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.
Jealous Of The Moon
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you haven't worn the old one yet
You've come too far to turn around now
Your giving up the good fight
When you're as strong as anyone
You're back where you started from
Jealous of the moon
You wish you could fly
But you're staying where you are
There's nothing you can do
If you're too scared to try
You drag your pretty head around
Swearing you're gonna drown
With a beautiful sigh in a river of lies
Why don't you call me
I could save you
Together we'll find a god we can pray to
That will take you by the hand
I hate to see a friend of mine
Laughing out loud when she's crying inside
But you've got your pride
The first verse of "Jealous of the Moon" by Nickel Creek talks about a person who is hesitant to take on a new opportunity, symbolized here by trying on a new dress. The person has not even worn their old dress, which could mean that they are not done with the old phase and are not fully ready to embrace the new one. However, at this point, they cannot turn back and have to face the new challenge. The lyrics then talk about how the person is giving up the good fight even though they are as strong as anyone, and are back to square one. This could be interpreted in different ways, but it most likely refers to a situation where the person has been trying to achieve something and faced setbacks, and now feels defeated and unable to progress further.
The second verse paints a picture of the person staring at the stars and feeling jealous of the moon. This again could be interpreted in different ways, but the basic idea is that the person is envious of something they cannot have. They wish they could fly and do something extraordinary, but they are too scared to try. Instead, they give up and resign themselves to their current situation. The lyrics go on to describe the person as feeling overwhelmed and drowning in a river of lies, which could indicate that they are struggling with their own internal conflicts and negative self-talk. The singer of the song reaches out to the person, offering to save them and help them find a god they can pray to. The final line highlights the person's pride, which could be preventing them from reaching out for help or acknowledging their vulnerable state.
Line by Line Meaning
You're trying on a brand new dress
You're experimenting with something new.
But you haven't worn the old one yet
You haven't exhausted all options yet.
You've come too far to turn around now
There is no going back after making progress.
Your giving up the good fight
You're quitting too soon.
When you're as strong as anyone
You have the power to persevere.
You're back where you started from
You ended up in the same place as before.
You're staring down the stars
You're fixated on an unattainable goal.
Jealous of the moon
You're envious of others who are doing better.
You wish you could fly
You want to achieve more than you can.
But you're staying where you are
You're not taking any action to improve your situation.
There's nothing you can do
You believe you're powerless to change things.
If you're too scared to try
You're afraid to take risks.
You drag your pretty head around
You're weighed down by negativity.
Swearing you're gonna drown
You feel overwhelmed and helpless.
With a beautiful sigh in a river of lies
You're deceiving yourself and others with a façade.
Why don't you call me
Reach out for help.
I could save you
I can assist you in improving your situation.
Together we'll find a god we can pray to
We'll find a solution or belief system to rely on.
That will take you by the hand
It will support and guide you through tough times.
I hate to see a friend of mine
I don't want you to suffer.
Laughing out loud when she's crying inside
Pretending to be fine when you're actually struggling.
But you've got your pride
You don't want to appear vulnerable or weak.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS THILE, GARY LOURIS, GARY MICHAEL LOURIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Howitt
3:05 sent chills down my spine. I love metal & modern rock, but this is a master piece.
John Campbell
Same here.
Derrick Wedding
Tim Howitt this group is amazing
Mr Charlemagne
Been listening to this all my childhood and I’m 20 now anyone still listening in 2018
Olivia Jones
2021! Basically loved this band since birth.
Mono
I’m here in 2020
Famous Amos
Love! I’ve been listening since my 20’s. Now I’m 34! 😁
Kathryn Dodl
Same tho!! My parents listened to this all the time now i'm 20 and still find myself coming back ^^
Anthony Mueller
33 and still listening
Steve Zissou
Yeah, I started listening to them when I was 15 and I'm 33 years-old now. My friend Carleigh showed them to me and I'm forever grateful; they've saved my life.