Kris Roe also took on the role of managing other punk bands such as Useless ID from Haifa, Israel. They collaborated on a split EP entitled "Let It Burn". Kris also acted as co-producer with Mass Giorgini (whose other production credits include working alongside Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day) for a ]label]Cincinnati, OH-based band called the National Trust in 2004, an album which is as-of-yet unreleased..
After a long delay, the album End Is Forever was released in 2001. This album was a testament to Kris Roe's increasing maturity as a songwriter. Most of the songs, especially "Fast Times at Dropout High", touched on very personal and emotional topics such as losing a sibling because his parents gave his newborn brother away for adoption. Once again the lineup changed, with John Collura replacing Peña on guitar.
On the 24th of June 2002 The Ataris left Kung Fu Records and signed with Columbia Records. Later in that year they recorded their 6th album, "So Long, Astoria", released on March 4th, 2003. This album was responsible for giving them their break into the mainstream audience and generated many successful singles, including "In This Diary" and their cover of Don Henley's "The Boys of Summer".
After touring behind the album for most of 2003, the band began writing the follow-up to "So Long, Astoria". Much of 2004 was spent in inactivity. In February of 2004, the band released "Live At The Metro", an album containing a full concert at The Metro in Chicago, as well as acoustic tracks. Mike Davenport and Chris Knapp left the band in early 2005.
Recording of "Welcome the Night" began in February 2005. Along with it came five new members - Sean Hansen filling the bass position, Shane Chickeles on drums, and guitarist Paul Carabello, Angus Cooke (Who played Cello on "End Is Forever"), and Bob Hoag on 3rd guitar, Cello, and Keyboards respectively. The group spent all of spring and summer recording at Seedy Underbelly in Los Angeles. "Welcome the Night" was orginally due out in April or May of 2006 but as of March 2006 the release date was pushed back to July of 2006. The release date of this album was once again been pushed back to possibly early 2007 after The Ataris asked to be released from their contract with Columbia Records, which the label agreed too. The "Welcome the Night" album was released in late February to an eager Ataris fan base. Unfortunately, it was not what they expected. The "Welcome the Night" album took a completely different approach to music. In a drastic deviation from his past traditions of whimsical, nostalgic pop songs, Roe used the new album to pursue a much more mature post-rock/progressive sound, an initiative which many speculate arose from the divorce of his wife and other personal conflicts. While "Welcome the Night" is certainly a great departure from The Ataris' roots, Roe has indicated that their upcoming release will attempt to return to the happy, youthful overtures that older fans have grown accustomed to.
Clara
The Ataris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did I see your face, like it wasn't there
And I know I was wrong
Yeah, I knew it all along
But I didn't care about you
Clara, where are you today?
And did you make the same mistakes
You
Did you go, did you run, did you think of
Your son?
Did you know you're not the only one
That tried to make a piece of coal into a
Diamond yeah!
So everything's fine now, at least you say
Maybe that's o.k.
But you know it's
Wrong
Was I right, did it last?
Were you dwelling on the past?
Or hanging on to a memory
So you say your time will never come
Maybe you should go ahead and jump
Then you'll become exactly what you are
Hanging onto
Standing there on the bridge
With your feet on the ledge
Maybe I might push you over the edge
And send you falling straight to the ground.
The Ataris' song Clara tells a story of a man who has moved on from a relationship, but is reflecting on the mistakes he made and the person he hurt in the process. In the opening verse, he describes seeing his former partner crying as he turned away, but he chooses to ignore her pain and thoughts of their past. He wonders where she is now and if she has made the same mistakes he did. Through the chorus, he questions whether she has moved on, or if she is still dwelling on the past or holding onto their memory by creating a fantasy around their relationship. He encourages her to take charge of her life and avoid hanging onto the past, or she may become trapped in memories forever.
The second verse seems to reflect on the desperation and hopelessness that often arises from romantic relationships that have ended. The singer wonders if his former girlfriend has also felt this way, contemplating suicide and the belief that her time will never come. He wonders if, in the midst of her pain, she is clinging to a fantasy and memory that may never be reality. The song ends with a sinister twist as he describes standing on a bridge with his ex-girlfriend, expressing a morbid desire to push her over the edge.
Overall, The Ataris’ “Clara” tells a story of regret and introspection following the end of a romantic relationship. The song emphasizes the importance of moving on and not letting memories or fantasies define one’s life.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you cryin' as I turned away
I caught a glimpse of you shedding tears when I decided to leave
Did I see your face, like it wasn't there
Was the detachment on your face an indication that you had given up on us already?
And I know I was wrong
I acknowledge my mistake
Yeah, I knew it all along
Despite knowing I was wrong, I continued to ignore the truth
But I didn't care about you
Regrettably, I was indifferent towards your feelings
Clara, where are you today?
I wonder where you are now, Clara
And did you make the same mistakes
Did you fall prey to the same errors
That I made, a million times before I met
Similar to how I was before I met you
You
You, Clara
Did you go, did you run, did you think of
Did you depart, flee or contemplate
Your son?
Your child?
Did you know you're not the only one
You're not alone in this situation
That tried to make a piece of coal into a
Attempts to transform a worthless object into something valuable
Diamond yeah!
a diamond, obviously
So everything's fine now, at least you say
According to you, everything seems to be under control
Maybe that's o.k.
Perhaps that's acceptable
But you know it's
But you understand it's
Wrong
Still incorrect
Was I right, did it last?
Was I correct? Did our relationship persevere?
Were you dwelling on the past?
Were you too preoccupied with what happened before?
Or hanging on to a memory
Or grasping onto a recollection
So you say your time will never come
You believe that you will never have your chance
Maybe you should go ahead and jump
Perhaps you should take a leap of faith
Then you'll become exactly what you are
It may assist you in discovering who you really are
Hanging onto
Clutching onto
Standing there on the bridge
Standing on the bridge,
With your feet on the ledge
With your feet placed on the edge
Maybe I might push you over the edge
Perhaps I'll be the one to push you over the tipping point
And send you falling straight to the ground.
And you'll come crashing down to the earth
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KRIS ROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind