The band's second album, ...Somewhere More Familiar was released in 1997 and sold approximately 30,000 copies through its initial pressing, prompting Universal Records to sign the band. Universal re-released ...Somewhere More Familiar in late 1997. A single from the album, "All For You" hit #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains the band's most successful single.
The band's third album Fortress was released in 2000 by Universal. The band worked with producers Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, Heart), Richie Zito (Cheap Trick), and Paul Ebersold (3 Doors Down). The album featured minor pop hits "Champagne High" and "Change Your Mind."
In 2003, after the band split from Universal, it released its fourth studio album, Chasing Daylight, on the Sixthman label and toured throughout the year to promote the album. The band's internet presence emerged during this time period, and hardcore fans dubbing themselves "Hazelnuts" studied setlists, shared bootleg concert recordings, and initiated a promotion scheme with the band through their official website. 2003 also saw the simultaneous release of Live*LIVE, a two-disc live album, and A Life in the Day, a live DVD.
In 2004, Sister Hazel released its next studio album Lift. Songs from Lift were re-recorded for 2005's Lift: Acoustic Renditions, an EP of studio acoustic takes on five of the songs, offered exclusively through Apple's iTunes Store. In July 2005, the Sister Hazel album was re-issued again by Sixthman, in response to claims that the album had become difficult to find in stores.
Sister Hazel then promoted its album, Absolutely, which was released on October 10, 2006. The band also continued to tour and hold annual fan gathering events, The Rock Boat and The Rock Slope. Absolutely is the band's highest charting album on the Billboard charts following Fortress and it received 4 out of a possible 5 stars from Allmusic, a tie with Fortress's score.
On June 5, 2007, Sister Hazel released a "hybrid" album entitled BAM! Volume 1. It contains B-sides from the Absolutely recording sessions and some from previous albums.
Sister Hazel also released a holiday album called Santa's Playlist on September 25, 2007.
On February 9, 2008, Sister Hazel performed a live concert at Daytona International Speedway for the Budweiser Shootout.
Sister Hazel released a live acoustic album on June 17, 2008 entitled Before The Amplifiers, Live Acoustic on Croakin' Poets/Rock Ridge Music. The record features sixteen tracks, including the band's hits, fan favorites, and live concert staples, all in a stripped-down, acoustic format. The album was recorded on January 12 at Nickel & Dime Studios in Atlanta (other bands who have recorded there in the past include Indigo Girls, The B-52's, Shawn Mullins) in front of 100 lucky fans who were chosen at random from more than five thousand entries.
At the July 18, 2008 concert at Wolf Trap Farm Park, drummer Mark Trojanowski took paternity leave for his newborn child. Former Vertical Horizon and current Doobie Brothers drummer Ed Toth played in his place.
On July 9, 2009 Ford Motor Company announced a collaboration with Sister Hazel to promote the company's new Sync Technology, which is available on a number of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles. The band has been chosen to be the face of the company's "Sync My Ride" website.
The band released its seventh studio album of original songs (tenth album overall) on August 18, 2009. The album, entitled "Release", contains 12 tracks and is on the Rock Ridge Music label. On the day of release, "Release" was the number one album on iTunes.
On October 12th, 2010, Sister Hazel released their 8th studio album, "Heartland Highway", which is unique among SH albums in that all band members wrote at least one song that appears on the album.
Sister Hazel Williams was an African-American woman who ran Sister Hazel's Rescue Mission in Gainesville, FL. during the 1970s and early '80s. This facility gave those who were down on their luck a safe place to stay warm, eat and regroup, regardless of age, race or beliefs. It is in this spirit of unconditional concern for all beings that the band chose to use her name.
The band has had music featured in several movies and soundtracks including Major League: Back to the Minors, The Wedding Planner, Clay Pigeons, Bedazzled, American Wedding, and 10 Things I Hate About You. Sister Hazel also appear on the Fleetwood Mac tribute album, Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours with their cover version of "Gold Dust Woman". In 1999, they recorded a cover of "September Gurls" for the Big Star tribute album, Big Star, Small World. However, the track was not included when the album was released in 2006. The song "Where Do You Go" was featured on Scrubs (Season 6, Episode 4, "My House").
