Taylor started her musical career at the age of fifteen in the band Little Red Rocket with Orenda Fink which released two albums on Geffen, Who Did You Pay (1997) and It's in the Sound (2000). The group disbanded during the merging of Geffen with Universal Music Group.
Taylor later moved to Athens, Georgia along with her musical collaborator, Fink where they formed the band Azure Ray.
Taylor released her first solo album 11:11 on Saddle Creek Records on May 24, 2005. The album features Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Gretta Cohn of Cursive, Andy LeMaster and Mike Mogis as both musicians and producers. Grey's Anatomy named its March 31, 2011 episode Song Beneath the Song after a track from the album and also featured the song on the original soundtrack. Taylor later recorded a new song for Grey's Anatomy's 2005 Christmas episode entitled Christmas After All. Her second solo album, Lynn Teeter Flower, was released on March 6, 2007, also on Saddle Creek. A Good Start, the first track, was subsequently named one of NPR's 10 best songs of the year for 2007. The Ballad of Sean Foley was co-written with Conor Oberst. The following year she released an acoustic album titled Savannah Drive with Andy LeMaster which includes stripped-down versions of songs from her first two albums, plus one new track, Tell Me. On March 31, 2009 she released her third full length, LadyLuck via Nettwerk Music Group featuring the song Cartoons and Forever Plans, co-written by and including guest vocals from Michael Stipe of R.E.M.. LadyLuck reached number 48 on Billboard's "Heatseakers" charts.
Overlook, Maria's 4th solo album, was released August 16, 2011. After moving back to her hometown of Birmingham, Taylor was unable to write for nearly a year, eventually composing the entire album over two weeks during a break in touring with Azure Ray. This release marks the first time Taylor produced her own album. Paste called Overlook "her best, most animated collection in years." [19]
Maria Taylor released her fifth solo record, Something About Knowing on October 29, 2013 on Saddle Creek Records.
After moving back to Los Angeles, Taylor wrote and recorded In the Next Life, released December 9, 2016 on her own label, Flower Moon Records. The album features guest appearances from familiar collaborators Joshua Radin, Conor Oberst, among others. If Only (featuring Conor Oberst) was prominently featured in NBC's This Is Us. NPR, who premiered the full album stream, called it "her warmest and most affecting album... filled with gorgeous, touching songs about family, legacy, fear and the pursuit of contentment."
In November 2017, Taylor joined Ben Lee and an all star band of other musicians as Daniel Johnston's back band during the Los Angeles stop of his final tour.
In April 2018, Paste premiered Real Life (Trump Era) from the Friends and Family Vol. 1 compilation, put out on her label, Flower Moon Records. Released May 11, 2018, other contributors included Azure Ray bandmate Orenda Fink, Nik Freitas, Louis Schefano, Jake Bellows[/artist, and more. Flower Moon Records has since re-released Taylor's earlier albums, 11:11 and LadyLuck. On November 11, 2019, Taylor released her self-titled album, Maria Taylor.
Smile and Wave
Maria Taylor Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A believable smile.
I don't.
She paints colors on her eyes,
To cast a shadow of surprise.
I don't.
I just smile back when she waves.
(I could never do the same)
She keeps a spotless place,
She has selective taste.
I don't.
She'll find out where you are,
She'll send you birthday cards.
I won't.
She doesn't know I know about her.
I'll just smile back when she waves.
(I could never do the same)
She doesn't know I know about her.
I'll just smile back when she waves.
(I could never do the same)
The lyrics to Maria Taylor's "Smile and Wave" describe the singer's admiration for a woman who seems to have it all together. The woman has a "rich sense of style" and a "believable smile," which could suggest that she exudes confidence and charm effortlessly. In contrast, the singer feels inadequate ("I don't") and perhaps envious.
The woman is described using vivid language - she "paints colors on her eyes" and has a "spotless place." The singer points out that the woman's attention to detail is selective, perhaps implying that she doesn't waste her energy on things that aren't important to her. The woman is also attentive to others, as evidenced by her habit of sending birthday cards, suggesting that she is thoughtful and considerate.
Despite the singer's admiration for the woman, there's a sense of distance between them. She doesn't know that he knows about her, and the singer feels unable to reciprocate her friendly waves ("I could never do the same"). Perhaps the woman represents an ideal that the singer can't live up to, or maybe he feels that she's out of his league. Regardless, the song captures the bittersweet feeling of admiring someone from afar and feeling a sense of inferiority.
Line by Line Meaning
She's got a rich sense of style,
She has an impressive and sophisticated personal fashion sense.
A believable smile.
She has a natural and authentic way of expressing happiness.
I don't.
I am not as polished or charming as her.
She paints colors on her eyes,
She applies makeup artfully around her eyes.
To cast a shadow of surprise.
Her eye makeup creates a sense of intrigue or mystery.
I don't.
I don't have the same skill or creativity with makeup.
She doesn't know I know about her.
She is unaware that I am observing her and noticing things about her.
I just smile back when she waves.
I respond to her friendly gesture with a smile, but keep my observations to myself.
(I could never do the same)
I wouldn't feel comfortable or capable of emulating her in the same way.
She keeps a spotless place,
She has a very clean and tidy living space.
She has selective taste.
She has very specific and discerning preferences in things like decor or clothing.
I don't.
I don't place the same level of importance on cleanliness or aesthetics.
She'll find out where you are,
She is resourceful and able to locate people easily.
She'll send you birthday cards.
She takes the time to remember and celebrate important moments in people's lives.
I won't.
I am not as thoughtful or organized in my relationships with others.
She doesn't know I know about her.
I continue to observe her from a distance and keep my thoughts to myself.
I'll just smile back when she waves.
I'll continue to respond politely to her friendly gestures.
(I could never do the same)
However, I know that I could never match her level of grace or skill in life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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