Stylistically, the band took influence from both contemporary adult alternative bands as well as earlier power pop and Bob Dylan-like singer-songwriter music. 'The Madding Crowd' generally received positive critical reviews and reached the #67 slot on the Billboard 200, eventually being certified as gold by the RIAA. Yet Nine Days' acclaim ended up being brief. Despite the popularity of "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)", which reached the #1 slot on Billboard's 'Top 40 Mainstream' chart and raced up in other charts, the group's mainstream success quickly faded, and they became saddled with the "one hitwonder" tag because of that single's ubiquitous nature. They're also sometimes labeled as a "two hit wonder" (due to the major airplay of "If I Am" as well).
Their next album, 'So Happily Unsatisfied', was scheduled for a release in 2002. Unfortunately due to complications with their label, Sony Records, this album became delayed and the group was no longer in possession of the rights of the songs. They managed to put it up for online distribution years later after acrimonious conflict. 'Flying the Corporate Jet', released in 2003 by the band by itself, ended up being Nine Days' last full album for some time.
Justly feeling bashed by the music industry, the band went on hiatus through much of the decade. However, In mid-August 2006, Nine Days formally reunited and went back to the studio to record. 'Slow Motion Life (Part One)', a new EP with six songs, was released on January 19, 2007. Part Two was released later that year. Their more recent work has gone in a more Americana type musical direction.
The band has since performed sporadically. Both vocal artists, John Hampson and Brian Desveaux have pursued solo careers and their music is available for purchase from their respective websites. According to the Absolutely (Story of a Girl) Songfacts, Hampson ended up spending a lot of time as a high school English teacher.
Story Of A Girl
Nine Days Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her, when she smiles
How many days in a year
She woke up with hope, but she only found tears?
And I can be so insincere
As long as she stands there waitin'
Wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes
How many days disappear
When you look in the mirror so how do you choose?
Your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her, when she smiles
Yeah, how many lovers would stay?
Just to put up with this shit day after day
How do we wind up this way?
Watchin' the mouths for the words that we say
As long as we stand here waitin'
Wearing the clothes of the souls that we choose
How do we get there today
When we walkin' to far for the price of the shoes
Your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
But you never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad and lonely there
I absolutely love her, when she smiles
Well, your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looks so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
This is the story of a girl
A pretty face she hid from the world
And while she looked so sad and lonely there
I absolutely love her
This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her when she smiles
When she smiles
The song "Absolutely" by Nine Days clearly talks about a girl who is going through a lot of hardships in life. She has cried so much that it seems like it has caused devastation all over the world. She appears very sad in pictures, but the singer loves her for who she is, especially when she smiles.
The song deepens its hold on this emotional character when the lyrics questions how many days she wakes up with hope but only finds tears. The singer admits to being insincere and making fake promises which she stands there waiting believing in the hope of something better. And when all day she has put up with uselessness and the typical crap, how do you decide to look in the mirror? They are noting that you will find no easy reflections of yourself or your future in there.
Overall, the song captures the raw emotions of love and hope intertwined with sadness and longing for something better. The singer sees the girl's pain but still finds her loveable and beautiful, especially when she smiles.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of a girl
The following lyrics describe the life and struggles of a particular girl.
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
This girl experienced intense emotions that affected her and those around her deeply.
And while she looked so sad in photographs
Despite her melancholic appearance in pictures, her true self might have been more than what is shown in those images.
I absolutely love her, when she smiles
Her smile can be transformative, and seeing her smile brings joy to the artist.
How many days in a year
The artist is questioning the number of days that pass where the girl feels hopeful versus the number of days where she feels hopeless.
She woke up with hope, but she only found tears?
The singer is asking whether the girl's expectations align with reality and if they result in disappointment and sadness.
And I can be so insincere
The singer is admitting to being deceitful or dishonest with the girl at times.
Making her promises never for real
The artist makes promises they don't intend to keep, hurting the girl by breaking her trust.
As long as she stands there waitin'
The girl patiently waits for something or someone, possibly the artist, with hopes that may or may not come to fruition.
Wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes
The girl spends a lot of time on her feet, possibly walking or running, and doing so wears down her shoes quickly.
How many days disappear
The singer is questioning the number of days that pass where the girl feels lost or unsure of herself.
When you look in the mirror so how do you choose?
The girl may struggle when presented with choices or decisions, and the artist is asking how she decides what to do when she looks at herself in the mirror.
Your clothes never wear as well the next day
The singer acknowledges that clothes may not look as fresh or clean after they have been worn once.
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
Hair is subject to change and never quite looks the same each day, according to the singer.
You never seem to run out of things to say
The girl never seems to be at a loss for words or conversation, always having something to contribute.
Yeah, how many lovers would stay?
The artist wonders how many people would endure or put up with a situation like the one the girl is in.
Just to put up with this shit day after day
The girl's situation may be unpleasant or difficult, and the artist acknowledges this and questions why anyone would tolerate it.
How do we wind up this way?
The singer is questioning how the girl got into her current situation or how people in general end up in bad situations.
Watchin' the mouths for the words that we say
People observe others closely, especially during conversations, to see the impact of the words they use.
As long as we stand here waitin'
People are waiting for something important, and this waiting affects their lives in some way.
Wearing the clothes of the souls that we choose
People choose the clothes that express who they are, but the artist suggests that clothing may also reflect someone else's character, someone whose values are different from your own.
How do we get there today
People struggle to reach their goals and become the person they want to be in the present day.
When we walkin' to far for the price of the shoes
People may have aspirations that are costly or beyond their means, symbolized by expensive shoes, making the journey to achieve those goals difficult and possibly unbearable.
And while she looked so sad and lonely there
The girl appeared lonely in addition to being sad or unhappy when the artist saw her.
This is the story of a girl
The start of the story of the girl is reiterated as a reminder.
A pretty face she hid from the world
The girl had an attractive appearance that she kept hidden or didn't show to others.
I absolutely love her
The singer has strong feelings of love for the girl, despite her struggles and sorrows.
When she smiles
The girl's smile is highlighted as an important and significant detail.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: John Charles Hampson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@matthewscruggs7104
Who’s here is 2024 and still loving this song?
@frankcarrillo3828
Me 😢
@metalsadman
i grew up with these songs how can I not lol.
@matthewscruggs7104
@@metalsadman me too lol
@MrRaggzy
wonderful song !! still loving it @@matthewscruggs7104
@stuffofficial7102
Literally me 😂💯
@TCReyes
This song is so iconic that there is a version of it in every universe
@cdsackett
Ayyyy!!! Dude when Waymon recited these lyrics to Michelle’s character I almost died 😂
@thatsannoying
Your clothes never wear as well the next day, and your hair never falls in quite the same way 🤓
@shibshaph4482
Agreed