Richards grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of Ted and Teresa Richards, stars of the underground comics revolution. Her father created The 40 Year Old Hippie; her mother was one of the founding editors and contributors of Wimmin’s Comix in the 1970’s. “Growing up, I got the message that if you do what you love to do, money will follow, just not a lot of it.” It was a very Bohemian upbringing to put it lightly.
Richards played in school bands, but never considered music as a profession until her senior year of high school, when fate offered a unique hand. Her best friend began dating Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Hammett taught Richards a few songs on guitar. “As soon as I knew how to play, I started writing and everything just clicked. Eventually I got a piano to expand my musical repertoire.”
Richards recorded her first demo in Hammett’s basement studio. Dave Deresinski, the then manager of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, passed the recording along to singer Anton Newcombe, who asked Richards to sing with the group. Shortly thereafter, Ondi Timoner began filming the BJM for her seminal documentary DIG! (2004). In one scene, a hiker observed the all white-clad members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and friends gathered on a mountain top location. “Excuse me,” he asked, “is this a cult or a photo shoot?” Miranda ------then candidly replied, “Honestly sir, I don’t know the answer to that question.”
Richards had since moved down the coast to LA to further pursue a music career. “I played clubs and open mics while I worked odd jobs and made demos. A mutual friend introduced me to Rick Parker (producer/musician who went on to work with BRMC and The Von Bondies), and we’ve been working together ever since.” After recording a few sets of demos, she signed with Virgin, and began tracking her debut, The Herethereafter.
The Herethereafter (credits include Jon Brion and David Campbell) enjoyed critical acclaim, and over 40 film and TV licenses that allowed her to continue playing music full time. Since it’s release, Miranda has collaborated in the studio with Tricky, Tim Burgess (Charlatans), Neil Halstead (Mojave Three), Joe Firstman, and The Shore. She joined The Jesus and Mary Chain for the West Coast leg of their 2007 tour, singing duets with Jim Reid on “Sometimes Always” and “Just like Honey.” In the fall of 2007, she toured the UK in support of a vinyl single called “Life Boat” on Sonic Cathedral; in early 2008, she supported Tim Finn (Crowded House), and in late August she supported Neil Halstead, both on solo acoustic tours. The Early November EP was released digitally November 4, 2008 on Nettwerk Records; the full-length sophomore effort, Light of X, is due for worldwide release February 10, 2009.
Light of X is moody and introspective, the kind of music to play while you’re getting dressed up at night, sitting by the phone, and waiting for it to ring. The album fairly shimmers with folk, country, psychedelic, and even classical influences. Richards and Parker assembled a top-notch group of players including Eva Gardner (Mars Volta, Tim Burgess) on bass; main drummer Keith Mitchell (Mazzy Star); Ben Peeler (Wallflowers, Shelby Lynne) on pedal steel, and Josh Schwartz (Beachwood Sparks) on guitar. Rick Parker produced, engineered, mixed the record, and played guitar; Richards composed the material including string arrangements, and played acoustic guitar, piano, and organ.
As a songwriter, Richards has an uncanny knack of finding the diamonds in the dust of every day life and the relationships within. She’s able to look at an average moment and describe it in a way that transforms it into something much more powerful, a talent evident on every tack of Light of X. The album balances Richards’ beautiful, close to the heart vocals, with music that has the wide open, spacious feel of a desert sky or an empty church. Call it Ambient Americana, or Richards’ self coined term ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock’ if you like, Light of X is an album full of love and loss, desolation and salvation, both moody and comforting.
“Courtney Taylor from the Dandy Warhols calls my genre ‘Pixie Fairy Dust Chick Music,’” Miranda Lee Richards laughs, from her home in Los Angeles. “But I think another fitting description for Light of X might be ‘Psychedelic Chamber Folk Rock.’”
Olive Tree
Miranda Lee Richards Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Open it green, show me a taste of life
I'll try anything
Put at bay your adversary, your commentary
And show me a little faith
'Cause I don't have much these days
Life's a walk in the park on a cold misty mornin'
And now the autumn has turned and I've learned nothin'
Matters,
So woncha' wake me up in the mornin'?
We talk about it 'til we loose our voices
All these choices spinnin' 'round
Inside of our heads
Heliotrope's in the house of cards, the things that are
Hard
Get easier in time
If you turn toward the light
Life's a walk in the park on a cold misty mornin'
Life's a virtual sunrise that leaves me undaunted
And now the autumn has turned and I've learned nothin'
Matters
So woncha' wake me up in the mornin'?
Oh, woncha' pick me up in the mornin'?
A magic trick turns the ordinary to extraordinary
What do you think of me now?
As I appear
You take your view from the Eiffel Tower; you feel your
Power
In the City of Light
The world is yours if you try
'Cause life's a walk in the park on a cold misty
Mornin'
Life's a virtual sunrise that leaves me undaunted
And now the autumn has turned and I've learned nothin'
Matters
So won't you wake me up in the morning'?
Oh, woncha' pick me up in the morning'?
Yeah, won't you wake me up in the mornin'?
In the song Olive Tree by Miranda Lee Richards, there is a longing for connection and a sense of purpose in life. The singer is asking for guidance and encouragement to try new things, to have faith, and to follow the path towards the light. The metaphor of the olive tree is significant here; it represents wisdom, peace, and prosperity, and picking a fruit from it is a symbolic act of seeking knowledge and growth. The lines "put at bay your adversary, your commentary" suggest that there are obstacles or negative thoughts that need to be silenced in order to achieve a sense of inner peace.
The chorus repeats the idea that life is full of uncertainty, but also that it is possible to find beauty and hope in it. The metaphor of a walk in the park on a cold misty morning contrasts the warmth and light of a virtual sunrise, and yet both are equally valid experiences. The phrase "I've learned nothing matters" may sound nihilistic at first, but it can also be interpreted as a liberating realization that frees us from societal expectations and allows us to find our own meaning in life.
Overall, Olive Tree is a song about the search for meaning and the courage to embrace change. It encourages us to take risks, to be open-minded, and to find joy in the simple things in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick a fruit from the Olive Tree
Select something new and exciting to experience
Open it green, show me a taste of life
Let's explore the opportunities presented to us
I'll try anything
I am open-minded and willing
Put at bay your adversary, your commentary
Don't let negative thoughts and opinions hold you back
And show me a little faith
Believe in the possibilities
'Cause I don't have much these days
I am feeling lost and uncertain
Life's a walk in the park on a cold misty mornin'
Life can be beautiful even in difficult times
Life's a virtual sunrise that leaves me undaunted
The world is full of opportunities and I am optimistic
And now the autumn has turned and I've learned nothin' matters
I have realized that the things I once thought were important don't hold as much weight anymore
So woncha' wake me up in the mornin'?
I need a little help to face each new day
We talk about it 'til we loose our voices
We discuss our options endlessly
All these choices spinnin' 'round inside of our heads
We have many options but struggle to make a decision
Heliotrope's in the house of cards, the things that are hard get easier in time
Challenging situations eventually become more manageable and less intimidating
If you turn toward the light
If you embrace positivity and hope
A magic trick turns the ordinary to extraordinary
A change in perspective can make a big difference
What do you think of me now?
Do you see me in a new light?
As I appear
As I reveal myself to you
You take your view from the Eiffel Tower; you feel your power in the City of Light
You feel empowered and inspired when you see the world from a new perspective
The world is yours if you try
Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and make an effort
Won't you pick me up in the morning'?
I need a little help to start my day
Contributed by James A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.