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.
Come Around
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
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Don't get too high if I'm looking up at you.
And if the answer looks at me I'll still say I don't know it
Not that I could come around anyway.
Look your dreams walk away with mine.
Stumble and cry, but I'm clapping on the inside.
I'm clapping on the inside.
So what your answer comes to me.
If I should say something like "no, please don't go"
I am in a bind as much as I am saying good-bye.
Don't feel small when I'm looking down.
Don't get too high if you're looking up at me.
And if the answer looks at me I'll still say I don't know it
Not that I could come around anyway.
If I should say something like "no, please don't go"
I am in a bind as much as I am telling you
I am telling you a lie.
In Letters to Cleo's song Come Around, the lyrics seem to be addressing feelings of insecurity and uncertainty in a relationship. The lines "Don't feel small when I'm looking down" and "Don't get too high if I'm looking up at you" suggest that the singer may feel inferior or jealous at times. This is also reflected in the later line "If I should say something like 'no, please don't go' / I am in a bind as much as I am saying good-bye." Here, the singer is admitting that they are struggling with conflicting emotions and may not know what they really want.
The chorus, "And if the answer looks at me I'll still say I don't know it / Not that I could come around anyway," also speaks to a sense of helplessness or indecisiveness in the relationship. The singer seems to feel like they cannot change the situation or make things better, even if they knew what they wanted. The lines "Look your dreams walk away with mine / Stumble and cry, but I'm clapping on the inside" further emphasize this idea of resignation and internal conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't feel small when I'm looking down.
I don't want you to think that I am judging you or looking down on you, just because I may seem physically higher or more confident than you.
Don't get too high if I'm looking up at you.
Just because I may look up to you or admire you in certain ways, doesn't mean that you should let it get to your head or become overconfident.
And if the answer looks at me I'll still say I don't know it
Even if I am faced with the truth or a difficult question, I may still choose to deny it or pretend I don't know the answer.
Not that I could come around anyway.
Even if I wanted to change my mind or come around to a different point of view, it may not be possible or feasible.
Look your dreams walk away with mine.
Our aspirations and goals may align or be intertwined in some way, and we may both face similar obstacles or paths in pursuit of them.
Stumble and cry, but I'm clapping on the inside.
Even if you are struggling or facing challenges, I still support you and am cheering you on internally.
I'm clapping on the inside.
I may not show my emotions or outwardly express my support, but that doesn't mean I am not there for you or rooting for you.
So what your answer comes to me.
No matter what your opinion or answer may be, I am willing to listen and consider it.
I'm not saying I don't know it but it's not likely that I'll come around anyway.
Although I may understand or recognize your perspective, I may still choose to stick to my own beliefs or point of view.
If I should say something like "no, please don't go"
If I were to try and stop you from leaving or making a decision, it would be because I am conflicted and unsure myself.
I am in a bind as much as I am saying good-bye.
My emotions and feelings are just as mixed up and uncertain as the situation we are in, and saying goodbye or letting go is difficult for me too.
Don't feel small when I'm looking down.
I don't want you to feel inferior or less important when I may seem more dominant or confident.
Don't get too high if you're looking up at me.
Just because I may be in a position of power or authority, doesn't mean that you should become overly deferential or submissive.
And if the answer looks at me I'll still say I don't know it
Even when faced with a difficult truth or fact, I may choose to deny or ignore it and pretend that I don't have the answer.
Not that I could come around anyway.
There may be many factors or reasons why I am unable to change or alter my perspective or point of view, even if I wanted to.
If I should say something like "no, please don't go"
Trying to stop or convince someone not to leave may come from a place of fear or uncertainty, rather than genuine concern or care.
I am in a bind as much as I am telling you
I am just as conflicted and unsure as you are, and I may not have all the answers or solutions to our problems.
I am telling you a lie.
Despite my attempts to convey confidence or certainty, I may still be dishonest with myself and others about my true feelings or intentions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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