The band was formed in 1990 by Greg Mckenna and Kay Hanley, from ashes of their former band, Rebbecca Lula. After numerous member changes, the classic Letters to Cleo line-up was solidified. They included Hanley and Mckenna, Mike Eisenstein on guitar, Stacy Jones on drums and Scott Riebling on bass. After years of playing the Boston club circuit, including TT The Bears Place and The Rathskellar, Letters released their first full length record, Aurora Gory Alice on CherryDisc in 1993.
The album received extensive airplay around the region and after a much hyped show at South by Southwest in Austin, Letters to Cleo signed a major label record deal with Giant Records and Aurora Gory Alice was re-released worldwide.
They had their first big hit single with "Here & Now" and the song would later appear on the Melrose Place soundtrack, where it got most of its exposure. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Singles chart. Appearances on Conan O'Brien and Jon Stewart followed.
In 1995, Wholesale Meats and Fish was released and followed by extensive tours with Our Lady Peace, Sponge, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and others. The single "Awake" was released and achieved moderate rotation on alternative radio. The band also recorded a cover of The Cars song "The Dangerous Type" for the major motion picture, The Craft.
In 1997, Stacy Jones left the band to join Veruca Salt and was replaced by Tom Polce. That same year, LTC's third album "Go" was released. After a short tour, Polce left the band and was replaced by drummer Jason Sutter. In late 1997, Letters to Cleo parted ways with their record label Giant/Revolution.
1998 saw the release of some early demos and B-sides in the form of the "Sister" EP on Wicked Disc.
Letters to Cleo appeared in the film 10 Things I Hate about You in 1999 (one of the characters considers them a favorite band). They contributed three songs to the soundtrack for the film, including one original track, "Come On", a Cheap Trick cover ("I Want You to Want Me") and a Nick Lowe cover ("Cruel to Be Kind"). Whereas the covers appeared on the film's sountrack, "Come On" did not. It was released as an MP3 downloadable from the Band's website. During that same year, LTC opened for Cheap Trick at The Paradise club in Boston.
The band played its last show on May 4, 2000, a benefit for their friend and longtime local supporter, Mikey D. They announced their disbandment in the Boston Globe the following month. Most of the band members are now involved in solo careers. Most notable is Kay Hanley's career, which produced the album "Cherry Marmalade in 2002 and the EP The Babydoll EP in 2004. Hanley also provided the singing voice for the Josie character in the 2001 motion picture Josie and the Pussycats.
Former drummer Stacy Jones went on to form American Hi-Fi with fellow Boston musicians Drew Parsons, Jamie Arentzen and Brian Nolan.
Scott Riebling went into the production side of music and is now a highly sought after producer and engineer.
Co-founding member Greg McKenna is currently finishing work on his solo project, Murder Capitol of the World. The debut album is due in 2007.
Clear Blue Water
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saw nothing out there at all at all
Picture a scene across to the other side
Saw nothing out there at all
Pack up some scant possessions
For this trip you'll take to find
What's right in front of you
Take a look around you can't you see
Walls are closing in
"I can't breathe" you say
So it goes. so far like taking flight
Near perfect, it feels like
Spoon fed, it's like bliss.
It's waning in and out and it
Takes the air out like a centrifuge
The song Clear Blue Water by Letters to Cleo is a profound piece that captures the feelings of being lost, hopeless and trapped. The opening line "Cast out on clear blue water" sets the tone for the entire song as it brings to life the imagery of being lost at sea with no hope of finding your way back. The singer of the song sees nothing out there and is left to fend for themselves. As the song continues, the singer packs up "some scant possessions" for a trip to find what's right in front of them. This line implies that the solution to their troubles is right in front of them, yet they are still struggling to see it.
As the song progresses, the singer begins to feel trapped with walls closing in around them, leading to a feeling of suffocation where they can't breathe. The line "So it goes. so far like taking flight" suggests that this is a continuous cycle that they have been through before, making it more difficult to break free. The next set of lines "Near perfect, it feels like Spoon-fed, it's like bliss. It's waning in and out and it Takes the air out like a centrifuge" hints at the fact that the singer knows that their current situation is wrong, yet they are still lured in by the comfort of what is familiar.
Overall, the song Clear Blue Water is a powerful message of feeling lost, suffocated, and trapped in a cycle that the singer can't seem to break free from. It represents the struggle of finding a way out of a crisis, despite the solution being right in front of them.
Line by Line Meaning
Cast out on clear blue water
Starting a journey on open water where nothing is certain or visible.
Saw nothing out there at all at all
Despite searching, there is nothing to be found in the vast expanse of water.
Picture a scene across to the other side
Imagining a different life or perspective beyond the current situation.
Saw nothing out there at all
Despite this new perspective, there is still nothing to be found.
Pack up some scant possessions
Gathering only the bare necessities for the journey ahead.
For this trip you'll take to find
Embarking on a journey to discover something new or hidden.
What's right in front of you
Despite searching for something far away, the answer may have been present all along.
So you'll need some help on well good luck good byeâ?¦
Acknowledging the need for assistance during the journey and saying farewell to the past.
Take a look around you can't you see
Noticing the surroundings and realizing the walls are closing in.
Walls are closing in
Feeling trapped or suffocated by the current situation.
"I can't breathe" you say
Expressing the overwhelming feeling of being unable to cope or escape.
So it goes. so far like taking flight
The journey is progressing like a flight, with moments of freedom and excitement.
Near perfect, it feels like
Although not everything is ideal, there is a sense of contentment and satisfaction.
Spoon fed, it's like bliss.
Feeling comfortable and content, as if everything is being provided for without effort.
It's waning in and out and it
The feeling of contentment is not constant, but fading in and out.
Takes the air out like a centrifuge
The fluctuating emotions are draining and exhausting, like the force of a centrifuge removing air from a substance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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