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/
Too Far Gone
Sixpence None the Richer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Brick by brick and now I realize
That I'm shut out I'm shut in
And every time I try to reach out I reach in
I break my fingers on the bricks
Why do I do this to myself
There is really no one else to blame
So could you reach down and pull me out
Or am I just too far gone to be saved?
Or am I just too far gone to be saved?
I take my falls, hands pulled behind my back
You made the knot and didn't leave much slack
Now I'm tied up I'm tied down
Now every time I try to fly up I fly down
Into the sea and hold my breath
I am a mirrored rumble fish
Life is so clenching for the kill
[Chorus]
So could you reach down and break my will
Or am I just too far gone to be saved?
Or am I just too far gone to be saved?
I'm shut out, I'm shut in
And every time is try to reach out reach in
I break my fingers on the bricks
Now every time I try to fly up I fly down
Into the sea and hold my breath
I am a mirrored rumble fish
Life is so clenching for the kill
[Chorus]
So could you reach down and pull me out
Or am I just too far gone
You'll never be too far gone,
You'll never be too far gone to be saved.
The chorus of the song "Too Far Gone" by Sixpence None the Richer is a plea for help, for someone to pull the singer out of the walls they've built around themselves. The lyrics of this song speak to feelings of isolation and trapped emotions, with the singer blaming only themselves for their predicament. They recognize that they have built walls around themselves that are too high to climb over and now they are trapped, unable to break out. They want someone else to come in, but they fear that they may be too far gone to be saved.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has made decisions that have led to their own imprisonment. They have tied themselves up and in this state, they continue to make the same mistakes. They try to fight their way out, but it's like breaking their fingers on the bricks. They can't escape the prison they've created for themselves. The song ends with a hopeful sentiment - that they may not be too far gone to be saved after all.
Overall, the song is about the struggle to break free from self-imposed limitations and reach out to others. The lyrics are reflective and introspective, calling for an honest assessment of one's own role in their isolation. The singer knows that they need help to break the chains they've created for themselves, but they're not entirely sure if it's possible.
Line by Line Meaning
I built these walls with blinders on my eyes
I have created a barrier around myself intentionally, and I failed to see the outside world.
Brick by brick and now I realize
I created the barrier consciously, and I understand it now.
That I'm shut out I'm shut in
I am locked inside myself, and nobody can approach me.
And every time I try to reach out I reach in
Every time I try to interact with others, it only leads me deeper inward.
I break my fingers on the bricks
In my effort to break this wall, I end up harming myself.
Why do I do this to myself
I question myself why I create this wall around myself knowingly.
There is really no one else to blame
I accept that I'm responsible for the isolation and the decision to wall myself.
So could you reach down and pull me out
I acknowledge my inability to break the wall myself and request someone to help me.
Or am I just too far gone to be saved?
I question if it's too late to come out of isolation and start living a normal life.
I take my falls, hands pulled behind my back
I fall due to my own action, and I am responsible for the consequences.
You made the knot and didn't leave much slack
The predicaments which I face are caused by my own decision, explicitly or implicitly.
Now I'm tied up I'm tied down
I feel restricted by my own choices and decisions, and it makes me feel helpless.
Into the sea and hold my breath
I'm drowning in my own problems and may not withstand the pressure of holding up.
I am a mirrored rumble fish
I look different on the outside, but inside, I'm struggling with my own problems, and I am a mess.
Life is so clenching for the kill
The situations I face are stressful, and I struggle to hang on to life.
So could you reach down and break my will
I can't seem to overcome these issues myself and need assistance to fathom a solution.
You'll never be too far gone,
No one is too far gone to be saved.
You'll never be too far gone to be saved.
There's always a way to get out of isolation, even when it seems impossible.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATTHEW PRESTON SLOCUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind