After recording a 7-track demo in 1995, the band signed to Murmur Records, a subsidiary of Sony. In 1996, they released the 7-track EP The Answer to Both Your Questions, recorded and mixed by Greg Atkinson of Sydney band Big Heavy Stuff.
In November of 1996, the 3-track single "Dean Martin" was released. Early in 1997, the band released a 5-track EP titled Intermission as they recorded their first album, Elsewhere for Eight Minutes, in New Zealand and mixed and mastered it in New York with U.S. producer Brian Paulson. (Brian had previously produced albums for Wilco, Archers of Loaf, Superchunk and Slint, amongst others.) Something for Kate's first full-length album was released in July of 1997. Bass player Julian Carroll was then replaced by Toby Ralph, who toured with the band for the release of the album.
Four singles were released from Elsewhere for Eight Minutes: "Captain (Million miles an hour)", "Prick", "Working Against Me" and "Roll Credit". Bass player Toby Ralph was replaced by Stephanie Ashworth (of Melbourne outfit Sandpit) in March 1998. The band then wrote their second album, Beautiful Sharks, which was released in April of 1999. Beautiful Sharks was recorded in Melbourne, once again by producer Brian Paulson.
Four singles were released from Beautiful Sharks: "Electricity", "Hallways", "Whatever You Want" and "The Astronaut". When the band went on the road with this album they took on an extra touring musician, Wally Gunn, to play the incidental guitar and keyboard parts.
In 2000, as the band were writing for their third album, Murmur released Q & A With Dean Martin, a re-release of the sold-out first EP and single. Also released in 2000 was Big Screen Television, a video collection of 12 of the band's music videos along with some bonus footage.
In June of 2001, the third album, Echolalia, was released. Produced by the band and Trina Shoemaker (whose other recording credits include Queens of the Stone Age, REM, Whiskeytown and Sheryl Crow), Echolalia was recorded at INXS bass-player Garry Gary Beers' Mangrove studio in the Central Coast of NSW.
Four singles were released from Echolalia: "Monsters", "Three Dimensions", "Twenty Years" and "Say Something". When touring this album, the band took on two touring musicians, Pip Branson (ex Sydney band Sidewinder) and Simon Bourke, again, to play the increasing amount of keyboards and extra guitar parts featured on the album.
In 2002 the band released their first DVD, A Diversion, which is a document of the writing, recording and touring of the Echolalia album.
In 2003 the band recorded and released their fourth album, The Official Fiction. Produced once again by the band and Trina Shoemaker at Mangrove studios, it spawned the singles "Deja Vu", "Song for a Sleepwalker", "Best Weapon" and "Moving Right Along".
After supporting David Bowie on the Australian leg of his Reality Tour, the band toured Europe in 2004, taking in Germany, France, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland and the UK, before returned to Australia to release Phantom Limbs, a double album of the band members' and their fans' favourite b-side tracks from over the years.
On the 30th of June 2006, Something for Kate released their fifth album, Desert Lights. Since then, Something for Kate has released 2 singles, Cigarettes and Suitcases which was released on the 5th of May 2006, just under 2 months before the second EP, Oh Kamikaze which was released on the 1st of September 2006.
California
Something for Kate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We could cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
And I ain't the same without you
Can't even do my thing without
You
And I remember how it was
I wish I could be back there 'cause
I want to be there where I can
Take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset(we can hit
The stars)there's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
Starin' at my window at you
Am I the same without you
But life ain't the same without you
'Cause I know that it'll be too
Long
Before I see you
Tears for my eyes cry to
Tears for my eyes cry blue
I love it when the breeze comes through
So as soon
As I get back
I'm gonna take a
[Chorus:]
Top off the ride
We can cruise around
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
We can take a top off the ride
We can hit the shore
We can hit sunset (we can hit the stars)
There's a party goin' on in every corner
That's why I gotta be in California
"California" by Something for Kate is a song about missing someone and wanting to escape to California in order to find solace. The song opens with the singer suggesting that they and their companion could take a drive around town with the top off, listening to music until the sun goes down. However, they quickly establish that without their loved one, everything feels incomplete and unfulfilling. They long to be back in California, the place where they felt complete, and where fun parties can be found on every corner. The song's chorus repeats the idea that California is where they need to be and how they need to take a top off the ride, hit the shore, and enjoy the parties.
The song is not explicitly about California itself; rather, it represents a longing for a place where one feels at peace and can escape from the problems of the real world. The singer believes that in California, they can find the happiness that feels unattainable at home. The act of driving with the top of the car down is a symbol of freedom and release, and the endless parties represent an escape from the monotony of daily life. Overall, the song suggests that sometimes one needs to escape in order to find themselves and that California represents that escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Top off the ride
Let's take the top off our car and enjoy the ride
We could cruise around
We can drive aimlessly around town
Listen to the sounds till the sun goes down
We can play music and enjoy the sunset
Starin' at my window at you
I miss you and wish you were here
Am I the same without you
I feel incomplete when you're not around
And I ain't the same without you
I really need you in my life
Can't even do my thing without you
I need your support to do my own thing
So gone to the one that I love
I'm traveling to see the one I love
And I remember how it was
I miss the good times we had together
I wish I could be back there 'cause
I want to go back to that moment in time
I want to be there where I can
I want to be in a place where I can
Take a top off the ride
Enjoy the ride with the top off the car
There's a party goin' on in every corner
There's always something happening in California
We can hit the shore
We can go to the beach
We can hit sunset (we can hit the stars)
We can enjoy the sunset and stay out late
Starin' at my window at you
I miss you and wish you were here
But life ain't the same without you
I need you in my life to make it complete
'Cause I know that it'll be too long
I know it will be a while before we can see each other again
Before I see you
I miss you so much
Tears for my eyes cry blue
I'm sad without you
I love it when the breeze comes through
I enjoy the calmness of the breeze
So as soon As I get back
I'm looking forward to returning home
That's why I gotta be in California
California is the only place I want to be right now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ASHWORTH, DEMPSEY, HYNDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
S.K. Shaw
This has now got 18 likes, Geez that only took 2 years. Talk about underrated bands. SFK are brilliant and finally now Dempsey is back in Australia to begin work on their new album. Such a long wait from Desert Lights. :-(
someone
9 years now and only 186. Deserves 100 000 000
Cyanide Official- Music
Now that leave your soul to science is out, i am waiting for the new one in 2019
rowana abbot
This is a great song! He has such a deep voice.
ReMY GriFFin
Beautiful song, reminds me of the great bands I grew up listening to in the late 90’s x
Tony Arroyo
Great band. Found their music years ago on a trip to S.E. Asia. They need better visibility in the U.S.
André Martins Ferreira
The most underrated band I know. Such a shame. This is an amazing song!
David Andrew
Heard the new stuff? It's bloody good. I like 'waste our breath'.
Jennifer Sniegowski
Such a great song!!
Laurence Bennett
Finally there back. I couldn't be happier.