It's been a long, strange trip for this outfit, which formed from the ashes of various collegiate bar bands in and around Berkeley, CA in 1994. The band has since released 7 albums on 5 different national labels, had 12 different members, logged over 50,000 miles, played hundreds of shows, contributed music to numerous film and television projects, and generally endured all manner of threats and pitfalls that haunt any band who dares to shoulder the Mantle of Rock. However, some things have never changed: Kelly on the skins, Scanlin on the wires/mics, and an unswerving dedication to and obsession with writing Songs. For Actionslacks the melody is key. It doesn't always have to be pretty, but if you don't have one, you don't have a song.
The penultimate album, Kids with Guitars, was an EP the band produced over the course of seven days in May of 2008, following a year of songwriting, demoing, and practicing (though never in the same room). It was initially released on-line (http://slacksaction.com/) on a pay-what-you-want basis, but is now available through iTunes and similar digital retailers or, more recently, as a CD release available through CDBaby.
The self-titled Actionslacks was recorded in mid-November 2009 and while it was slated for a Spring 2010 release, delays resulted in a release in early-October 2012.
The Sun in St. Tropez
Actionslacks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They never even tried
Just rumors and big lies
And all the teachers always said
You'd never amount to anything
But when I close my eyes
I see you and me sitting in the sun in St. Tropez
Circling the pool with shiny trays
Now you're working at a job that you really cannot stand
You hope deliverance comes soon
Its seems to you that you're life is through
You really can't believe
That this is all there is
But I see you and me sitting in the sun in St. Tropez
And we watch all the jocks
Circling the pool with shiny trays
Someday we'll be sitting in the sun
We'll be having so much fun
They're gonna have to fine me
And someday the sun in St. Tropez
Is gonna shine so bright
They're never gonna find me
And I see you and me rolling in piles of cash
And we watch all the jocks
Make our beds and taking out the trash
The lyrics of Actionslacks's song The Sun in St. Tropez convey the message of hope for a better future, despite the challenges of the present. The song speaks about the experiences of a person who was bullied in school and faced discouragement from their teachers. The singer of the song has now grown up and finds themselves in a job they dislike, feeling unfulfilled and lacking direction. However, in the chorus of the song, the singer imagines a brighter future with their former classmate. They envision themselves sitting in the sun in St. Tropez, watching the jocks who once belittled them, and longing for their attention, serve them as they they lay beside the pool. In this imagined world, they are rolling in piles of cash, living a life of luxury and happiness.
The verse encouragingly states that the singer is not alone and that somebody close could ultimately help navigate them to a better future. The chorus mentions St. Tropez, known for its beautiful beaches, important port city, and capital of luxury. The songwriters make use of visuals to paint a clear picture of the luxurious lifestyle the singer longs for - rolling in piles of cash and being looked after by those who belittled and bullied them. The song encourages listeners to embrace their most ambitious dreams and provides a guiding light of hope towards a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone at school was mean to you
You were treated badly by your peers when you were in school
They never even tried
They didn't make any effort to be kind to you
Just rumors and big lies
The negativity towards you was based on hearsay and falsehoods
And all the teachers always said
Even the educators didn't believe in you
You'd never amount to anything
You were told that you would never achieve your dreams
But when I close my eyes
However, when I imagine the future
I see you and me sitting in the sun in St. Tropez
I picture you and me relaxing in luxury and soaking up the sun in St. Tropez
And we watch all the jocks
We observe the popular crowd
Circling the pool with shiny trays
Serving us and catering to our every whim
Now you're working at a job that you really cannot stand
Currently, you're employed in a job that you dislike immensely
You hope deliverance comes soon
You wish for a way out of your current situation
Its seems to you that you're life is through
It appears as if your life is at a dead end
You really can't believe
You're in disbelief
That this is all there is
That this is the extent of what your life has to offer
But I see you and me sitting in the sun in St. Tropez
However, I still envision us relaxing in luxury and soaking up the sun in St. Tropez
And we watch all the jocks
We still observe the popular crowd
Circling the pool with shiny trays
They still serve us and cater to our every whim
Someday we'll be sitting in the sun
One day, we'll be lounging in the sunshine
We'll be having so much fun
We'll be thoroughly enjoying ourselves
They're gonna have to fine me
I'll be so content that I won't want to leave
And someday the sun in St. Tropez
Eventually, the sun in St. Tropez will shine brightly
Is gonna shine so bright
It'll be a beautiful, radiant day
They're never gonna find me
I'll be so happy and carefree that no one will be able to locate me
And I see you and me rolling in piles of cash
Moreover, I foresee us being wealthy beyond our wildest dreams
And we watch all the jocks
We still observe the popular crowd
Make our beds and taking out the trash
They'll be doing our menial tasks while we reap the rewards
Contributed by Gabriella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.