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.
Mellie's Comin' Over
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
where I once saw a friend standing,
I didn't mean to run away from you.
I almost lost the chance to save myself.
(chorus)
Mellie's coming over,
she's coming over,
Not really lucid but wide awake,
a kind word to snap me out of it
is all that I know it would take from you,
if I knew you really wanted to.
chorus
Hey, where's everybody going?
I can't stay here all alone when
it's been such a long time since I've had this much to say.
Hey, where are you going?
You can't leave me alone and I guess I feel
a little silly but Mellie, can't you stay a little while?
chorus 2x
The lyrics to "Mellie's Comin' Over" by Letters to Cleo tell a story of social anxiety and the desire for human connection. The first verse sets the scene, with the singer standing in a place where they once saw a friend but ran away from them. This is likely a metaphor for avoiding social situations or feeling uncomfortable with socializing. However, the singer recognizes that they almost missed out on an opportunity to save themselves, perhaps meaning that they know the importance of social interaction even if it makes them uncomfortable.
The chorus repeats the line "Mellie's coming over," which can be interpreted as the singer seeking comfort and support from a friend. The repetition of the line emphasizes the importance of this connection to the singer. The second verse describes the singer's state of mind - not really lucid but wide awake - and expresses the belief that a kind word from Mellie could snap them out of it. However, there is uncertainty about whether Mellie really wants to provide that support.
The final verse sees the singer pleading with Mellie not to leave them alone. They express the fear of being alone and the desire to talk to someone after a long time of not having much to say. The final chorus repeats the line "Mellie's coming over" twice, underscoring the singer's hope for connection and support.
Overall, "Mellie's Comin' Over" is a song about the desire for human connection even when social situations are challenging. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has experienced social anxiety or the need for support from a friend.
Line by Line Meaning
And as I stood in the place where I once saw a friend standing,
As I found myself in a familiar location where I once met a friend,
I didn't mean to run away from you.
It was not my intention to run away from you,
I almost lost the chance to save myself.
I nearly missed my opportunity to rescue myself,
Mellie's coming over, she's coming over, Mellie's coming over, yeah.
Mellie is on her way to visit me, she's coming over soon.
Not really lucid but wide awake,
Though I'm not quite clear-headed, I'm very alert,
a kind word to snap me out of it is all that I know it would take from you,
I think a compassionate remark from you is all I need to regain my composure,
if I knew you really wanted to.
Provided that I'm certain that you genuinely care,
Hey, where's everybody going?
Excuse me, where is everyone headed?
I can't stay here all alone when it's been such a long time since I've had this much to say.
I feel uncomfortable being here all by myself for so long, particularly since I haven't spoken so freely in quite some time.
Hey, where are you going?
Excuse me, where are you headed?
You can't leave me alone and I guess I feel a little silly but Mellie, can't you stay a little while?
It's not a good idea to leave me here alone, and I know it's a bit silly, but could you hang around for a bit longer, Mellie?
Mellie's coming over, she's coming over, Mellie's coming over, yeah.
Mellie is on her way to visit me, she's coming over soon.
chorus
Refrain from the song
2x
Repeated twice
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.