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.
I Got Time
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
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So I stole it for myself
So you could see just what I mean
And this alluvial fan it represents my life
I've got the strength to move but why should I got time I got time
That's the greatest story I have heard so far
Lilies in the toilet spider
All the evidence would seem to point out that I'm just another choke in your wheels
And that you got me trapped
I got time
I got time
You take the weight off the heavy notion
I'll take the wave from coast to ocean
That's why the ride is light
It's all alright it's alright
This alluvial fan it represents my life
I've got the strength to move
But why should I
You take the weight off the heavy notion
And I'll...
I got time
It's what I got
The first verse of this song by Letters to Cleo depicts an image that is so powerful that the singer had to steal it so that whoever they were showing it to could understand their perspective. The "alluvial fan" that follows is a metaphor for the singer's life: a broad, sloping pile of sediment that has built up over time from the sediment carried by a stream. This metaphor implies that the singer's life has changed, accumulated, and grown over time. Despite having the strength to move, the singer chooses to remain stationary, claiming that they have time. The decision to stay put, whether out of comfort or lack of desire to change, seems to be at odds with the strength they possess.
In the second verse, the singer describes a story they have heard that has piqued their interest. The story is bizarre, featuring lilies in the toilet and spiders driving motor cars. The singer acknowledges that they are stuck, feeling like they are just another obstacle in someone else's life. Despite this, they still have time, implying that time is something they value and that they are content with the position they are in.
The chorus comes in at this point and reiterates that the singer has time. They are not in a rush to move or change their current situation. The song then ends with a repetition of the "weight off the heavy notion" line, which implies that the singer wants to let go of the things that are weighing them down or causing them discomfort.
Overall, the song seems to have a relaxed, almost apathetic tone. The singer has the strength to move and make changes in their life, yet they choose not to. They value time and seem content with what they have, even if they are just another obstacle in someone else's life.
Line by Line Meaning
That's the greatest picture I have ever seen
This picture is something special and amazing to me
So I stole it for myself
I took it without permission to keep it forever
So you could see just what I mean
I want you to appreciate how much it means to me
And this alluvial fan it represents my life
This image is a metaphor for my existence
I've got the strength to move but why should I got time I got time
I'm capable of progressing, but I'm in no hurry since I have an abundance of time
That's the greatest story I have heard so far
This story is extremely remarkable and impressive to me
Lilies in the toilet spider Driving motor cars
I see interesting things all around me, from flowers in the bathroom to spiders and cars on the road
All the evidence would seem to point out that I'm just another choke in your wheels
It may seem like I'm just holding you back and hindering you
And that you got me trapped I got time I got time
But I have so much time that being stuck doesn't bother me
You take the weight off the heavy notion
You lighten the burden of heavy thoughts
I'll take the wave from coast to ocean
I'll ride the waves wherever they take me
That's why the ride is light It's all alright it's alright
This is why the journey feels effortless and everything is fine
And I'll... I got time It's what I got
I'll keep taking my time since it's what I have and what I'm comfortable with
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GREG MCKENNA, KAY HANLEY, MICHAEL EISENSTEIN, SCOTT RIEBLING, TOM POLCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind