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.
I Need To Know Where I Stand
Rhett Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the coast after hours of analysis
I loved you first, yeah I loved you the most
Now it feels like paralysis
And I've got no idea where we're goin' with this
No, I don't know where we're gonna land
And it might go better if do it by the letters
Killin' in a comedy club in Hollywood after years of psychotherapy
You were gone forever now you say you're back for good
I swear to God you're gonna bury me
And the people are laughin', I'm dead on the inside
I'll do anythin' you demand
Well, you tell me that you love me yet you won't even hug me
So I need to know where I stand, yes I need to know where I stand
Would you please tell me if you can, tell me if you can?
'Cause I need, yes I need to know where I stand
Quiet in the kitchen of a Cracker Jack box in the Hamlet of Wallkill
I miss you so much that it hurts me to talk
Yet you're standin' right in front of me still
And I'm reachin' for you but you're fallin' away
This has gotten so out of hand
Well, the world my end in a minute my friend
So I need to know where I stand, yes I need to know where I stand
Would you please tell me if you can, tell me if you can?
'Cause I need, yes I need to know where I stand
Yeah, I need to know where I stand
Well, I need to know where I stand
In Rhett Miller's song "I Need To Know Where I Stand," the singer reflects on the confusion and uncertainty of a relationship that has lost its way. The song cycles through three different settings, each with its own unique background and mood. In the first stanza, the singer remembers a romantic moment where they were kissing in a classroom on a campus by the coast after hours of analysis. However, despite having loved their partner first and the most, they now feel paralyzed and unsure of where the relationship is headed. This lack of clarity causes the singer to question what the future holds and the potential for the relationship to work if they don't address their issues.
In the second stanza, the singer is in a comedy club in Hollywood after years of psychotherapy, where they encounter a partner who had been gone forever but now claims to be back for good. However, despite their partner telling them they love them, they won't even hug them. This emotional distance leaves the singer feeling dead inside and willing to do whatever their partner demands. Still, they need to know where they stand, as their emotions and feelings for their partner weigh heavy on their mind.
In the final stanza, the singer is in the kitchen of a Cracker Jack box in the Hamlet of Wallkill. They miss their partner so much it hurts to talk, yet their partner remains within reach but out of grasp. The singer reaches out to their partner, but they continue to fall away. With the world feeling as though it may end at any moment, the singer needs to know where they stand with their partner. The lack of stability is too much for the singer, and they seek an answer to whether their relationship has a future.
Overall, the song presents a theme of uncertainty and a need for clarity in a relationship. The singer's emotions are all over the place, but they need to know where they stand with their partner to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Kissin' in a classroom on a campus
Recalling a romantic memory from the past
On the coast after hours of analysis
Reflecting on a current situation with a love interest
I loved you first, yeah I loved you the most
Expressing deep feelings of love for the other person
Now it feels like paralysis
Feeling emotionally stuck and unable to move forward
And I've got no idea where we're goin' with this
Feeling uncertain about the future of the relationship
No, I don't know where we're gonna land
Feeling unsure about how things will eventually turn out
And it might go better if do it by the letters
Suggesting that a clear, direct approach might be helpful
So I need to know where I stand
Expressing a strong desire for clarity and honesty in the relationship
Killin' in a comedy club in Hollywood after years of psychotherapy
Reflecting on a difficult personal journey
You were gone forever now you say you're back for good
Reconnecting with a love interest who had been absent for some time
I swear to God you're gonna bury me
Feeling overwhelmed and consumed by the intensity of the relationship
And the people are laughin', I'm dead on the inside
Feeling emotionally disconnected from others around him
I'll do anythin' you demand
Feeling like he would do anything to make the other person happy
Well, you tell me that you love me yet you won't even hug me
Feeling confused by mixed signals from the other person
Yes I need to know where I stand
Reiterating the desire for clarity in the relationship
Quiet in the kitchen of a Cracker Jack box in the Hamlet of Wallkill
Reflecting on a moment of intimacy with the other person
I miss you so much that it hurts me to talk
Reflecting on the depth of his feelings for the other person
Yet you're standin' right in front of me still
Feeling conflicted by the continued presence of the other person
And I'm reachin' for you but you're fallin' away
Feeling like the other person is slipping away
This has gotten so out of hand
Feeling overwhelmed by the situation
So I need to know where I stand
Reiterating the strong desire for clarity and honesty in the relationship
Would you please tell me if you can, tell me if you can?
Asking the other person for open communication
'Cause I need, yes I need to know where I stand
Expressing the strong urgency of the situation
Well, I need to know where I stand
Reiterating the importance of understanding the true nature of the relationship
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheGloryofMan
Amazing the radio plays it. I haven't listened to the radio since high school. Anyway, check out the rest of his solo work. The Instigator, The Believer, and Rhett Miller. Then you should check out Old 97's (assuming you're unfamiliar with all of this).
TheGloryofMan
Thank YOU for viewing and listening to Rhett Miller.
Todd Dennehy
Followed Rhett and Old 97s since their inception. I choose Rhett as my favorite lyricist of the last 18 years!
Nixgibts
Rhett Miller! Good Work ;) You have a new fan!
Jaci McCrary
He sounds a lot like Tom Petty to me. I am looking forward to seeing and hearing him on the Cayamo Cruise in early February.
Vernon Vernatron
just found this and love it :D
Paul Lafleur
I'll start singing along to this, then somehow end up singing Help Me Suzanne. Not sure why.
suburbanindie
@TheGloryOfMan 101.9 is the saving grace of New York City radio... that's also where I first heard this song. I love it! It's got a great, mellow vibe.
Rob S
I just heard it on the radio so i had to look it up. 101.9
David Diggle
I live near Walkill which Rhett mentions in this song. He lives there with his wife and son. What a great talent. I hope to see him @ Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center in October. This is the site of the Woodstock festival in 1969. We have an awesome music scene in the hudson valley region of N.Y. Cant think of any other place I would want to live. New Paltz Dave.