Vivian Girls formed in 2007, made up of guitarist/vocalist Cassie Ramone (Grzymkowski), bassist/vocalist Kickball Katy (Goodman), and drummer/vocalist Frankie Rose. The group recorded a hasty demo and played in New York often. Their gritty-yet-melodic sound caught on quickly, and within months of forming, Vivian Girls were opening big gigs for national acts like Sonic Youth and headlining club shows in Brooklyn. Throughout 2008 they released a handful of 7" singles on a passel of small labels, including "Wild Eyes" (Plays with Dolls Records), "Orphanage" (Woodsist Records), and "I Can't Stay" (In the Red Records). Rose left the band in July of 2008, but not before recording the material that would make up the group's first album. That self-titled debut full-length was released on Mauled by Tigers in September of the same year and the entire vinyl pressing of 500 copies sold out in ten days. In the Red quickly re-released the album to wider distribution and the trio (now joined by new drummer Ali Koehler), spent the year touring and gaining fans the world over.
The group's quickly recorded follow-up album, Everything Goes Wrong, was released in late summer of 2009. After switching out drummers in the summer of 2010 (Koehler joined Best Coast and was replaced by Coasting's drummer Fiona Campbell) and taking a break for other projects (Ramone formed Babies with Woods' bass player Kevin Morby, Goodman formed La Sera with Brady Hall), the Vivian Girls hit the studio in late 2010 to record their third album. Share the Joy was released in April 2011 on their new label Polyvinyl.
The band spilt in 2014, and the members focused on their individual projects. They remained friends, though, and in 2018, Ramone, Goodman, and Koehler met up in secret to begin recording a new album with producer Rob Barbato. The result was 2019's Memory, which was released by Polyvinyl in September.
There are other bands with the same name:
2. Indie Rock band from Melbourne, Australia, active in the early 2000's.
3. Band from St. Louis, MO, active since the mid 90's.
Wild Eyes
Vivian Girls Lyrics
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Wild, wild eyes
Hold my hand and don't ask why
Wild, wild eyes
Wild eyes
Say you'll stay with me tonight
Wild, wild eyes
Say you'll hold me till I die
Wild eyes
The Vivian Girls' song "Wild Eyes" is an emotional and evocative portrayal of a person's desire for intimacy and emotional security. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Wild, wild eyes," could be interpreted in a couple of ways. The first is that it could be a reference to the physical appearance of the singer's partner, emphasizing their beauty and vibrant spirit. The second interpretation is that the "wild eyes" are a representation of the singer's own emotional state, emphasizing their own desire and passion for the connection they seek.
The opening line "Wave me down across the skies" sets the tone for the rest of the song, suggesting that the singer is searching for connection and validation in a world that is vast and overwhelming. The second line, "Hold my hand and don't ask why," expresses a need for comfort and support without the need for explanation or justification. These lines convey the idea that sometimes we just need someone that we can rely on, without any complications or caveats.
The final lines of the chorus, "Say you'll stay with me tonight / Say you'll hold me till I die," express a deep longing for the kind of companionship that is unconditional and enduring. The singer wants to be reassured that they won't be left alone or abandoned, and that they'll be cherished until the very end. The repetition of "Wild eyes" throughout the chorus further emphasizes the importance of passion and intensity in human relationships, and how these qualities can fuel our connections to one another.
Line by Line Meaning
Wave me down across the skies
Call out to me from afar, across the limitless expanse of the sky
Wild, wild eyes
Eyes full of boundless energy and untamed passion
Hold my hand and don't ask why
Grasp my hand tightly without questioning or hesitating
Wild, wild eyes
Eyes full of unrestrained frenzy and unbridled excitement
Wild eyes
Eyes full of chaotic emotions and uncontrolled yearning
Say you'll stay with me tonight
Promise to remain by my side for this evening
Wild, wild eyes
Eyes full of uncontained fervor and uninhibited intensity
Say you'll hold me till I die
Pledge to embrace me tightly until the moment of my passing
Wild, wild eyes
Eyes brimming with uncontrolled desire and unstoppable impulse
Wild eyes
Eyes full of frenzied emotion and impassioned longing
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Frankie Madeline Rose, Kathryn Sarah Goodman, Monica Cassia Grzymkowski
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind