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.
This Is What I Do
Rhett Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jennifer 1 was a racehorse-rider Heidi was a house on fire
Bernadette kept a distance we got tangled up in telephone wire
I'm gonna sing this song forever about a girl that I once knew
And how she is always leaving this is what I do
This is what I do for a living this is what I do
In another life I was a holy roller in another lifetime I flew
This is what I do for a living this is what I do
This is what I do this is what I do
Every one of us has a secret rhythm beating like a drum
All of us have a albatross and this is my one
This is what I do for a living this is what I do
I could hide it in the attic I could bury it in static
I could only put it out in Japan
I could tape my mouth closed I could take another dose
I am dancing as fast as I can
This is what I do for a living this is what I do
This is what I do this is what I do
In "This Is What I Do" Rhett Miller sings about his own identity as a musician and performer. He references different women from his past, suggesting that he has had romantic relationships with them, but also uses them as metaphors for his former selves. Jennifer, a "racehorse-rider," seems to represent a life of fast-paced abandon; Heidi, a "house on fire," represents a life of burning passion; and Bernadette, who "kept a distance," represents a life of emotional detachment. These women are part of Miller's personal history, and yet he distances himself from them by saying "we got tangled up in telephone wire," as if to say that their relationships were fraught with communication difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
This is what I do this is what I do
I am expressing my identity through music, and this is my craft and calling
Jennifer 1 was a racehorse-rider Heidi was a house on fire
I have known people who were thrilling and captivating, but ultimately fleeting and not meant to stay in my life
Bernadette kept a distance we got tangled up in telephone wire
I have experienced both emotional distance and entanglement in past relationships
I'm gonna sing this song forever about a girl that I once knew
I am using music to preserve memories of someone who has left my life, so that they may live on
And how she is always leaving this is what I do
One of my recurring themes as a songwriter is exploring the complex dynamics of relationships and the pain of separation
In another life I was a holy roller in another lifetime I flew
I imagine other versions of myself and explore different paths I might have taken
I have always kept a distance this is what I do
As an artist, I have a tendency to maintain a certain degree of emotional detachment as a way of processing my experiences
Every one of us has a secret rhythm beating like a drum
We all have unique inner worlds that drive us and define who we are
All of us have a albatross and this is my one
I carry a burden or struggle that remains a constant challenge in my life
I could hide it in the attic I could bury it in static
I have the option to conceal or ignore my struggles, but I choose to confront them through music
I could only put it out in Japan
Sometimes it feels like my music is only understood or appreciated by audiences in certain places or cultures
I could tape my mouth closed I could take another dose
Despite the struggles and challenges of my profession, I continue to pursue music as my passion
I am dancing as fast as I can
I feel like I am constantly striving to keep up with the demands and pressures of being a musician
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: STEWART RANSOM MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind