311 mix rock, rap, reggae and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the hardest working, most influential and most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
311 have released ten studio albums, one live album, one greatest hits album and three dvd's - and have sold over 8.5 million albums in the U.S. Seven of their albums have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Top 200 Sales Chart...and 9 of their singles have reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Alternative Rock Radio Chart (including the #1 singles Down, Love Song & Don't Tread On Me. Along with Amber, All Mixed Up, Come Original, Creatures For Awhile, Hey You, and Sunset in July).
311’s newest album, Universal Pulse, released in Summer 2011, was produced by Bob Rock, mixed by Chad Sexton and debuted at #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart.
The band's celebratory live shows & incessant touring schedule have earned them a massive grassroots following nationwide. Since its inception in 2004, 311’s annual summer headlining amphitheatre run, Unity Tour, has become one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer. Support acts on previous Unity Tours have included Sublime with Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu, and Ziggy Marley. Unity Tour 2012 will feature support from Slightly Stoopid.
311 BIO/HIGHLIGHTS:
* 311 was formed in 1990 in Omaha, Nebraska by vocalist/guitarist Nick Hexum, vocalist/dj SA Martinez, lead guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles.
* 311 has sold over 8.5 million units in the U.S.
* 311 has had 8 albums reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Top 200 Sales Chart
* 311 has had 9 singles reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s U.S. Alternative Chart (including the #1 singles “Down”, “Love Song” & “Don’t Tread On Me” along with “Amber”, “All Mixed Up”, “Come Original”, “Creatures (For a While)”, “Hey You” and "Sunset in July")
* 311’s new album, Universal Pulse, debuted at #7 in July 2011 and was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s new album, due summer of 2011, was produced by Bob Rock (Metallica, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Aerosmith).
* 311’s sound is a unique hybrid of rock, reggae, hip-hop & funk. A balance of hard rocking anthems and melodic reggae grooves - with an underlying message of unity & positivity.
* After years of incessant touring, 311 has developed a reputation as one of the most influential & most entertaining live bands in the U.S.
* With their celebratory live shows, 311 has earned a massive grassroots following. For the past nine years, 311 has headlined their summer “Unity Tour” in ampitheatres across the U.S.- drawing crowds of 10,000 to 18,000 people in Atlanta, Boston, DC, New Jersey, Los Angeles, St. Louis, West Palm, Charlotte, VA Beach, Denver, etc. The tour is consistently one of the largest modern rock concerts of the summer in the U.S.
* Past 311 tours have included an impressive array of opening acts. Bands such as No Doubt, Korn & Incubus all supported 311 on U.S. tours before they became headliners.
* Support acts on 311’s Unity Tour have included :
Sublime With Rome, The Offspring, Snoop Dogg, The Roots, Papa Roach, The Wailers, O.A.R., Matisyahu and Ziggy Marley.
* 311 has always stayed true to their own approach and their underlying message of unity and positivity. That message still rings true for them today…in their lyrics and at their celebratory live shows. Singer Nick Hexum typically ends each show with the words, “Stay Positive and Love Your Life.”
• Every other year on March 11th (“3-11 Day”), 311 holds a special concert event that attracts thousands of 311 fans from around the world. The show includes an extended setlist (5 hours / 60+ songs) and state of the art production. Last year the band sold-out the Mandalay Bay Arena and tickets were sold to fans in all 50 U.S. states and 13 different countries. 311 fans traveled from around the globe to meet each other and to celebrate 311 Day together.
Too Much To Think
311 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the waiting room again
Focused on the empty
Getting underneath my skin
How do I keep it?
How do I keep it here?
Look at how the time flies
Wash away the ashes
Gonna quiet my head down
How do I keep it?
How do I keep it here?
'Cause I wanna get high
But you're keeping me low
I don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
I wanna get high
But you're taking me down, down, down
Don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
Illuminate the shadow
And try to keep the light within (keep the light within)
Avoid another battle
And forget what might have been
How do I keep it?
How do I keep it here?
'Cause I wanna get high
But you're keeping me low
I don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
I wanna get high (I wanna get high)
But you're taking me down, down, down
Don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I've had too much to think
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of LA
See the faces of the people as they run away
It's a permanent made distraction, the modern reaction
The people don't have to feel the dissatisfaction
It's a slow journey up but a quick ride on down
And nobody here knowing their way around
From the top of the world every which way is down
And who's gonna take the crown?
'Cause I wanna get high (I wanna get high)
But you're keeping me low (but you're keeping me low)
I don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
I wanna get high (I wanna get high)
But you're taking me down, down, down
Don't got time to waste or time to kill
I've had too much to think
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh
I've had too much to think
The lyrics to 311's song "Too Much To Think" reflect the struggles of the singer in dealing with the constant bombardment of thoughts and distractions in their life. The song captures a sense of frustration as they try to find ways to keep their mind focused and present. The opening lines set the stage for this internal struggle, describing the singer being holed up in a waiting room, feeling the emptiness getting under their skin. They question how to maintain their sanity and keep their thoughts in check.
The chorus reveals the desire to escape from this overwhelming mental state. They express a longing to get high, metaphorically seeking a release or a feeling of elevation, but the other person in their life is keeping them low. This could be interpreted as a conflict or a dependency on someone who is hindering their ability to find peace of mind. The repetitive line "I've had too much to think" further emphasizes the singer's feeling of being overwhelmed by their own thoughts.