Band members
Ken Block - lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Jett Beres - bass, harmony vocals
Andrew Copeland - rhythm guitar, vocals
Ryan Newell - lead and slide guitar, harmony vocals
Mark Trojanowski - drums
Mona Lisa
Sister Hazel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything to me
I can't believe what's falling from your mouth
Why'd you have to go and
Tell me that you know
This ain't gonna work out like we planned
If we survive the winter
We might be around for spring
I'll survive anything
[Chorus]
She says we're like Mona Lisa's
Shattered on the ground into
A million little pieces
It's gone and gone around so long
I don't know what we're doin' anymore
Or what we're fighting for
Where's this common promise
Is this just another one of your demons
Paroling doubts on me
Cause I had my hopes up
And I let my guard down
Baby I let you in
I can't do that again
If we survive tomorrow
You know its just another day
If we survive each other
We might find a way to stay
[Chorus]
She says we're like Mona Lisa's
Shattered on the ground into
A million little pieces
It's gone and gone around so long
I don't know what we're doin' anymore
Or what we're fighting for
What are we fighting for
How I messed up was
When I let you be my everything
Its been broke now there's
Nothing left from everything
She says we're like Mona Lisa's
Shattered on the ground into
A million little pieces
It's gone and gone around so long
I don't know what we're doin' anymore...
[Repeat Chorus]
The song "Mona Lisa" by Sister Hazel is a melancholic yet reflective tune that speaks about a painful and broken relationship. The song starts by expressing the disappointment of the singer as he thinks about how much the person he loved had meant to him. He can't believe that it's all crumbling down, and the person he thought knew him so well is now saying that things won't work out between them. The lyrics then go on to talk about how, somehow, they still managed to hang on, but at times, the situation seemed so tenuous that they weren't sure if they'd make it. The chorus, which is repeated twice, likens their relationship to that of a shattered Mona Lisa, broken into "a million little pieces."
As the song progresses, it becomes more philosophical, asking what are they fighting for, and what's the common promise that has now vanished between them. They both have demons that they need to battle, but it seems like they're fighting each other instead of fighting the demons together. The singer then reflects on how he messed up by making the other person everything to him. In doing so, he lost himself, and now there's nothing left from everything that they had. The song ends with a somber verse, reminding us that when things go wrong, sometimes there's nothing left to fix.
Overall, "Mona Lisa" is an emotional and raw song that speaks of the complexity of relationships and how things can go wrong. It's a relatable song that speaks to people who have had broken relationships and can identify with the feeling of being lost and shattered.
Line by Line Meaning
Why'd you have to be
Asking the question why the person had to become such an important part of their life
Everything to me
Expressing how much the person meant to them and their role as an all-encompassing presence in their life
I can't believe what's falling from your mouth
Stating their disbelief at the words the person is saying or has said
Why'd you have to go and
Asking another question as to why the person would go and ...
Tell me that you know
Communicating that the person has expressed knowledge of a situation
This ain't gonna work out like we planned
Admitting the relationship or situation will not come to fruition in the way it was envisioned
If we survive the winter
Hypothesizing that the relationship will have to endure the upcoming challenges
We might be around for spring
Speculating that they will still be together by the time spring comes
If I survive myself
Acknowledging that they might be their own worst enemy in the relationship
I'll survive anything
Having the courage to say they can make it through anything if they can make it through this
She says we're like Mona Lisa's
Referring to the famous portrait which has been broken into so many pieces that it can't be fixed
Shattered on the ground into
Describing the broken pieces of the portrait lying on the ground
A million little pieces
Emphasizing the extent of the damage, how vast it is
It's gone and gone around so long
Confessing how long this problem has persisted, how its importance has become infused with their past
I don't know what we're doin' anymore
Confessing their confusion regarding what they are trying to achieve in this relationship/situation
Or what we're fighting for
Questioning the validity of whatever more they are fighting for, if there even is anything left
Where's this common promise
Worrying about the broken promises they once shared
Is this just another one of your demons
Pointing out that the other person might be causing problems intentionally, similar to a demon causing chaos
Paroling doubts on me
Expressing how the person is constantly causing doubt and uncertainty in the relationship through their actions and words
Cause I had my hopes up
Admitting that they had expectations for the relationship or situation but now those have been destroyed
And I let my guard down
Confessing they let down their walls and their emotional barriers in the relationship, giving their all
Baby I let you in
Admitting they let the other person into their world, their private matters, and their heart
I can't do that again
Expressing that they cannot put themselves through that kind of vulnerability and hurt again
If we survive tomorrow
Commenting on the immediate status of their relationship
You know its just another day
Realizing that whatever happens, life goes on; if things don't work out, they will go on living life
If we survive each other
The couple has reached a point where mutual survival is in question
We might find a way to stay
There is still some glimmer of hope that this relationship will continue in some form or another
How I messed up was
Acknowledging their own share of the blame for the situation
When I let you be my everything
Realizing how they allowed the other person to become such an important part of their life that they cannot imagine life without them
Its been broke now there's
The relationship has been broken beyond repair
Nothing left from everything
The relationship has been stripped of everything that once made it work
Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.