She fronted the rock trio Crowsdell in the 90's, recording two albums, Dreamette and In the curve of an arm. Both featuring her intense writing, playing and singing.
Her first solo album, Flightsafety (1999) featured a gentle acoustic sound. Her next release, Maps of Tacit (2000) brought a more vocally aggressive approach. This was further developed on her next two albums, Dyed in the Wool (2001) and Over the Sun (2004), which were both recorded with Steve Albini.
After a collaboration with French musician Yann Tiersen (Yann Tiersen & Shannon Wright, 2004), the works that followed moved in a gentler direction, mixing warm folk and rock songs with moodier pieces. These albums included Let in the Light (2007), Honeybee Girls (2009), and Secret Blood (2010).
Her next album, In Film Sound (2013), incorporated more raw and harsh indie rock elements reminiscent of earlier works. Later, on Division (2017), she experimented with a fragile keyboard-based sound incorporating sampling and electronic beats. Her most recent release, Providence (2019), also has a haunting sound mainly based on piano.
She's a frequent road warrior, playing shows everywhere from South Dakota to Brazil. Her live shows are emotionally charged, unbridled pieces of rock and roll, featuring Shannon's trademark vocal howl and multi-instrumental palette. Shannon was handpicked by Sleater-Kinney and Nick Cave to open some of their US tour dates.
Satellites
Shannon Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Knocking flames ??
Kingdom that we use to keep
Now a fable not a dream
A silver coated satellites
Such a sad and lovely sight
Winter comes ??
And I was born an only child
Now a fable not a dream
And every child stands in line
For silver coated satellites
The lyrics of Shannon Wright's song Satellites portrays a haunting image of a dystopian world where the offerings of technology and progress have resulted in a somber reflection of a once grandiose kingdom. The artist describes the sun beating down and knocking flames, indicating a blazing heat that destroys the once great kingdom that was built around the technology of Silver coated satellites. As the entire culture of the kingdom began to depend on technology, it gradually became a fable rather than a dream. The lyrics illustrate the helplessness felt as a result of relying too heavily on findings from technology, causing the kingdom's downfall to become inevitable.
Further, the artist talks about how winter comes knocking, and how she was born an only child, a bleak symbolism of her loneliness or the sense of solitude that enveloped her like the world around her. Even children in the kingdom who once aspired to attain the technology of silver-coated satellites began standing in line, as if on the brink of receiving holy communion. The lyrics vividly portray the trappings of too much dependency on technology, and how the silver-coated satellites were not just a technology but a way of life that led to the destruction of the kingdom and its dream.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day the sun beats down
The constant reality of life and harshness of the world
Knocking flames ??
Unknown or ambiguous events occurring that are causing destruction and chaos
Kingdom that we use to keep
A metaphorical place of refuge that we once relied on and identified with
Now a fable not a dream
The previous 'kingdom' is now nothing more than a made-up myth, rather than a tangible reality
A silver coated satellites
Technology that is aesthetically pleasing but ultimately unfulfilling
Such a sad and lovely sight
The beauty of technology is juxtaposed with the despondency of a world that relies on it
Winter comes ??
The darkness and bleakness of winter, perhaps symbolizing the struggles of life
Knocking ??
The continuation of unknown or ambiguous events causing damage
And I was born an only child
Isolation and solitude in the face of a world that is both beautiful and destructive
Now a fable not a dream
The previously held beliefs and hopes are nothing more than a fictional tale
And every child stands in line
The unrelenting need and desire for the same technology that contributes to feelings of isolation and despondency
For silver coated satellites
Technology as the only escape from the chaos of the world, even if it is ultimately unfulfilling
Contributed by Josiah S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.