Old 97's have been heralded as a great live band. They included five live songs as a bonus disc on Satellite Rides, and released a live double CD set recorded at historic Gruene Hall in 2005, Alive and Wired. Singer/guitarist Rhett Miller has released three solo albums and singer/bassist Murry Hammond released his first solo effort in April 2008. Ken Bethea plays lead guitar for the band and playing the drums/singing is Philip Peeples.
For photographs and additional information see the official website, www.Old97s.com.
Victoria
Old 97's Lyrics
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She started off on Percodan and ended up with me.
She lived in Berkeley 'til the earthquake shook her loose.
She lives in Texas now where nothin' ever moves.
Victoria you talk so low that no one else can hear,
Unless you point your megaphone directly at their ear.
This is the story of Victoria Lee,
You'd like to think they're your friends, but they're not your friends,
And in the end a friend's the one you'll never know, oh don't you know?
You'd like to think you're groovy, it's your movie, you see through me, but it's true,
And in the end you'll know, Victoria don't go. Victoria, Victoria don't go.
This is the story of Victoria's heart,
You might think it's stupid, but I still think it's art.
She lost her lover to an accident at sea.
She pushed him overboard and ended up with me.
Victoria, you dance so fast that no one else can see.
Victoria I hope you use just one more dance for me.
This is the story of Victoria's heart.
It's a really big one, and I don't know where to start.
(Occasionally used on early versions of "Victoria Lee")
You'd like to think they're your friends, but they're not your friends,
And in the end a friend's the one you'll never know, oh don't you know?
You'd like to think you're groovy, it's your movie, you see through me, but it's true,
And in the end you'll know, Victoria don't go. Victoria, Victoria don't go.
The song "Victoria" by Old 97's tells the story of a woman named Victoria Lee, who has had a troubled past filled with drug use and a lover she lost to an accident at sea. The lyrics suggest that Victoria is now living in Texas where life is slow-paced and uneventful. The first verse reveals that Victoria started on Percodan and Rohypnol, and she has ended up with the singer of the song.
In the second verse, the lyrics suggest that Victoria has a tendency to dance fast, and no one else can keep up with her pace. Despite this, the singer hopes that Victoria might use one more dance for him. The chorus of the song features the recurring phrase, "You'd like to think they're your friends, but they're not your friends / And in the end, a friend's the one you'll never know, oh don't you know?" This suggests that the singer believes that true friendship can be elusive and hard to come by. The song ends with the same refrain of "Victoria don't go," hinting at a possible separation between Victoria and the singer.
Overall, "Victoria" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of drug use and how it can lead to a life of instability and unpredictability. The song's lyrics also touch on themes of love, loss, and the search for true friendship.
Line by Line Meaning
This is the story of Victoria Lee,
The song is about a character named Victoria Lee and her experiences.
She started off on Percodan and ended up with me.
Victoria has a history of drug use and ended up in a relationship with the singer.
She lived in Berkeley 'til the earthquake shook her loose.
Victoria used to live in Berkeley, California but left after an earthquake.
She lives in Texas now where nothin' ever moves.
Victoria now lives in Texas, which is portrayed as a stagnant place.
Victoria you talk so low that no one else can hear,
Victoria speaks softly and is difficult to hear unless someone is listening closely.
Unless you point your megaphone directly at their ear.
Unless someone uses a megaphone to amplify her voice, it's hard to hear what Victoria is saying.
She started on Rohypinol and ended up with me.
Victoria has a history of drug abuse and ended up in a relationship with the singer (again).
You'd like to think they're your friends, but they're not your friends,
People might seem friendly, but they're not true friends to Victoria.
And in the end a friend's the one you'll never know, oh don't you know?
Victoria is saying that even though people often think they have friends, they'll ultimately never truly know who their friends are.
You'd like to think you're groovy, it's your movie, you see through me, but it's true,
Victoria alludes to the idea that people often see themselves as cool or fashionable but are actually blind to reality.
And in the end you'll know, Victoria don't go. Victoria, Victoria don't go.
The singer pleads with Victoria not to leave him, as he doesn't want to lose her.
This is the story of Victoria's heart,
The song is shifting focus to discuss Victoria's emotional experiences and feelings.
You might think it's stupid, but I still think it's art.
The singer believes that Victoria's heart is meaningful and worth paying attention to, even if other people might not understand its value.
She lost her lover to an accident at sea.
Victoria lost a past romantic partner due to a tragic accident.
She pushed him overboard and ended up with me.
Victoria is implied to have caused her previous partner's death and ended up in a relationship with the singer.
Victoria, you dance so fast that no one else can see.
Victoria is a skilled dancer who moves so quickly that others have a hard time keeping up with her.
Victoria I hope you use just one more dance for me.
The artist wants Victoria to dance with him one more time before she goes.
It's a really big one, and I don't know where to start.
Victoria's heart is complex and difficult to understand, and the singer is struggling to make sense of it all.
Contributed by Olivia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.