The two families, the Watkinses and the Thiles, met after Sean Watkins and Chris Thile had mandolin lessons with the same music instructor, John Moore. Sara Watkins studied with Moore's bandmate, Dennis Caplinger. The band name came from a song by Byron Berline, who was Sara Watkins' fiddle instructor.
Nickel Creek's first performance was at That Pizza Place in Carlsbad, California in 1989 with Scott Thile, Chris's father, playing string bass. Sean Watkins was only twelve years old at the time. At the start Chris Thile played guitar and Sean Watkins played mandolin but later they decided to switch instruments. The band played many bluegrass festivals throughout the 1990s, and the band members were home-schooled to accommodate their tour schedule. Nickel Creek's first two albums were Little Cowpoke (1993) and Here to There (1997).
The group received two Grammy nominations: Best Bluegrass Album and Best Country Instrumental for the song "Ode to a Butterfly". The trio was nominated at the CMA Awards for Best Vocal Group and the Horizon Award and were named one of the "Five Music Innovators of the Millennium" by TIME Magazine in May 2000. Nickel Creek's "The Lighthouse's Tale" video was nominated for a CMT "Flameworthy Video Award" for Group/Duo Video of the Year.
In 2002 the band released their fourth album, This Side, produced by Alison Krauss. It was a departure from their previous releases which were purely bluegrass. Although the core influence of bluegrass remained, other genres such as indie rock and folk rock were present in their music included cover songs Spit on a Stranger by Pavement, and Should've Known Better by Carrie Newcomer.
In 2005 the band released their fifth album, Why Should the Fire Die? with more rock and pop influences. The album debuted and peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard bluegrass chart.
In late summer 2006, via Billboard and their official website, Nickel Creek announced that at the end of the year they would no longer be recording as a group and their tour, scheduled through 2007, would be their last for an indefinite period of time so band members could expand their musical horizons.
The band had plans to record its final performance at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in November 2007 but the idea was later "scrapped".
The band released a new album in the spring of 2014. They also played a handful of live shows and festival dates, including a concert at the Ryman Auditorium, the last venue the band played when it played its last show.
Helena
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you give me back my heart
If it were mine it would be yours to take
I'm sorry I let down my guard, oh helena
You looked so sweet
I should have seen
While I was playing for fun
You win I lose
Is there some way
You can leave me
In your debts oh my girl
And I can live to die another day
On that day I won't forget you helena
You look so sweet
Waiting for me
While I wait for her
To give me any reason to leave
Don't waste your pretty sympathy
She's gonna be just fine
Helena so will we
So will everything in time
Helena don't walk away
Did you hear one word I said oh well
I never really liked her anyway
And I forgot her
I'll forget you helena
You're not that sweet
And neither is she
Go ahead and tell her anything
You are good helena
Guys like me never sleep alone at night
I don't need your sympathy
'Cause I'll always be
Just fine
Yeah I'll always be
Just fine
Yeah I'll always be
Just fine
The song "Helena" by Nickel Creek is filled with deep emotions and the singer seems to be reminiscing on a failed relationship with someone named Helena. The first verse starts with a plea to Helena not to walk away before returning the singer's heart. The lines "If it were mine it would be yours to take" indicates the singer's willingness to be vulnerable and give his heart to Helena but he lamentably acknowledges that he let down his guard. He then apologizes to Helena for that. In the second verse, the singer appears to be admitting that he was not taking the relationship seriously and maybe playing games until he lost Helena. He sees that Helena was interested in a solid relationship, "While I was playing for fun, You were playing for keeps". The chorus continues to show the despair that the singer feels about losing Helena and that he is now alright with just living his life until the end.
The bridge marked the turning point of the song as the singer is seen trying to persuade Helena that his current girlfriend is not worth her sympathy. His eagerness to be with Helena again is palpable, promising her that he will never forget her. Finally, the third verse indicates that the singer has given up on Helena and that he will be just fine without her. The line "Guys like me never sleep alone at night" shows that despite the loss of the relationship with Helena, there will always be someone else.
