The two albums released to date are Wasps' Nests (1995) and Hyacinths and Thistles (1999). The names of both albums, and the name of the band, are deliberate tongue-twisters. The words are chosen for their abundance of s and th sounds. Sixths packs one th and three s sounds into one syllable.
One story has it that the band was conceived when Merritt, observing that there was no tribute album dedicated to him, decided to make one himself. The concept is that Merritt writes songs which are then played and sung by other artists, different ones on each track. It has so far produced two well-received albums and many bizarre collaborations.
The other story (and the more accurate one) is that Merritt wrote the songs, mailed the singers rough demos, their vocals and additional tracks were returned via mail back to Merritt who the results took to his studio and polished them up as finished items. This at least rings true on the debut record, with the singers and composers never meeting in person. A few years later, the Postal Service would use this same tactic and even use the method as their namesake.
The list of singers on Wasps' Nests reads like a veritable Who's Who of mid 90s indie rock starpower, including Miho Hatori, Barbara Manning, Mary Timony, Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500, Luna), Lou Barlow, Robert Scott (The Bats, The Clean), Georgia Hubley (Yo La Tengo) and Mark Robinson.
Some of the more notable artists appearing on Hyacinths and Thistles are Bob Mould, Sally Timms (The Mekons), Sarah Cracknell (Saint Etienne), Neil Hannon (The Divine Comedy), Gary Numan, Marc Almond, Momus, Clare Grogan (Altered Images), Melanie, Miss Lily Banquette (Combustible Edison) and the accomplished toy piano player Margaret Leng Tan.
All Dressed Up In Dreams
The 6ths Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For an hour I was feeling ten feet tall
And I had myself a ball
I was heading for a fall
I got all dressed up in dreams
And I waited by the door
But you never even called
You're so pretty, everybody falls for you
In this city it's the only thing to do
So I cried for sixteen days
And I cried in sixteen ways
I got all dressed up in dreams
And I waited by the door
But you never even called
To tell me you don't love me anymore
You said you'd arrive at eight
But you're seventeen days late
I got all dressed up in dreams
And I waited by the door
But you never even called
To tell me you don't love me
So I wander in the rain
As I slowly go insane
I got all dressed up in dreams
And I waited by the door
But you never even called
To tell me you don't love me anymore
You don't love me anymore
You don't love me anymore
You don't love me anymore
You don't love me anymore
You don't love me anymore
The 6ths' song "All Dressed Up In Dreams" is a poignant ballad about a person waiting for a lover who never shows up. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is usually not happy but was feeling unusually buoyant for an hour – until they realized they were headed for a fall. They got dressed up, hoping their lover would show up, but the lover, who is described as being "so pretty everybody falls for you," never comes. The person waiting cries for 16 days in 16 different ways and becomes increasingly distraught as they realize that their lover is not coming. The final lines indicate that the person is wandering in the rain, slowly going insane.
The lyrics of "All Dressed Up In Dreams" are rich with imagery and emotion. They offer a poignant commentary on unrequited love and the pain of waiting for someone who may never show up. The song's clever use of metaphors – getting dressed up in dreams and waiting by the door – adds to the sense of longing and disillusionment. The mournful, melancholic melody underscores the lyrics' sadness and poignancy.
Line by Line Meaning
I was happy, which is not like me at all
For once, I felt delighted, even though feeling joy isn't typical for me.
For an hour I was feeling ten feet tall
I had a sense of confidence and power within me for about an hour.
And I had myself a ball
I had a great time enjoying myself.
I was heading for a fall
I was about to experience a downfall or failure.
I got all dressed up in dreams
I imagined a fantastic future for us and dressed accordingly.
And I waited by the door
I remained hopeful and eagerly anticipated your response at the door.
But you never even called
You never made an effort to communicate with me.
To tell me you don't love me anymore
To admit the truth that you no longer have affection for me.
You're so pretty, everybody falls for you
Your stunning looks make people helpless and fall for you.
In this city it's the only thing to do
In this place, it's the norm to admire and get swayed by beauty.
So I cried for sixteen days
I went into a deep emotional turmoil and spent sixteen days sobbing.
And I cried in sixteen ways
I was sad in multiple different ways throughout those sixteen days of crying.
You said you'd arrive at eight
You made a promise to reach by eight in the evening.
But you're seventeen days late
However, you arrived on the seventeenth day instead of the promised day.
So I wander in the rain
I walked aimlessly in the rain drenched in sorrow.
As I slowly go insane
As I lose my mind bit by bit while dealing with the pain.
You don't love me anymore
You don't have feelings of care or affection for me anymore.
You don't love me anymore
Your love for me is no longer present.
You don't love me anymore
The love that you previously had for me no longer exists.
You don't love me anymore
You have stopped loving me completely.
Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.