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.
Never Tell
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
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I swore that I saw you
A younger man, a stronger man, but certainly the man
That you were at one time.
He stepped out of the station and into the sun
Thought that for sure
He would be meeting someone he would be meeting someone
I thought at the time that I'd warn him
Of all that was to come
Since he'd commit the damage he'd do
And all along he was out on
Didn't do it but I wanted to
It's time once again to revive some old some new
If you don't mind that it's all the same
I'll never tell you.
If seem to to fade in, if you seem to fade out
Take no mind, I don't mind.
The lyrics of "Never Tell" by Letters to Cleo carry a sense of ambiguity and a mix of emotions. The singer seems to have just stepped off a train and in the crowds, he thinks he spots someone who looks like a person from his past whom he knew to be a strong and younger man. He remembers the promise and potential that the person had, the potential that the person chooses not to fulfill for reasons unknown. The ordinary meeting after a long time stirs up many emotions in him, including a sense of regret and a desire to warn the person about what awaits him in the future.
The rest of the lyrics of Never Tell are cryptic and open to interpretation. Some lines could mean that the person had committed some wrongdoing in the past that had some severe consequences, but the singer had never called the person out for it. Now that they're meeting after a long time, he thinks that he should have warned him about the consequences of his actions. However, he decides against divulging the details and chooses to "never tell" the person. Some lines could also be symbolic, representing the fading of memories or the drying out of relationships. The singer implies that they're willing to let go of the past and not dwell on the unpleasantness and wrongdoings that took place.
Overall, "Never Tell" by Letters to Cleo is a relatable song for many who carry the burden of their past decisions or relationships with them. It's a song that deals with feelings of ambiguity, regret, and the ability to move on from the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I stepped off the train just the other day
He arrived at a new place just recently.
I swore that I saw you
He thought he saw someone he knew.
A younger man, a stronger man, but certainly the man
The person he saw looked like an old version of himself.
That you were at one time.
The person he thought he saw resembled his younger self.
He stepped out of the station and into the sun
He emerged from a dark place into the light.
Thought that for sure
He had a strong belief that something would happen.
He would be meeting someone he would be meeting someone
He was sure he would find the person he was looking for.
Possibly the girl that he'd marry.
He might have thought the person he was looking for was his future spouse.
I thought at the time that I'd warn him
He had a desire to warn the person he saw.
Of all that was to come
He wanted to tell the person about what they would face in the future.
Since he'd commit the damage he'd do
He expected the person to cause harm in the future.
And all along he was out on
He was out and about the whole time.
Didn't do it but I wanted to
He had a desire to do something bad, but never did.
It's time once again to revive some old some new
He wanted to revisit both old and new experiences.
If you don't mind that it's all the same
He didn't care if it was repetitive.
I'll never tell you.
He will keep his secrets to himself.
If seem to to fade in, if you seem to fade out
If you are present one minute and then distant the next,
Take no mind, I don't mind.
He didn't mind if people came and went in his life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GREG MCKENNA, KAY HANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind