Hanley was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. She was a member of Letters to Cleo from 1990 to 2000 (the length of the band's existence). She came up with the band's name (she had a pen pal named Cleo when she was younger). In 1997, she started to work on other projects than the band, starting with a role in the Boston Rock Opera's performance of Jesus Christ Superstar as Mary Magdalene.
In 1999, Hanley made a cameo as herself in the film 10 Things I Hate about You, singing a cover version of Nick Lowe's "Cruel to be Kind" at the movie characters' high school prom. Towards the end of Letters to Cleo's career, she began performing with her husband and fellow Letters to Cleo member Michael Eisenstein outside of the band. Around the same time, she gave birth to their daughter, Zoe.
Starting her own solo career, Hanley started doing music for the cartoon Generation O. She also provided the singing voice for Rachael Leigh Cook's character Josie in the movie Josie and the Pussycats. In 2002, she released her first solo album, Cherry Marmalade. That same year, she appeared on the Dropkick Murphys/Face to Face split cd, providing guest vocals on the original version of the Dropkick Murphys song "The Dirty Glass". She also performed the song "Follow Me" for the video game Sonic Heroes in 2003. In 2004 she released a follow up to Cherry Marmalade, The Babydoll EP. She is very involved with the Boston based charity "Hot Stove, Cool Music." She is currently in the Los Angeles-based girl band, The Dilettantes, with New York native Michelle Lewis. In 2004, she and her husband Michael Eisenstein had their second child, Henry Aaron, the name given in honor of baseball player Hank Aaron and their love for baseball.
In August 2005, Hanley announced on her website's message board that she would be recording a cover of Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life" for the soundtrack of the Reese Witherspoon film Just Like Heaven In September 2005, she appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as part of a pretaped man-on-the-street segment, singing a song about falling in love at Starbucks.
The internet radio station KGRL featured her as their Flower-Powered Artist for September of 2006. The feature includes an exclusive interview, CD Review of Cherry Marmalade, Review of Babydoll EP, and an on-demand video stream of the whole Hotel Cafe performance last July 2006.
She's also quite popular with fans of the New England Patriots, as every time she has sung the National Anthem for them at Gillette Stadium the Patriots have won. She has sung eight times as of January 2007 with as many wins, including the only home playoff games for the Patriots in 2006 and 2007.
She sings the main theme song for My Friends Tigger and Pooh, a half-hour Disney Channel TV show that premiered on Playhouse Disney on May 12, 2007 and "We Are The Care Bears" from Care Bears: Oopsy Does It!.
On Thanksgiving Day 2007, Hanley sang a song called "Caring Changes The World" in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the Care Bears Float. Hanley toured as a back up singer with Miley Cyrus on her Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus : Best of Both Worlds Tour.
Galapagos
Kay Hanley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
South Dakota
I'm tired of sitting down
We said goodbye to Seattle
It's seven am now
Should I be saved? I'm going home
Should I be scared? well I don't know
There was a question in my heart
I guess it went the way
Of all the passing miles
And yesterday's coke buzz
There's no excuse at twenty nine
To be so absurdly like a child
So I can't stay up all night with you
The kick don't kick like it used to
And I've made mistakes
Heaven knows
But I'm scared of being alone
So make this bad ride fly Galapagos
My watch is set now to eastern standard
With Sioux Falls rolling by
And it makes me tired how I make tired
It seems most all the time
So you'll see the ocean and the truth
And I won't be of any use to you
And you'll want back your old guitar
And you'll want back
Your brand new start
And I won't deny nor oppose
Your needing to be alone
So make this bad ride fly Galapagos
I can't stay up all night with you
The kick don't kick like it use to
And I've made mistakes
Heaven knows
But I'm scared of being alone
So make this bad ride fly Galapagos
The lyrics of Kay Hanley's song "Galapagos" are a reflection of a person going through a transition phase in life, leaving behind the familiar to head out into the unknown. The song begins with a description of the "mighty badlands" of South Dakota and the singer's weariness of sitting down, as if they're ready to move. The first lines already set the scene for the rest of the song as they hint at a journey. The singer then mentions leaving Seattle and now finds themselves on their way home, but they're uncertain whether they should be saved, scared, or both. The lyrics suggest a conflict of emotions inside them, questioning if they're ready for what's to come.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes that they're growing older and needs to let go of certain things that were once familiar. They describe feeling like a child despite being 29 years old and unable to stay up all night like they once could. They've also made mistakes in the past, but they fear being alone more than anything else. The chorus "So make this bad ride fly Galapagos" is a plea to move past this transitional phase and make it to the other side, wherever that may be. They acknowledge that they won't be of any use to the person they're leaving behind, but they need to keep moving forward.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "Galapagos" are about an individual in a transitional period of their life. They've realized that they need to let go of certain things and move forward, but they're scared of being alone. They want to make it to the other side of the transition, but they're not sure if they're ready for what's to come.
Line by Line Meaning
The mighty badlands
Referring to the landscape of Badlands National Park in South Dakota
South Dakota
A state in the Midwestern region of the United States
I'm tired of sitting down
Expressing a desire to be more active and less stagnant
We said goodbye to Seattle
Leaving Seattle behind and heading towards a new destination
It's seven am now
The time of day when the journey is beginning
Should I be saved? I'm going home
Wondering if the journey home will bring spiritual salvation or freedom from worldly worries and concerns
Should I be scared? well I don't know
Feeling a sense of unease or uncertainty about what lies ahead
There was a question in my heart
An unspoken inquiry or doubt that is weighing on the artist
But I've forgotten what it was
Unable to remember the exact nature of the question or problem
I guess it went the way
The question or issue has dissipated or been resolved
Of all the passing miles
Through the journey and progression of time, the issue has become less significant
And yesterday's coke buzz
A fleeting feeling of pleasure or euphoria, now already in the past
There's no excuse at twenty nine
Feeling a sense of responsibility and maturity at the age of 29
To be so absurdly like a child
Despite feeling a sense of responsibility, the singer acknowledges that they still have room for personal growth and development
So I can't stay up all night with you
Acknowledging that they cannot indulge in youthful antics or hedonism anymore
The kick don't kick like it used to
The effects of drugs or other indulgences are less potent or less enjoyable than before
And I've made mistakes
Expressing regret for choices made in the past
Heaven knows
Highlighting the severity and extent of their mistakes
But I'm scared of being alone
Despite growing in maturity and responsibility, the singer still has fears and doubts about their ability to handle solitude
So make this bad ride fly Galapagos
Requesting or hoping for a swift resolution to the journey, potentially in a metaphorical sense of overcoming personal struggles or obstacles
My watch is set now to eastern standard
Setting a new time zone to regulate the journey
With Sioux Falls rolling by
Passing by the town of Sioux Falls, located in South Dakota
And it makes me tired how I make tired
Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by the stresses of the journey
It seems most all the time
Feeling a constant sense of fatigue and burnout
So you'll see the ocean and the truth
Expressing hope that the journey will lead to a greater sense of clarity and a connection to the natural world
And I won't be of any use to you
Acknowledging that they may not be able to help or assist others in their personal journeys
And you'll want back your old guitar
People may want to return to past interests or hobbies, rather than continue on the current journey
And you'll want back your brand new start
Expressing the desire for a fresh beginning or a new perspective on life
And I won't deny nor oppose
Not standing in the way of anyone's personal growth or desires, even if it means leaving the artist behind
Your needing to be alone
Acknowledging that solitude and personal space is necessary for growth and reflection
So make this bad ride fly Galapagos
Reiterating the hope or desire for a swift resolution to the journey and its accompanying struggles
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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