Green

Album: Throwing Muses (1986)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Teenagers Kristin Hersh and her stepsister Tanya Donelly formed Throwing Muses in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island. After garnering a #1 college radio hit, "Sinkhole," they signed with the UK label 4AD. Hersh wrote most of their material, but Donnelly regularly contributed one or two songs to each album. This is Donelly's sole contribution to their debut record.
  • "Green" is a surreal, ethereal love song. Donnelly told Uncut in a 2020 interview: "To this day it is an emotional one for many layered reasons; the most stark being that it was about my first love who died when we were quite young and because it was my first raw, real expression in song it's still a hard one for me to play."
  • The song title refers to Tanya Donelly's late, lamented boyfriend's green eyes.
  • Even at this early point in her career, this song was indicative that Donelly would be a sweeter, more pop-smart songwriter than her stepsister. She would continue her straightforward style with two other bands: The Breeders and Belly.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.