In 2006, The Weepies big label debut Say I Am You came out on Nettwerk Records. After an initial hard-scrabble tour in their compact car as a duo, Deb Talan & Steve Tannen’s music appeared in more than a dozen TV shows, as well as several major motion pictures.
Their iTunes sales topped the folk charts in eight countries. Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol nominated them for a Short List Music Prize, and Mandy Moore asked them to write with her and sing on her album. They were invited to open for the Indigo Girls and invited onto the Hotel Café Tour; they played the Oxegen Festival in Ireland, the Hurricane Festival in Germany, and T in the Park in Scotland. Their MySpace player hit 2 million plays. JCPenney and Old Navy used their tunes as the theme songs for their major holiday TV campaigns.
When The Weepies returned home in 2007, they were exhausted.
“2006 was amazing. Coming off the road in 2007 should have been this blissed-out time with so much to celebrate, but it was totally depressing. Our rented shack in the California hills was cold, it had a leaky roof and there were mice living in it. Our electric guitar had been destroyed on the last plane flight of the year. We hadn’t seen most of our close friends in months.”
“We were empty,” says Talan. “We both felt dark after being in the bright lights for a year. We were looking to reconnect with what moved us about music in the first place. We needed to hide out and write.”
Hideaway was the result of their year-long struggle to get tapped in again, released in 2008. Another homemade gem, Hideaway is a darker companion to their first album, with 14 new tunes ranging from the upbeat title track to the jangly rock of Not Dead Yet to gorgeously arranged meditations like How You Survived the War and Little Bird.
As with most of The Weepies’ music, there is a happy ending to all the struggle: Deb and Steve were married in 2007, and they had a baby boy, Theo, in October.
The Weepies sound on Hideaway remains rooted in their unique writing and unusual harmonies. Their distinctive production was filled out again by bass player and guitarist Whynot Jansveld, guitarist Meghan Toohey and drummer Frank Lenz. Additional musicians on this album include string player Oliver Kraus, keyboardist John Deley, guitarist Steve Walsh, and horn player/keyboardist Brad Gordon.
The Weepies' fourth full-length album, Be My Thrill, was released in August 2010.
Slow Pony Home
The Weepies Lyrics
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The Weepies' song Slow Pony Home is a heartfelt and nostalgic reflection on a past relationship. The opening lines set the scene, with the singer noting that it is the second September they have known their partner. The next line, which refers to calling the partner "truth" four years ago, suggests that this is not a new relationship but rather one that has been ongoing for some time. The singer acknowledges that they and their partner didn't know the way to something important, and it has taken until now to get there. The reference to feeling "just fine" during that time suggests that the relationship was comfortable, but perhaps lacking in direction or purpose.
The lyric "I held so many people in my suitcase heart" is a beautiful metaphor for the singer's emotional baggage. They had been carrying around a lot of past hurt or unresolved feelings that they needed to let go of in order to move forward with their partner. When they finally did let go, it was like their baggage was "taken by the wind and snow", suggesting a release from the burden they had been carrying. However, the singer still didn't realize what they were waiting for until they saw their partner riding a slow pony home. This image is a lovely one, evoking a sense of calm and tranquility, as well as a feeling of reunion or coming home.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on their initial nervousness about being with their partner. They were "afraid to be here" initially, but they have now set themselves free and are "looking past the shore". The sea imagery that follows reinforces the idea of setting sail on a new journey, with the horses on ships representing the emotional baggage that the singer has left behind. Finally, the song ends with a hopeful note, as the singer acknowledges that they and their partner have been through some struggles ("cleaning the windows between us two"), but they are starting to see things more clearly and "trust the view" of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the second September I have known you.
It's been almost two years since we met in September.
Four years or so ago, called him 'truth.'
Around four years ago, I was in a relationship that I believed was truthful and honest.
We didn't know the way so it took us til today to get there.
We were lost and uncertain, but over time we finally found our way together.
And all that time, I felt just fine.
Despite the challenges and obstacles we faced, I never lost hope or became discontent.
I held so many people in my suitcase heart that I had to let the whole thing go.
I carried a lot of emotional weight and pain inside of me, but eventually I had to let it go and move on.
It was taken by the wind and snow, and I still didn't know that I was waiting for a girl on a slow pony home.
My emotional baggage was lost and I didn't realize that I was waiting for someone who would come to me at a slow and steady pace.
I can remember when I first saw you.
I have a vivid memory of when we first met.
You said in my photograph I looked more far away.
You noticed that I had a distant and detached expression in my photo.
I laughed and smiled and didn't say 'I am a bit afraid to be here.'
I tried to hide my fear and insecurity by putting on a happy and carefree facade.
Setting free the anchor and looking past the shore.
I decided to let go of my fears and take a risk by exploring the unknown.
It's a sea of horses on ships with no sails, no motors, no oars.
The journey ahead may be difficult and unpredictable, but we will face it together without any shortcuts or easy way out.
Now we're cleaning the windows between us two.
We are communicating and trying to clear up any misunderstandings or barriers between us.
Funny, you do it once, and then again, and pretty soon the fingerprints and dust... but I've begun to trust the view here.
Although it may seem tedious at first, with time and effort we are able to create clarity and transparency in our relationship that leads to trust and understanding.
Lyrics © STEVE TANNEN MUSIC, DEB TALAN MUSIC
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