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.
Sister
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The opening lyrics of Letters to Cleo's song Sister speak of a need to escape from the world, and the impossibility of doing so. The singer longs for a place to get away from it all, but finds that even when they try to find that place, it is always just out of reach. The song then shifts to a memory of being with a young girl, chasing mosquitoes and rolling down grassy hills. These memories are precious to the singer, as they represent a time when the world was simpler and time seemed to stand still. The memories of this time are so strong that the singer would go to great lengths just to see that person again.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the past and how much they miss the people they used to be. The memories of being with their sister are particularly strong, and the way she always stood by them and helped them when they needed it most. The song closes by referencing a time when the singer was picked up and cleaned off by their sister, who saw something in them that no one else could. This moment of grace and compassion is something the singer holds dear, and it seems to represent the depth of love and connection between siblings.
Overall, Sister is a song that explores the bond between siblings and the importance of having someone there for you when you need it most. The lyrics are touching and heartfelt, and the melody is upbeat and catchy, making it a memorable and enjoyable song to listen to.
Line by Line Meaning
When I need a place to get away,
When I feel like escaping from reality,
When I need a place to hide,
When I feel like being alone and away from everyone,
That place just seems oh so far away,
That place of peace and tranquility seems far away and out of reach,
Couldn't get there if I tried.
No matter how hard I try, I cannot reach that place,
Me and a young girl chasing mosquitoes,
I remember the youthful and carefree days of my past with a young girl,
Rolling down them grassy hills.
We used to have fun, rolling down the grassy hills,
Put up a sign that said 'No Vacancy',
We wanted to keep the outside world off and create our own private zone,
Forget the world let time stand still
Escaping from the world, we wished to stay in that moment forever,
I take a train sister, a bus a brooking down Cheavy, or a plane.
I would take any form of transportation just to be with my sister again,
I'd walk my sister just to see you there,
I would do anything to meet you again, even if it means walking a long distance with my sister,
Just to see you again.
Seeing you again would mean so much to me,
If I could think back and see this thing clearly,
If I could clear my mind and reminiscence about the past clearly,
If I could just remember when.
If only I could recall the exact memories and moments of the past,
Of all the things I hold so dear to me,
Out of all the things that matter to me in life,
I miss the people we were then.
I miss the people we used to be in the past,
And it seems that you were always there.
I felt a constant presence of you in my life in the past,
Like no one else you stood by me.
Your unwavering support for me was unlike anything that anyone else could offer,
When you picked me up and cleaned me off,
When I was down and troubled, you were always there to help me back on my feet,
Saw what not one else could see.
You were the only one who could see the true struggles and hardships that I faced in life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Greg Mckenna, Kay Hanley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind