick of tryin' to be tough.
I want to move on from this situation so I can stop having painful dreams of you and finally find peace, but it's hard to hide my emotions and pretend that I don't care.
And it's hard to find what I want when it's buried beneath the biggest rock. I could pay lots of money to help lift it with machines, but I'm not sure you'd cooperate. Not sure you'd come clean.
It feels like what I truly want from you is difficult to attain, like it's buried under a heavy obstacle that I might need help from external sources to overcome, but I have doubts about your willingness to help or be honest with me.
Yeah, I swear I'm gonna cry. I'm sick of tryin' to be tough. And my blood won't stick to the confines of my veins. And your heart is gonna tear mine away. Is gonna tear mine away.
Despite my efforts to be strong and hide my feelings, I reach a breaking point where I can't suppress them anymore, and I fear that your lack of care for me will cause irreparable damage to my heart.
Contributed by Bailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Erin
I wish to feel smaller
Under your sheets
I wish for the whole truth
Every time you speak
I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As I watch you arrive, smoke cigarettes, sleep...
And I guess it doesn't matter what I say or what I seem
You stuck what I felt for you in the pocket of your jeans
Ignoring me the morning after isn't enough
And I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
And I wish to feel smaller under your hands
Though you seem satisfied
As you slip mine down your pants
And I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As you lift up my shirt after asking politely
And I guess it doesn't matter what I am or pretend to be
'Cause it's her you'll always love and it's her I'll always envy
I want to end this now so dreams of you won't keep me up
But I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
And it's hard to find
What I want
When it's buried beneath the biggest rock
I could pay lots of money
To help lift it with machines
But I'm not sure you'd cooperate
Not sure you'd come clean
And I wish to feel smaller
Under your sheets
I wish for the whole truth
Every time you speak
And I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As I watch you arrive, smoke cigarettes, sleep...
And I guess it doesn't matter what I say or what I seem
You stuck what I felt for you in the pocket of your jeans.
Ignoring me the morning after isn't enough
And I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
Yeah, I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
Is gonna tear mine away
Jacob Root
I haven’t heard this song in probably almost a decade and holy shit, so much has changed, and so much is the same.
This song still makes me sad, hopeful, happy and proud to be where I am.
Idk felt I needed to say that, thanks for coming
Erin
I wish to feel smaller
Under your sheets
I wish for the whole truth
Every time you speak
I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As I watch you arrive, smoke cigarettes, sleep...
And I guess it doesn't matter what I say or what I seem
You stuck what I felt for you in the pocket of your jeans
Ignoring me the morning after isn't enough
And I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
And I wish to feel smaller under your hands
Though you seem satisfied
As you slip mine down your pants
And I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As you lift up my shirt after asking politely
And I guess it doesn't matter what I am or pretend to be
'Cause it's her you'll always love and it's her I'll always envy
I want to end this now so dreams of you won't keep me up
But I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
And it's hard to find
What I want
When it's buried beneath the biggest rock
I could pay lots of money
To help lift it with machines
But I'm not sure you'd cooperate
Not sure you'd come clean
And I wish to feel smaller
Under your sheets
I wish for the whole truth
Every time you speak
And I'm thinkin' about how you care half as much for me
As I watch you arrive, smoke cigarettes, sleep...
And I guess it doesn't matter what I say or what I seem
You stuck what I felt for you in the pocket of your jeans.
Ignoring me the morning after isn't enough
And I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
Yeah, I swear I'm gonna cry
I'm sick of tryin' to be tough
And my blood won't stick
To the confines of my veins
And your heart
Is gonna tear mine away
Is gonna tear mine away
Tree Bean
wow thanks for that
I have the internet though so I can always look it up..
uhh
baby baby baby
Thanks💕
Daphne Blue
this song still breaks my heart a decade later 💙
underbluemoonisawyou
this song is literally how i feel. why am i still with him?
Jessica Sands
three years later I am rooting for you so hard!!!!!!
Melchor De La Garza
same
Kentario
Five years on I'm hoping you're doing better
Rachael Lorraine Snow
5 And a half years and I know how this feels, and it made me so sad to see this comment but I hope you’ve moved in and gained clarity from it!!💕