Influenced heavily by the sounds of MBV, Ride, Spaceman 3, Lush, and the Cocteau Twins, the band soon developed a following. After a few early line-up changes they drafted in one of Portland's most amazing voices, Kaitlyn ni Donovan. Having an extremely successful solo career of her own, Kaitlyn immediately added the lush vocals and beautiful melodies the band needed. One self-released EP later, the band were in the studio recording their debut album "44 Down." Released in 2002 on independent label Reverb Records, the album was singled out by Under the Radar and Magnet magazines with full page features, noting its influence.
The High Violets followed up their debut with the album "To Where You Are," which was released in 2006 (Reverb). Produced, engineered, and mixed by Tony Lash (Dandy Warhols, Elliott Smith, Tahiti 80) and Jeff S. Saltzman (Sleater Kinnery, Stephen Malkamus), it took over three years to create and was well worth the wait. Press releases proclaimed Clint Sargent's layered guitars the standout feature and Kaitlyn ni Donovan's watercolor vocals the crowning jewel on the CD's shimmering sounds -- "well crafted songs giving fans new and old a healthy dose of their soft and hard sides expertly mixed together." Portland's KINK radio showcased the album on its Local Music Spotlight and Seattle's KEXP invited the band to perform a live broadcast prior to their CD release.
The band completed a successful nationwide tour in 2006 along with performances at the SXSW Music Festival and Musicfest NW. While in Austin they met Emmy-winning producer, director, and editor, Dutch Rall, who worked with the band to produce a fantastic video of "Invitation," and a mini documentary that recently aired on PBS. Check out the video on www.myspace.com/thehighviolets.
Chinese Letter
The High Violets Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wake up,
Do the stuff we make up
Love
We lay for weeks,
Hands clasped grasping
Love, raise your hand
Hearts are our cards
Drunk with our luck
Realise, one day
????
The lyrics to The High Violets' song "Chinese Letter" describe the intense feelings and experiences of being in love. The first lines are an invitation to awake and engage in the passionate activities that two people in love can create together. The following lines describe the physical closeness of the couple, holding hands and being deeply connected. The repetition of "Love, ante up / Love, raise your hand" reinforces the idea of taking risks and being vulnerable in love, as if in a game of cards. The final lines are slightly ambiguous, but suggest that the couple is aware that their love is not permanent, and that they must appreciate the time they have together while they can.
One interesting fact about "Chinese Letter" is that the song was written by the lead singer of The High Violets, Kaitlyn ni Donovan, in response to the death of her father. The lyrics were inspired by the feeling of closeness and connection she experienced with her partner during that difficult time.
Another fact about the song is that it was released on the album "To Where You Are" in 2006 and quickly became one of the most popular tracks on the album. The song's dreamy, shoegaze-inspired sound and deeply emotional lyrics resonated with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Wake up,
Open your eyes to the reality of our relationship
Do the stuff we make up
Act out the magical moments that we create together
Love
The driving force behind all that we do
We lay for weeks,
We spent endless days in each other's embrace
Hands clasped grasping
Holding on tightly to one another
Love, ante up
Our love is a gamble and we're willing to risk everything
Love, raise your hand
Show the world that we're in this together
Hearts are our cards
Our love is the only thing we have to play with
Drunk with our luck
Feeling intoxicated by the happiness we've found
Realize, one day
Accept the fact that our love may not last forever
????
Unknown or open-ended future
Contributed by Kayla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.