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.
Toxic
Nickel Creek Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A guy like you should wear a warning
It's dangerous, I'm falling
There's no escape β I can't wait
I need a hit β come on, give me it
You're dangerous, I'm loving it
Too high, can't come down
Do you feel me now?
With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
With a taste of the poison paradise
I'm addicted to you: but you know that you're toxic
And I love what you do: but you know that you're toxic
It's getting late to give you up
I took a sip from a devil's cup
Slowly, it's taking over me
Too high, can't come down
It's in the air and it's all around
Can you feel me now?
With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
With the taste of the poison paradise
I'm addicted to you: but you know that you're toxic
And I love what you do: but you know that you're toxic
But you know that you're toxic
Taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
With the taste of a poison paradise
I'm addicted to you: but you know that you're toxic
With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
With the taste of the poison paradise
I'm addicted to you: but you know that you're toxic
Intoxicate me now
With your lovin' now
I think I'm ready now
I think I'm ready now
Intoxicate me now
With your lovin' now
I think I'm ready now
The song "Toxic" by Nickel Creek is a cover of Britney Spears' hit song of the same name, but the acoustic arrangement gives the lyrics a new meaning. The song's lyrics are about a relationship that is seemingly toxic, and the singer is aware of it but cannot resist the pull of their partner. The song starts with the singer asking their partner to pay attention to them, to acknowledge their desire for them. The singer describes their partner as dangerous, and their feelings as falling without any escape. They need "a hit," which could mean the feeling they get from their partner or a more literal drug reference.
In the chorus, the singer describes the feeling of being high and losing control, with the taste of their partner's lips being like a ride that they cannot resist. They know that their partner is toxic, but they are addicted to them despite the danger. The bridge talks about taking a sip from a devil's cup and slowly succumbing to the intoxicating effects. The chorus repeats with the singer describing their addiction to their partner as a poison paradise.
The song's acoustic arrangement and haunting vocal delivery create a sense of desperation and longing, emphasizing the singer's inability to resist the toxicity of their relationship. Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the danger of staying in a relationship that is harmful, but it also explores the complex emotions of addiction and desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, can't you see I'm calling?
I'm reaching out to you and hoping that you'll answer my call
A guy like you should wear a warning
I know you're dangerous for me, and I wish that you wore some sort of sign to warn me about that danger
It's dangerous, I'm falling
Being with you is risky, but I can't help falling for you anyway
There's no escape β I can't wait
I'm trapped in this situation, and even though I know I should wait for an escape, I can't help but want to be with you now
I need a hit β come on, give me it
I crave you and want to be around you, even though I know it's not good for me
You're dangerous, I'm loving it
You pose a threat to me, but I'm still drawn to you and can't help loving you
Too high, can't come down
I'm in too deep and can't escape this situation even if I wanted to
Losin' my head, spinnin' 'round and 'round
I'm overwhelmed and confused by my feelings for you, and it's making me dizzy
Do you feel me now?
Do you understand how much you're affecting me?
With the taste of your lips, I'm on a ride
The kiss from you is like an exhilarating rollercoaster ride for me
You're toxic I'm slippin' under
You're bad for me, and I'm slowly losing control because I can't resist you
With a taste of the poison paradise
Even though being with you is dangerous like a poison, there's a certain paradise-like aspect to it that I can't deny
I'm addicted to you: but you know that you're toxic
I know that you're bad for me, but I'm still addicted to you and can't quit
And I love what you do: but you know that you're toxic
I enjoy being with you and the things we do together, but I also know that it's not good for me
It's getting late to give you up
I know I should end things with you, but it's getting harder and harder to cut ties
I took a sip from a devil's cup
I engaged in something risky with you, even though I knew it wasn't smart
Slowly, it's taking over me
Being with you is slowly taking control of my thoughts and actions
It's in the air and it's all around
I can feel your presence everywhere I go, and it's affecting me deeply
Intoxicate me now
I'm giving in to you and letting you seduce me
With your lovin' now
I'm falling for you and your ways of showing affection
I think I'm ready now
Despite the dangers, the toxicity, and everything else, I'm ready to take my relationship with you to the next level
Contributed by Sarah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johansmallberries9874
The fact that Chris never gets his eye poked out by Sara's bow shows how long these guys have been playing together.
@TheCoryGroshek
This is so awesome in so many ways. You can tell the band is having so much fun.
@awakeandalive60
THEY NEED TO DO A STUDIO RECORDING OF THIS LIKE YESTERDAY
@cooldebt
Those vocals are killing!
@thechazdarby
one of my favourite bands ever.
@EladLavyUzan
Such a great cover!,awesome energy
@wilrockq1065
This is now my all-time favorite music video.Β
@robhunter6703
never thought I'd like a Britney song, but oh my goodness I loved this! they are just fabulous :)
@BooRadleyTube
She is pitch perfect, even on the high notes!
@linaleverloppan.9752
While singing or while playing the violin?