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.
Wasted
Letters to Cleo Lyrics
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The quiet that takes the place of silence that takes the place of your voice.
You're right reasons are dumb and I'm just talking too much.
And I want to be alone with what I am, wasted.
The cruelest voice comes back to me.
The cruelest thing, you think you didn't know me.
It's alright, I am on the outside now, smiling, but eyes don't lie.
You're right, reasons are dumb and I'm just talking too much.
I'll just come apart or something.
No one could be more empty than I am and I would take it all back if I could, but I can't.
The song "Wasted" by Letters to Cleo is about the aftermath of a relationship that has ended badly. The singer is haunted by the absence of her lover's voice and the silence that fills the void left by their departure. She realizes that arguing about the reasons for their break up is pointless, and instead wants to be left alone to deal with her feelings of being wasted. The cruelest thing is her lover's perception that they never really knew her, and she now finds herself on the outside looking in, even though she pretends to put on a happy face.
The lyric "The saddest sound I've ever heard" is a repeat of the opening line which emphasizes the deep pain felt by the singer. The absence of sound is actually worse than silence itself, and it is this void that she is trying to fill. The phrase "you're right, reasons are dumb" acknowledges that trying to rationalize the relationship's failure is useless. The line "And I want to be alone with what I am, wasted" is a powerful statement of self-loathing and the desire to be left alone to wallow in her own misery. The final line of the song "I would take it all back if I could, but I can't" is the ultimate admission of defeat and the realization that there is no going back.
Overall, "Wasted" is a haunting and melancholy song that perfectly captures the aftermath of a broken love affair. The singer's pain is palpable, and the starkness of the lyrics only serves to emphasize the depth of her despair.
Line by Line Meaning
The saddest sound I've ever heard; the saddest sound I've ever heard.
The emptiness that is left when your voice is no longer there is the most sorrowful thing I have ever experienced.
The quiet that takes the place of silence that takes the place of your voice.
The stillness that replaces the absence of sound caused by your absence is deafening.
You're right reasons are dumb and I'm just talking too much.
I understand that there is no logical explanation for the way I feel, and I am over-analyzing and speaking unnecessarily.
And I want to be alone with what I am, wasted.
I desire to be alone with my sadness and pain, lost and consumed by them.
The cruelest voice comes back to me.
The most hurtful words that were ever spoken to me continue to echo in my mind.
The cruelest thing, you think you didn't know me.
You believe that you never truly understood me, and that realization is crushing.
It's alright, I am on the outside now, smiling, but eyes don't lie.
I may appear happy on the surface, but my true emotions are shown through my eyes.
I'll just come apart or something.
I fear that I am falling apart and losing control of myself.
No one could be more empty than I am and I would take it all back if I could, but I can't.
I feel completely hollow and wish I could undo the mistakes that led me to this state, but I know that it is impossible.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CAMILLE JONES, THE EGG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind