She began her musical career in the early-1990s fronting a band named Tabitha Zu. Punky in a glittery sort of way, they were an indicator of things to come. Although largely tipped for the top and even playing the Reading Festival in 1992, they only released one EP, titled On Reality, before morphing into the simply named Zu. As Zu, again, only one EP, The Apart, was released, before they disbanded.
Melanie Garside re-emerged in 1996 with her hair cut short and dyed orange, and with her first solo album, Fossil. At this stage, she was frequently described as "The indie scene's Shania Twain". Two singles were released from the album; Big White Room, and She Knows.
This stage did not last long, with Mel re-appearing once again, this time fronting a three-piece band, calling themselves Our Lady Of Miracles. Under this guise, Melanie dropped the indie label and returned to making quirky rock music. After playing a few gigs they changed their name to The Vertigo Angels and released their only album Eradicate Apathy in 2003. Two singles; 'Burned' (Hijack)' and 'Firefly', were also released. Although the album was met with critical acclaim, The Vertigo Angels appear to have disbanded. This is also around the time Melanie became Maple Bee (sometimes Maplebee), being credited this way on the Eradicate Apathy album.
It was around this time that Melanie, as Maple Bee, joined the Mediaeval Baebes. She has sung on their latest albums, Mirabilis - as well as arranging and performing lead vocal on All For Love Of One - and the soundtrack to the BBC television series The Virgin Queen.
She has also released one album as Maple Bee to date, Chasing Eva. Chasing Eva was originally released in 2003 as a single album, but was re-released with all new artwork as a double CD in 2004. The album is penned entirely by Melanie except two tracks written in collaboration with other musicians, and a cover of Doris Day's Perhaps, Perhaps. Melanie, a talented guitarist, plays almost all the instruments as well as singing. Mel has also stated on her website that she is currently working on a new MapleBee record.
From 2004 to 2005, she played bass in her sister, KatieJane Garside's band, Queenadreena, and appeared on their latest album, The Butcher and the Butterfly. She toured with them for a short time, before leaving to focus on her other projects.
Maple Bee and writer/producer Pike Galloway are currently working together as a duo under the name of Huski, with an album, entitled Love, Peace, Pain due for release in July 2006, following the three track single Make Me Your Picture (iTunes exclusive), on May 22nd.
Credit to: www.wikipedia.com
Learn to Learn
Melanie Garside Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd be storing myself in a jar
That I saw long ago on your windowsill
It reflected the moon and the stars
And inside that small world I was safe there
Keeping small in the dark where it's warm
Where the air it stays still like your heartbeat
Where it's too close and warm to care
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is this a lesson to learn?
In the dark place I can't find the windows
And I can't find the gaps in the walls
And I can't seem to find the reflection
And I can't break the ache there to burn
But the strength that I feel on the inside
Comes in hand with the weakness I know
And the loss that you felt in the first place
Is the reason to stand on your own
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is this a lesson to learn?
To learn, to learn, to learn, to learn
Cannot speak in riddles though I try hard to say
Comes out that way that way
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is this a lesson to learn?
To learn, to learn, to learn, to learn
To learn, to learn, to learn, to learn
The opening lines of Melanie Garside's song Learn to Learn are a poignant expression of the desire to hold on to a moment, to capture it and keep it safe like a tiny world in a jar. The metaphor of the jar reflects the fragility and preciousness of the moment, which is seen in the reflection of the moon and stars. This small world becomes a safe haven, a place to retreat from the outside world, a place where it is "too close and warm to care". The poet suggests that there is a lesson to be learned from this experience, but it is not clear what that lesson might be.
The second verse portrays a darker side to this world, where the darkness is so complete that there are no windows, no gaps in the walls, and nothing to reflect upon. In this place, the feeling of loss is overwhelming and burns with an ache that cannot be broken. But even in this darkness, there is a strength that comes from within, a resilience that is born from the weakness and loss that is felt. The poet suggests that standing on your own in the face of loss and darkness is the ultimate lesson to be learned.
The repeating chorus asks the question, is this a lesson to learn? The answer is not straightforward, as the poet struggles to find the words to express the meaning of this experience. The final lines express a frustration with language itself, as words fail to convey the depth of the lesson that must be learned.
Line by Line Meaning
Now if I were to catch this moment
If I could capture this fleeting moment in time
I'd be storing myself in a jar
I would keep it safe and preserved, like a memory in a jar
That I saw long ago on your windowsill
A display much like a collection of memories on a windowsill
It reflected the moon and the stars
The jar depicted the beauty of the night sky through its reflections
And inside that small world I was safe there
In that tiny universe, I was protected and secure
Keeping small in the dark where it's warm
Hiding in the darkness that feels comforting and familiar
Where the air it stays still like your heartbeat
In that space, the only movement is the rhythm of your own beating heart
Where it's too close and warm to care
The closeness of that world is all there is, and there is no need to look for anything else
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is there something to be learned from this experience?
In the dark place I can't find the windows
When in a dark place, it feels impossible to see a way out
And I can't find the gaps in the walls
There seems to be no way to escape or find a way through the obstacles
And I can't seem to find the reflection
The mirror that once offered a glimpse of beauty is now gone
And I can't break the ache there to burn
The pain is too intense to ignore or overcome
But the strength that I feel on the inside
Despite the struggle, there is still a sense of inner strength
Comes in hand with the weakness I know
Strength and weakness are inextricably linked and come hand in hand
And the loss that you felt in the first place
The initial hurt or loss is what led to this struggle
Is the reason to stand on your own
However difficult it may be, it is important to stand on one's own and keep going
Cannot speak in riddles though I try hard to say
Despite efforts to be clear and direct, the right words won't seem to come out
Comes out that way that way
Despite the difficulty in expressing oneself, words still come out, even if they are not perfect
To learn, to learn, to learn, to learn
Throughout all of this, there is still something to be learned
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is there meaning or something to learn from this experience?
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is there something to be gained or understood from all of this?
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is there a greater purpose or something to take away from this struggle?
Is this a lesson to learn?
Is there something to be learned or gained from this experience?
To learn, to learn, to learn, to learn
Despite the difficulty, there is always something to learn and take away from a challenging experience
Contributed by Adalyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.