Anders Griffen is best known as a New York-based sideman, an accompanist pl… Read Full Bio ↴Anders Griffen is best known as a New York-based sideman, an accompanist playing drums (and sometimes trumpet) in diverse contexts from folk to rock, jazz to modern dance theater. Among songwriters he has performed and recorded with Jeffrey Lewis, Regina Spektor, Kimya Dawson, Diane Cluck, Dufus, John Ludington, Paleface, Ish Marquez, and Lonesome Crew. As a jazz artist he has recorded and performed, most notably with the late, great, tenor saxophonist, Frank Lowe (of Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, and Don Cherry fame). As a composer, arranger, and sometimes song-writer, Anders has led a couple of groups, but has mostly recorded alone, playing all of the instruments himself, with support from Scott Fragala on bass, and other occasional collaborators like Regina Spektor!

Also check-out: www.myspace.com/AndersGriffen

Anders Griffen's folks are musicians... He grew up that way... His Mom is retired after a career with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra playing flute and piccolo there for some thirty years (took a brief intermission in the middle to go with the N.Y. Philharmonic); and his Dad was a first-call studio french horn player in New York, played with everybody and everybody (from Dizzy Gillespie to David Byrne, from Charles Mingus to Paul Simon).

Antifolk...

Happening upon the NYC song-writers in and around the Antifolk scene Anders played drums (and sometimes trumpet) with Jeffrey Lewis, Kimya Dawson, Regina Spektor, Paleface, Dufus, Knot Pinebox, Turner Cody, Lonesome Crew, Ish Marquez, and others. With Jeffrey completed five European tours, a record on Rough Trade, and a Live "PeeL" session with the legend himself. He's shared tours with: Cornershop, They Might Be Giants, Diane Cluck, Herman Dune, and others...

Jazz...

Before finding the songwriters, Anders played in a couple of great line-ups with the late, great, FRANK LOWE (Sun Ra, Alice Coltrane, Don Cherry). They made a record in tribute to Charles Moffett, and performed a couple of European tours, one of those in tribute to Denis Charles... These two drummers blessed Anders with their chair in bands with Frank Lowe. Anders has also played with the likes of Henry Warner, Chris Parker, Bertha Hope, Michael Marcus, Roy Campbell, Steve Neil, and others...

Dance...

Anders has also collaborated with choreographers in various contexts, including Kraig Patterson, Kathleen Cruz, Ryan Kellie, Sue Hogan, and John Morris, at Purchase College, University Settlement, Merce Cunningham, Joyce SoHo...

As a leader...

Anders made one jazz album with the group Zoom! called, "Screaming Flowers", and three "solo" albums: All Over the Place, Ox, and Volume 2.

The records are sorta 'out-of-print' right now, but you can hear some highlights at this site.

You can also hear Anders with Regina Spektor at www.ReginaSpektor.net

Also check-out: www.myspace.com/AndersGriffen

KIDS
Anders Griffen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

these kids i met

their clothes drawn on with crayons

there where from my neighborhood once

and i loved my childhood

where ne'er gone out yet

and on our way

how can you stand it

that guy on the radio

and he's singing about kissing stuff

embarrassed in the face

of that which we all know

Overall Meaning

Anders Griffen's song Kids talks about childhood memories and encounters with neighborhood kids. The lyrics suggest a certain fondness for the carefree and imaginative time of childhood. The singer mentions meeting with kids who have drawn on their clothes with crayons, which highlights the innocence and creative spirit of children. The past tense, 'there where from my neighborhood once,' also hints at a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time that has passed.

The second half of the song shifts towards a more cynical and jaded attitude towards adulthood. The reference to 'that guy on the radio' singing about 'kissing stuff' reveals a certain unease with the overt sexualization of media and culture. The phrase 'embarrassed in the face of that which we all know' suggests a discomfort with societal norms around sex and relationships. Overall, the song seems to be grappling with the tension between the freedom and innocence of childhood and the constraints and expectations of adulthood.

Line by Line Meaning

these kids i met
I met some children

their clothes drawn on with crayons
Their outfits were illustrated with crayons

there where from my neighborhood once
They used to live in my local area

and i loved my childhood
I have a fondness for my own youth

where ne'er gone out yet
They haven't ventured far from home

and on our way
We're heading somewhere together

how can you stand it
How can you tolerate this situation?

that guy on the radio
The male person broadcasting from the radio station

and he's singing about kissing stuff
He's crooning about romantic intimacy

embarrassed in the face
Flustered because of societal expectations

of that which we all know
Of something that's commonly understood

Contributed by Lila L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

alicepotter777

11y↑1

this makes me feel like i was actually there.... its so beautiful... it reminds me of when i was in middle school and the end would scare me a little... haha charlie brown at the beginning lol regina is amazing, hey also a little like a tree grows in brooklyn no? video de amor hoy ;)