Line by Line Meaning
Helena, don't walk away
I don't want you to leave yet, please stay
Before you give me back my heart
Please return my heart that I have given you so that I can move on
If it were mine it would be yours to take
If I had any control over my heart, I would give it to you
I'm sorry I let down my guard, oh helena
I regret not being more careful with my heart and not taking your feelings seriously
You looked so sweet
You appeared to be innocent and charming
I should have seen
I wish I had recognized the truth
While I was playing for fun
I wasn't taking things seriously
You were playing for keeps
You were in this for the long run and invested in the relationship
You win I lose
You come out ahead and I'm left with nothing
Is there some way
Is there anything that can be done to change this?
You can leave me
You can abandon me
In your debts oh my girl
I will always owe you something for what we had
And I can live to die another day
I can keep going and live with the pain for another day
On that day I won't forget you helena
Even if I try, I will never forget about you
You look so sweet
You still have that charm about you
Waiting for me
You are still waiting for me despite everything
While I wait for her
I'm waiting for someone else to give me a reason to leave you
To give me any reason to leave
I need a justification to leave you for someone else
Don't waste your pretty sympathy
You don't need to feel sorry for me and waste your compassion on me
She's gonna be just fine
My previous partner will be alright without me
Helena so will we
We will both be okay and eventually move on from each other
So will everything in time
With time, everything will work itself out
Did you hear one word I said oh well
Did you listen to me at all? It doesn't matter now anyway
I never really liked her anyway
I never truly had feelings for my previous partner
And I forgot her
I have moved on and forgotten about her
You're not that sweet
You don't have the same innocence and charm like before
And neither is she
My previous partner wasn't that special either
Go ahead and tell her anything
You can say whatever you want to my previous partner, it won't affect me
You are good helena
You are a good person with a kind heart, but we just don't work
Guys like me never sleep alone at night
I always have someone by my side, I'm not alone
I don't need your sympathy
I don't want your pity or compassion
'Cause I'll always be
I will always be okay, regardless of what happens
Just fine
I will be okay and move on with my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: CHRIS THILE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@glorygloryholeallelujah
Thank you for still getting together and sharing your gifts for all of us to enjoy!
I was 13 when I first got a CD of your self titled album back in 2000, in a ”Get Well” basket, after one of my leg surgeries.
I eventually played it to death {along with ABBA’s greatest hits and Weird Al’s running with scissors} and had to buy another one. 😆 I’ve followed your wonderful music ever since!
I wasn’t able to see y’all play live then, but if you ever do a tour together again—my niece and I will be first in line! (Yup. I passed the addiction on to the next generation😁).
Well, it’s only appropriate to cap-off my cheesy comment, with an equally cheesy sign off....
🎶”Thank you for the music!”🎶
@johnyangell
Right when the world needed it most, Nickel Creek returns.
@noahrobertson4127
One can dream
@melvinreuben19
sorry to be offtopic but does anybody know a method to get back into an Instagram account?
I somehow lost my password. I would appreciate any help you can offer me!
@caseyronald3889
@Melvin Reuben Instablaster ;)
@melvinreuben19
@Casey Ronald i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and Im in the hacking process atm.
I see it takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@melvinreuben19
@Casey Ronald It worked and I now got access to my account again. I'm so happy!
Thank you so much you really help me out !
@AaronAsherRandall
These three are all such masters. Child prodigies and years of playing together. The chemistry is so strong and infectious. When they sing in harmony together it always tears me up. Such deep and clear emotion in their voices. I hope they never stop playing together and making music.
@JohnDuncanAVLFiddler
Sean's flatpicking and general ensemble playing is genius level.
@kariklimt1533
One of my faves!!
No words can describe how overjoyed my husband and I are knowing that you guys have been getting together to perform and write and together again!
Best news of 2021 in my opinion!
@kelliv2995
They tip toe into your soul 💜