Guitarist Mike Connell formed the band in 1984, along with his brother David Connell on bass, Doug MacMillan on vocals, and future filmmaker John Schultz on drums. This initial four-person line-up was quickly supplemented by the addition of George Huntley on second guitar, keyboards, and vocals. Around the same time, former Johnny Quest drummer Peele Wimberley replaced Schultz, finalizing the "classic" line-up of the band.
From the beginning of the group, Mike Connell wrote both the music and the lyrics of the majority of the band’s songs, although he was not the band's primary lead singer. Connell’s influences included the 1960's guitar pop of his childhood, including The Byrds and The Beatles; in an early interview, he stated that the first song he wrote as a teenager was titled “Psychedelic Butterfly."
Like Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Johnny Marr of The Smiths, Connell and Huntley played Rickenbacker guitars for the first several years of the band’s career, creating a jangly, folk-rock sound reminiscent of The Byrds and other Southern U.S. and North Carolina bands of the era, such as the dB's and Let's Active.
A re-recorded version of “Darker Days” provided the title track to the band’s debut album, which was produced by fellow North Carolinian Don Dixon and released in 1985 on Elvis Costello's Demon Records in the UK and the band’s own Black Park Records label in the U.S.
After touring heavily behind Darker Days, the Connells re-entered the studio in 1986 with Dixon and R.E.M. producer Mitch Easter to record their second album, Boylan Heights. The decision to work with Easter continued to perpetuate the comparisons to R.E.M.
Although the band shopped Boylan Heights to various labels, the major record companies, including Columbia Records, which expressed some mild interest, passed on it; the record was ultimately released in 1987 on mid-major TVT Records, which had made its name releasing a series of "Tee Vee Toons" television theme song compilation CDs. TVT would prove to be no commercial match for R.E.M.'s own mid-major label, I.R.S. Records, and over the next decade, The Connells would engage in a series of disputes with the label, on at least one occasion suing, unsuccessfully, to break their recording contract.
Despite the problems with TVT, Boylan Heights was a substantial college radio hit, and The Connells continued to tour relentlessly. During this period, both Connell and Huntley began to move away from their twelve-string Rickenbackers towards six-string Fender and Gibson guitars, leading to a heavier, less folky sound on Fun and Games, the 1989 follow-up album.
Fun and Games was quickly followed in 1990 by One Simple Word, which was recorded in Wales with U.K. producer Hugh Jones.
After a three-year recording hiatus, which included more legal jousting with TVT Records, a rejuvenated Connells released Ring in 1993. While European music fans made Ring a platinum record outside the United States, such high level success in America remained elusive. 1996's Weird Food and Devastation failed to build on the momentum established by its predecessor.
In 1998, the band released Still Life, which marked their final album for TVT. The band released Old School Dropouts on the revived Black Park Records label in 2000. The band recorded the record themselves and promoted it sparingly in the American South.
Peele Wimberley and George Huntley have since left the band. Wimberley briefly played with another band called Parklife, and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue interests in Hollywood and in electronic music. He is currently a member of the Los Angeles band, The Lamps.
Huntley is now selling real estate and working part time at the University of North Carolina music department.
Peele Wimberley was replaced on drums by Steve Ritter; after several years Ritter was soon replaced by Chris Stevenson on drums, and Mike Ayers took George's place on lead guitar. The new lineup recorded the album Old School Dropouts.
In 1993, they released "''74-'75" which remains their most popular song. It is based on experiences of the Class of 1975 in a high school in Raleigh, North Carolina. The video juxtaposed original yearbook pictures with the class members as they appeared at the time. And then in 2015, the producers tracked down the original members once again, and produced a remixed video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6l3Lh2cb_g
The last official release of the band was in 2001. They still occasionally perform together, including a reunion concert in 2020.
Disappointed
The Connells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Change whatever gets strange in your aprons and your curls.
Ah, you really get lost, but you'll string it back together.
You could never make do, and your storyline is a scream.
Change whatever gets strange in your neverending...
All in all it's been quite a fall,
And these days are the days that I walk on,
It isn't that you'll understand...
You're a disappointment too.
Fear whatever comes near to your neverlasting home.
Ah, you really got crossed and of course it don't get better.
You could never make do, and your storyline is a dream.
Fear whatever comes near to your neverlasting...
The Connells's song "Disappointed" is a reflection on a troubled relationship. The lyrics suggest that both parties involved are disappointed in each other. The song is written in the second person, which makes it relatable to anyone who has ever experienced a relationship that has fallen short of their expectations.
The opening lyrics, "Change whatever gets strange in your aprons and your curls", seem to address the need for change and adaptation in a relationship. The phrase "aprons and curls" is a metaphor for the things that define a person's identity, and the need to change them suggests that something is not working in the relationship. The line "Ah, you really get lost, but you'll string it back together" implies that the person is struggling but has the ability to keep going.
The chorus of the song is bittersweet, with the line "If I disappointed you, I'm so sorry. You're a disappointment too" suggesting that both parties have let each other down in some way. The repetition of the phrase "neverlasting" adds to the sense of hopelessness that permeates the song.
The lyrics also suggest a theme of fear and uncertainty, with the line "Fear whatever comes near to your neverlasting home" adding to the melancholic tone of the song. The phrase "neverlasting home" implies a lack of stability and permanence in the relationship.
Overall, "Disappointed" is a poignant reflection on the ups and downs of a relationship. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but ultimately, the song is about the disappointment that comes with unfulfilled expectations and the struggle to find stability in a relationship that is constantly changing.
Line by Line Meaning
Change whatever gets strange in your aprons and your curls.
Adapt and modify anything that seems unfamiliar or uncomfortable in your life, whether it's your domestic role or your appearance.
Ah, you really get lost, but you'll string it back together.
You may feel confused or disoriented, but eventually you'll regain your sense of direction and purpose.
You could never make do, and your storyline is a scream.
You're never satisfied with what you have, and your life is full of drama and chaos.
Change whatever gets strange in your neverending...
Continually adjust your life to deal with unexpected changes and challenges.
All in all it's been quite a fall,
Overall, things have gone downhill and taken a turn for the worse.
And these days are the days that I walk on,
Despite the difficulties, I continue to persevere and move forward with my life.
It isn't that you'll understand...
You won't be able to comprehend or relate to my experiences and emotions.
If I disappointed you, I'm so sorry.
I apologize if I failed to meet your expectations or let you down in some way.
You're a disappointment too.
You've also disappointed me and failed to live up to my hopes and standards.
Fear whatever comes near to your neverlasting home.
Be wary of anything that may threaten your sense of security or stability in your living situation.
Ah, you really got crossed and of course it don't get better.
You're feeling frustrated and defeated, and there's no indication that the situation will improve.
You could never make do, and your storyline is a dream.
You're always striving for something better and your life seems like an unattainable fantasy.
Fear whatever comes near to your neverlasting...
Be cautious and alert for any potential threats or disturbances to your long-lasting situation.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVID CONNELL, DOUGLAS MACMILLAN, GEORGE HUNTLEY, MICHAEL CONNELL, STEPHEN POTAK, TIMOTHY HARPER, WILLIAM WIMBERLEY JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Liaventure
Cool lyric video for a cool song. The fact it's simple doesn't disappoint me.