They recorded a demo (which now circulates as 'The Original Demos') and eventually an album, 'The Fatherless and the Widow' for R.E.X. Records in 1993. The record featured Chris Dodds (of Slocum's band Love Coma) on drums. Shortly after the release of the album, Slocum left Love Coma to pursue Sixpence full time. The band added Tess Wiley (guitar), J.J. Plasencio (bass) and Dale Baker (drums) for 1995's 'This Beautiful Mess'. Both albums, with featured the group's early explicit Christian contemporary music sound, were produced by Armand John Petri.
In 1997, the group signed to Steve Taylor's Squint Entertainment and prepared for the release of a self-titled album, with their work slowly began garnering attention from a wider audience. In 1999, "Kiss Me" was released as a single, propelling Sixpence into the national pop spotlight. This song was also notably used in the romantic comedy film 'She's All That'. The next year, the band recorded a cover of Britpop originators The La's "There She Goes", which became their second hit single. This recording was added to Sixpence's self-titled album, an album that received several releases, as a 13th track.
'Sixpence None the Richer', featuring a confessional, melodic sound reminiscent of contemporary power pop bands as well as the softer side of earlier classic rock groups, provided both a critical and commercial breakthrough for the band. The group, made up then of Leigh Nash with Dale Baker, Matt Slocum, Sean Kelly, and Justin Cary, had both "Kiss Me" and "There She Goes" as top 40 hits receiving lasting airplay, and the parent album took the #1 slot on Billboard's 'Top Contemporary Christian' chart. In terms of the group's religiously inspired melodies and lyrics, they had evolved to even more of a subtle, emotionally minded focus based on personal storytelling rather than proselytizing.
The band had a follow up album ready to release, but Squint Entertainment started to fall apart. Though leaving the band in limbo for several years, they still toured to an enthusiastic fan-base. Finally, Squint Entertainment was taken over by Word Records, allowing Sixpence None the Richer to record the album 'Divine Discontent', which was released in October of 2002. It differed significantly from the first pre-release version of the album that had circulated, with five songs removed and six added, but still received some positive critical reviews.
On February 26, 2004, Matt Slocum announced via a letter to CCM Magazine that the group had disbanded. That same year, Best of was released, which also collected some of the Divine Discontent outtakes, and tracks from compilations.
Matt Slocum has started a new band, the Astronaut Pushers which released their debut EP in 2005. He has also recorded and performed with the seminal ambient rock group Hammock. Leigh Nash released her debut Solo Album Blue on Blue on 15 August 2006 on her personal label, One Son Records. The first single, My Idea of Heaven, was released to USA radio the week of 14 July 2006.
In November 2007, Sixpence None the Richer reunited. The band has released a new EP, entitled My Dear Machine, with tour dates planned throughout 2008 in the States and Europe. In October 2008, they released their first Christmas album entitled, The Dawn of Grace.
Website: http://www.sixpencehq.com/
Melody of You
Sixpence None the Richer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Symphony soft as it shifts from dark beneath
A poem that flows, caressing my skin
In all of these things you reside
And I want you to flow from the pen, bow and brush
With paper and string, and canvas tight
With ink in the air, to dust your light?
From morning to the black of night
This is my call
I belong to you
This is my call
To sing the melodies of you
This is my call
I can do nothing else
I can do nothing else
You're the scent of an unfound bloom
A simple tune
I only write variations to sooth the mood
A drink that will knock me down to the floor
A key that will unlock the door
Where I hear a voice sing familiar themes
Then beckons me weaves notes in between
A tap and a string, a bow and a glass
You pour me 'till the day has passed
The lyrics to Sixpence None the Richer's "Melody of You" are an expression of love and devotion. The song is about finding beauty and inspiration in the world around us and channeling those elements into art. The opening lines describe the subject of the song as a symphony of symbols with a melody that shifts from dark to light. The singer is so deeply in awe of this person that he wants to create art that captures their essence and reflects their beauty.
The chorus of the song is a declaration of devotion - the singer belongs to the subject of the song and feels compelled to create art that celebrates them. The lyrics suggest that this devotion comes from a sense of awe and appreciation for someone who is both familiar and mysterious. The person is compared to an unfound bloom and a key that unlocks doors, suggesting that they are both elusive and transformative.
Line by Line Meaning
You're a painting with symbols deep,
You are a complex artwork, filled with hidden symbolism and meaning.
Symphony soft as it shifts from dark beneath
Your music is like a gentle, slow-moving symphony that moves from darkness to light.
A poem that flows, caressing my skin
Your words are like a soothing, flowing poem that touches me deeply.
In all of these things you reside
Your essence is present in all of these things, and it defines them.
And I want you to flow from the pen, bow and brush
I want you to inspire my art, whether I am writing, playing a musical instrument, or painting.
With paper and string, and canvas tight
I want to create with various mediums, including writing, music, and painting, with a precise and intentional approach.
With ink in the air, to dust your light?
I want to capture your essence and use it to create something beautiful, as if dusting your light from the air.
From morning to the black of night
I want to create art inspired by you at all times, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep.
This is my call
I am deeply moved and inspired by you, and I feel a personal calling to create art about you.
I belong to you
My art and expression are completely devoted to you.
To sing the melodies of you
I want to create music and art inspired by you, capturing the essence of your unique melodies.
I can do nothing else
I am so deeply moved by you that I cannot help but create art and express myself through music, writing, and painting.
You're the scent of an unfound bloom
You are like the elusive scent of a flower that has yet to reveal itself, but your presence is unmistakably powerful.
A simple tune
Even the simplest of your melodies and inspirations can have a profound impact on me.
I only write variations to sooth the mood
I write different versions and variations of your music and words to inspire and soothe my own mood, as well as those around me.
A drink that will knock me down to the floor
Your inspiration can hit me like a potent drink, completely knocking me off my feet and altering my state of being.
A key that will unlock the door
Your presence is like a key that opens doors to new experiences, emotions, and creative ideas within me.
Where I hear a voice sing familiar themes
Your music has a familiar quality to it that speaks to my soul and resonates deeply within me.
Then beckons me weaves notes in between
Your music beckons me to create and add my own unique flourishes and notes in between the ones you have crafted.
A tap and a string, a bow and a glass
I want to create art using all of the traditional tools and techniques, such as tapping a stringed instrument, playing a bowed instrument, or clinking a glass.
You pour me 'till the day has passed
You inspire me so deeply that I will continue to create and express myself until the day is over.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATTHEW PRESTON SLOCUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind