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 See
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't see the same old thing it's out there everywhere.
The thousand wishes I have had in my life come true.
After they are gone I say, "what did I do that for?"
I see this world going in circles around all around me.
I'll end up mad before life is through with me.
Guilty old me.
Then I'll wrack my brains to find some chaos.
As the image forms I'll let it swallow up my mind.
Time will pass I'll ask myself "this is a joke right?"
Thinking, thinking, thoughtless, but it sometimes seems.
Think too much, too hard and it confuses me.
Rectify myself to all the things I thought were real
Or I'll lock the bedroom door and simply stay at home.
I see
this world going in circles around me, and I fear that it will drive me crazy before my time is up. The singer is feeling overwhelmed by the sameness and predictability of life and is struggling with a sense of purpose or fulfillment. They express a desire to escape from this endless cycle by closing their eyes and avoiding the world outside. They also have a sense of regret about the choices they've made in life, wondering if the things they pursued were worth it.
The second verse continues with a sense of restlessness and a need for excitement or chaos. The singer decides to pay their dues and stand in line, but only with the intention of causing some kind of disturbance or disruption. They describe their thought process as being both too deep and too shallow, causing confusion and difficulty in finding meaning. The singer recognizes the need to rectify their perception of reality, but is also tempted to withdraw completely and lock themselves away.
Line by Line Meaning
I think I'll close my eyes and wait as the world goes by.
I want to take a break from my surroundings and simply wait for things to happen without experiencing the same mundane things I always see.
Won't see the same old thing it's out there everywhere.
I don't want to see the same repetitive things that are constantly present in my environment.
The thousand wishes I have had in my life come true.
All of the things I've hoped for and dreamed of have become a reality.
After they are gone I say, "what did I do that for?"
Once my wishes have been fulfilled, I sometimes question the purpose of those wishes coming true.
I see this world going in circles around all around me.
I notice that the world is constantly repeating itself without any clear direction or purpose.
I'll end up mad before life is through with me.
If I continue to be consumed by my thoughts and frustrations, I fear I will eventually lose my sanity.
Guilty old me.
I recognize that my own thoughts and actions may be causing my frustration and guilt.
I think I'll pay my dues and drive real fast to stand in line.
I feel like I need to take action and work hard to get ahead in life, even if it means rushing and competing with others.
Then I'll wrack my brains to find some chaos.
I may intentionally seek out chaotic situations or thoughts because they distract me from my internal struggles.
As the image forms I'll let it swallow up my mind.
When I focus on a certain thought or idea, it has the power to consume my entire mind and block out other thoughts or perspectives.
Time will pass I'll ask myself "this is a joke right?"
After I have spent significant time focusing on a thought, I sometimes question whether or not it was worthy of my attention in the first place.
Thinking, thinking, thoughtless, but it sometimes seems.
Even though I am constantly thinking, I sometimes feel like my thoughts lack direction or purpose.
Think too much, too hard and it confuses me.
If I overthink a situation or concept, I can become overwhelmed and confused.
Rectify myself to all the things I thought were real
I may need to adjust my perspective or expectations when I realize that my assumptions about reality were incorrect.
Or I'll lock the bedroom door and simply stay at home.
If my thoughts and emotions become too much to handle, I may choose to isolate myself and avoid external stimuli.
I see
Overall, I am aware of the chaotic and confusing nature of the world and my own thoughts, and I am trying to navigate them in the best way possible.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GREG MCKENNA, KAY HANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind