While still in high school, he recorded his first solo effort, Mythologies, released on the Carpe Diem label, and produced by future 97 Murry Hammond. Miller and Hammond then formed the group Sleepy Heroes, a power-pop trio that released one CD - Under A Radio Sun - and promptly disbanded.
In the early 1990s, Miller started performing country songs acoustically with Hammond with the moniker Ranchero Brothers - a duo that performs occasionally to this day.
Miller's second solo album The Instigator was released in 2002. In 2006, he released The Believer. Recently he released the self-titled Rhett Miller in 2009.
For photographs and additional information visit Rhett Miller's official website www.RhettMiller.com, or the official website of the Old 97's www.Old97s.com.
Girl
Rhett Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They are not listening, they are only machines
I could sit around all day worrying and wishing
I was one of them so you could tell it to me
Talking to you girl is like long division
Yeah, I've been trying to find you
I've been trying to see you
'Cause I can see you want the truth now
I've been trying to tell you that I can tell
You are a singular girl
Blame it on the moonlight, blame it on plate tectonics
You thought I wasn't listening but I was
Talk about attraction, talk about electronics
You are the reason, you are because
The lyrics to Rhett Miller's "Girl in 2-3" convey a sense of frustration with how difficult communication can be between people. The first two lines set the scene of someone wanting to express something, but feeling like their words are falling on deaf ears. Miller then laments that he wishes he were a machine, because he would be better equipped to receive the message.
The second verse is where the "girl" in the title really comes into play. Miller uses a clever metaphor to describe how talking to her is like long division - it's a difficult and tedious process that requires concentration and patience. He's been trying to see her, and he believes that she wants the truth - but he's also under oath, suggesting that perhaps revealing the truth might be risky in some way. Ultimately, he decides to tell her that he can tell she's a singular girl, which seems to be a way of saying that she's special and unique.
The bridge of the song shifts the focus away from communication and towards a more philosophical perspective. Miller suggests that the moonlight and plate tectonics (i.e. external forces beyond our control) are partially to blame for whatever communication breakdown is happening. But he also acknowledges that he was listening all along, even if the girl didn't realize it. In the final line, he attributes her existence to "attraction" and "electronics," which can be interpreted in a variety of ways.
Overall, "Girl in 2-3" is a thoughtful meditation on how difficult it can be to convey one's feelings to another person, and how barriers to communication can arise from both internal and external sources.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you can tell it to the radio, tell it to the television
Talking to other people about my feelings for you has proven to be ineffective.
They are not listening, they are only machines
I feel like I'm talking to machines because nobody seems to care about how I feel about you.
I could sit around all day worrying and wishing
I can't stop thinking about you and I'm constantly agonizing over whether you feel the same way.
I was one of them so you could tell it to me
I wish I was the object of your affection so that you could open up to me and tell me how you really feel.
Talking to you girl is like long division
Trying to communicate with you is difficult and it feels like an unsolvable problem.
Yeah, I've been trying to find you
I've been searching for you so I can express these feelings.
May I remind you I'm under oath now?
I want to be honest with you, but I feel like I need to remind you that I'm obligated to tell the truth.
I've been trying to see you
I've been attempting to spend more time with you so I can reveal my feelings.
'Cause I can see you want the truth now
I can sense that you're ready to hear the truth about how I feel.
I've been trying to tell you that I can tell
I've been trying to communicate to you that I understand your unspoken feelings.
You are a singular girl
You are unique and one of a kind.
Blame it on the moonlight, blame it on plate tectonics
There are many reasons why I feel the way I do, but ultimately it's because of you.
You thought I wasn't listening but I was
You may have thought I wasn't paying attention, but I was always listening to what you had to say.
Talk about attraction, talk about electronics
These are two seemingly unrelated things, but they both have a role in how I feel about you.
You are the reason, you are because
You are the cause of my emotions and the reason for my actions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KENDALL DEWAYNE BETHEA, MURRAY HAMMOND, PHILIP WAYNE PEEPLES, STEWART RANSOM MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
elizabeth b
As a huge Beatles fan, and a "Girl" fan in particular, your cover stands up very well among all the covers out there. I'll have to check out more of your stuff.
Adam Gimbel
Thanks so much for uploading this. Priceless. I just shared it on Yer Doin Great's Facebook page for the ABC's of Rock. Cheers.
Natalie Lydick
This is two of my favorite things. The Beatles and Rhett? Yes please.
Chals Lp
amazing
MrBeatlesCovers
You're very welcome!
Catherine C.
Rhett isn't from Austin. He's from Dallas!
MrBeatlesCovers
@okeynejuce You're very welcome