“Hear You Me” by Jimmy Eat World
If you thought “Hear You Me” is such an incredibly sad song addressing a loved one that has passed on, you are so right. Throughout the song, the narrator is speaking directly to a beloved addressee who has clearly departed the world of the living.
In the song, we learn that the departed addressee did a lot of good deeds for the narrator. However, for some reason he never got the opportunity to properly show his gratitude and say thank you to them while they were alive.
The severely heartbroken vocalist probably took for granted that the addressee would always be around and therefore never prioritized taking the time to properly appreciate them. And now that that person has suddenly passed on, the narrator is filled with intense sorrow and regrets. Sorrow obviously because of the passing of this special person. Regrets because he knows he will never get the chance to say the words “thank you” to them for all the amazing things they did for him.
Chorus
In the chorus we find him doing the only thing he can do now, which is to pray that the angels lead his deceased friend to a certain destination (which from all indications is apparently heaven).
But as he recites this prayer or wish, he refers to the addressee as “friends” (plural) instead of “friend” (singular). It is at this moment that the listener gets to know for the first time that the Speaker is speaking to at least two deceased associates.
The Addresses
Indeed there are multiple departed souls being spoken to in “Hear Me You”. This is because Jimmy Eat World actually composed this song for two sisters they knew in real life. These sisters tragically died very young around the time the band was beginning to become really popular.
The sisters were Carli and Mykel Allan. They met their untimely demise in a gruesome car crash in July of 1997 in Colorado. Mykel was only 31 years old at the time of her death. Her younger sister, Carli, on the other hand was just 29.
And what made this tragedy the more heart-breaking was the fact that the sisters were traveling with another sister of their named Trysta when the fatal accident happened. Trysta, who also perished in the crash, was the youngest of the three sisters. She was believed to be somewhere in her early or mid 20s.
The sisters’ fatal accident happened as they made their way home from attending a Weezer concert.
Who were the Allan Sisters?
They were huge fans and supporters of a number of up and coming bands, most notably Weezer and Jimmy Eat World. Their incessant support for Weezer for example, played an instrumental role in turning the band to the success story they are today. The sisters founded the band’s official fan club in the 1990s and help grow it into one of the most important fan clubs out there.
Aside Weezer, as stated above the sisters were also big fans of Jimmy Eat World. Accordingly, these sisters freely offered support to the band in various crucial ways. For example, at the early stage of JEW’s career, the members of the band often stayed at the sisters’ place whenever they visited their town for a show.
The band actually acknowledges the great kindness shown them by the Allan sisters in the first two lines of the first verse from “Hear You Me”. The lines read as follows:
Song’s Title (“Hear You Me”)
The song’s title is believed to have been derived from a phrase Carli and her sister Mykel loved to use in addressing fellow fans. For example, they would often start online conversations or announcements with the line: “hear you me”.
Release Date of “Hear You Me”
“Hear You Me” first came out on the 27th of January, 1998. It was released along with 17 other songs as part of a compilation album titled “Hear You Me! A Tribute to Mykel and Carli”. This album was inspired by a concert that had been earlier held in memory of Mykel and Carli and to assist their family financially. A number of bands (including Weezer) who personally knew the sisters performed at the concert.
The song later appeared on Jimmy Eat World’s 2001 album titled “Bleed American”.
More Facts
This touching song appears on the 2004 romantic comedy “A Cinderella Story”, starring Hilary Duff.
The female backing vocals heard on “Hear You Me” belong to American singer Rachel Haden.
Owing to how touching and sad the lyrics of this tune are, it is commonly played at funerals.
Since this song officially came out in 1998, there have been multiple covers of it. One of these notable covers happened on March 17th, 2008 when Paramore covered it live at a show. The musical group Greywind also released a cover in March of 2017.