As the song continues, the lyrics touch upon the struggle to maintain a positive mindset and to avoid getting caught up in battles and regrets. The idea of illuminating the shadow and keeping the light within speaks to the need to find inner strength and positivity in the face of adversity. The lyrics hint at the modern distractions and the way people often avoid facing their dissatisfaction head-on by constantly keeping busy or turning to instant gratification.
The bridge brings in a vivid image of walking through the shadow of Los Angeles, a place often associated with superficiality and the pursuit of fame and success. The singer observes the faces of people running away, suggesting a societal tendency to avoid confronting deeper issues. The lyrics criticize this mindset as a "permanent made distraction" and highlight the lack of direction and understanding in the world.
In the end, the singer reiterates their desire to get high and escape their overwhelming thoughts but acknowledges that they don't have time to waste. This reflects the overall theme of the song, the struggle to find solace and clarity in a fast-paced and distracting world.
Line by Line Meaning
Back again I'm holed up
Once again, I find myself secluded and isolated
In the waiting room again
In a state of anticipation and uncertainty
Focused on the empty
Fixated on something that lacks substance or meaning
Getting underneath my skin
Causing me great discomfort or annoyance
How do I keep it?
How can I maintain and hold onto this feeling or situation?
How do I keep it here?
How can I make sure this stays with me?
Look at how the time flies
Witness how quickly time passes
Burning daylight to the ground
Wasting precious time and opportunity
Wash away the ashes
Cleanse and remove the remnants of the past
Gonna quiet my head down
Attempting to calm and relax my thoughts
'Cause I wanna get high
Because I desire an elevated and euphoric state
But you're keeping me low
However, you are preventing me from attaining that state
I don't got time to waste or time to kill
I do not have the luxury of squandering or idle waiting
I've had too much to think
My mind is overwhelmed with contemplation and reflection
Illuminate the shadow
Bring light and clarity to the darkness and uncertainty
And try to keep the light within (keep the light within)
Attempt to preserve and nurture the positive and hopeful aspects
Avoid another battle
Steer clear of engaging in another conflict
And forget what might have been
Let go of the possibilities and regrets of the past
'Cause I wanna get high
Because I long for an elevated state of mind
But you're taking me down, down, down
However, you are causing me to descend and feel low
Don't got time to waste or time to kill
I cannot afford to waste my time or let it go to waste
Oh oh oh
Vocalization without specific meaning
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of LA
As I navigate through the difficult and challenging aspects of life in Los Angeles
See the faces of the people as they run away
Witnessing people fleeing or avoiding confrontation
It's a permanent made distraction, the modern reaction
It's a long-lasting and manufactured diversion, a typical response of the modern age
The people don't have to feel the dissatisfaction
People don't have to confront or acknowledge their unhappiness
It's a slow journey up but a quick ride on down
The path to success and happiness is arduous and slow, but failure can come swiftly
And nobody here knowing their way around
And nobody truly understanding or finding their purpose
From the top of the world every which way is down
Even from a position of success, there are many ways to fall
And who's gonna take the crown?
And who will emerge as the ultimate victor or leader?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN WILLIAM FELDMANN, MATT PAULING, NICHOLAS LOFTON HEXUM, ZAKK CERVINI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill the Handyman
"Did you drink my beer, Doug?" - "Yeah I did it! Don't tell me to bring you a beer if you think I won't sip it.."
^ Corny (while hilarious)
"Roots that grow underground are as big as the tree, that you see, if not it will fall down.. we spend so many moments hanging on convention.. the only surveys when our heart pays no attention.. no attention.. yada-yada-ya-ya.."
^ Profound (while poignant)
311 is "Eclectic" .. Lot of their lyrics have depth .. Lot of them are super cornball .. and I love them all the more.
Jason Larner
311 one of the most underrated bands of all time
Gonzalo Abril
yeah... for me it makes it even more special and legendary .... we love them from all over the word ... regards from Argentina
Jaden Pina
Uh they are pretty popular
Kelly Jenkins
Oh, they were very popular and still underrated
slimmdogg
Underrated by who?
Jade Terry
For fucking real!
Jenny Rose
"Illuminate the shadows, try to keep the light within." 311 always comes through with solid lyrics on the struggle to stay positive, something I think we all relate to no matter who we are.
Robert
Jenny Rose 311 and solid lyrics is an oxymoron. great message but cornball lyrics, always.
Jenny Rose
***** What makes that line corny? Some people mistake positivity with lame. Because the lyric has a happy tone, it must be from a place of rainbows and unicorns?
Bill the Handyman
"Did you drink my beer, Doug?" - "Yeah I did it! Don't tell me to bring you a beer if you think I won't sip it.."
^ Corny (while hilarious)
"Roots that grow underground are as big as the tree, that you see, if not it will fall down.. we spend so many moments hanging on convention.. the only surveys when our heart pays no attention.. no attention.. yada-yada-ya-ya.."
^ Profound (while poignant)
311 is "Eclectic" .. Lot of their lyrics have depth .. Lot of them are super cornball .. and I love them all the more.