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
Stone Wall Stone Fence
Gregory and the Hawk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Big open air you feel the tickle of the trees on your chest
And why'd you go and waste it
The things that you know are makin you a stone wall stone fence
Your stories so old you just tend to keep them
Long winding road
You got a secret but you won't share it
Big open land you hold the weight of the air in your hands
And why'd you go and waste it
The things that you know are makin you a stone wall stone fence
Your stories so old you just tend to keep them
Long winding road you got a secret but you won't share it
The lyrics of Gregory and the Hawk's song "Stonewall Stone Fence" describe a person who lives in a big open land and air, feeling the weight of the air and the tickle of the trees on their chest. However, their secrets and old stories are keeping them from truly experiencing life to the fullest, turning them into a "stone wall stone fence." The song describes the person's reluctance to share their secrets, mentioning that they have a long winding road ahead of them. The repetition of the lines "Big open land you hold the weight of the air in your hands/Big open air you feel the tickle of the trees on your chest/And why'd you go and waste it/The things that you know are makin you a stone wall stone fence" emphasizes the feeling of missed opportunities due to holding onto secrets and old stories.
The song seems to be about the destructive consequences of holding onto the past and refusing to let it go. The metaphor of the "stone wall stone fence" suggests that the person has built walls around themselves that prevent them from moving forward and experiencing life fully. It's possible that the song is suggesting that the person needs to share their secrets in order to let go of them and move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Big open land you hold the weight of the air in your hands
You have the power and influence to shape the environment around you.
Big open air you feel the tickle of the trees on your chest
You feel the embrace of nature and the world around you.
And why'd you go and waste it
Why would you let this opportunity go to waste?
The things that you know are makin you a stone wall stone fence
Your knowledge and experiences are keeping you from connecting with others and opening up.
Your stories so old you just tend to keep them
You hold on to the past and are hesitant to let go of old memories.
Long winding road
Life is full of twists and turns, and your path is not always clear.
You got a secret but you won't share it
You hold back your true feelings and keep your thoughts to yourself.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Meredith Marie Godreau
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind