The High Violets formed after the demise of legendary Portland favorite The… Read Full Bio ↴The High Violets formed after the demise of legendary Portland favorite The Bella Low, a band that played regularly with The Dandy Warhols. Lead guitarist Clint Sargent and drummer Luke Strahota picked up the pieces from that band's crash and put together a remarkable group of musicians to form The High Violets.

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.

The Orchard
The High Violets Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just us two
Lost in an orchard
The party's near over
We're heading back

Stumbling
Come along under play
Being shy is a chance to say

What we both have been feeling

I… I…Got my own way

My way
Did I say my way
My heart it beats so hard I
Barely breath

Stumbling
Flirting til 3 a.m.
Awkward and shy and that weird goodbye
Kissing him you fool keeps repeating

I… got my own way

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The High Violets's song The Orchard depict a scene where two people, who have been feeling something for each other, finally get a chance to be together. They are in an orchard, lost from the party that is about to end, stumbling and being shy. Their awkwardness is almost palpable in the lyrics, but they still manage to speak up and express their feelings. The singer mentions that he/she got his/her own way, which could indicate that he/she took the initiative to confess his/her feelings or to be with the other person. The heart beating so hard that it barely breathes could be an indication of the fear and excitement that this moment brings.

The second paragraph of the song paints a picture of the two people continuing to be awkward and shy, flirting until 3 a.m. Although they had a weird goodbye, the singer still kissed the person, which could mean that their relationship is moving forward. The last line of the lyrics repeats that the singer got his/her own way, which could be an indication that they are finally together.

Overall, the song portrays the universal feeling of wanting to express one's feelings for someone and the fear that comes with it. It highlights the awkwardness and shyness that two people feel when they are finally in each other's company and the excitement that comes with the realization that they might be together.

Line by Line Meaning

Just us two
It's only the two of us

Lost in an orchard
We are physically in an orchard, but emotionally lost in each other

The party's near over
The event we were both attending is almost finished

We're heading back
We are leaving to go to another place or to go back home

Stumbling
We are walking clumsily due to being under the influence of alcohol or because of nervousness

Come along under play
Let's continue down this path of playful banter and flirtation

Being shy is a chance to say
Our shyness provides an opportunity to express our feelings

What we both have been feeling
The emotions we have for each other that have been unspoken until now

I... I... Got my own way
I am in control of the situation and what happens next

My way
I will make decisions based on what I want

Did I say my way
Just in case you didn't hear me the first time, I am emphasizing my independence in this situation