Atlanta Rhythm Section, sometimes abbreviated ARS, is an American rock band… Read Full Bio ↴Atlanta Rhythm Section, sometimes abbreviated ARS, is an American rock band from the South The band unofficially formed in 1970 as former members of the Candymen and the Classics IV became the session band for the newly opened Studio One in Doraville, Georgia, near Atlanta. After playing on other artists' recordings, they decided to become a true band in their own right. The members of the original band were Rodney Justo (singer), Barry Bailey (guitarist), Paul Goddard (bassist), Dean Daughtry (keyboardist) and Robert Nix (drummer). Justo left the band after the first album and was replaced by Ronnie Hammond. Buddy Buie, the band's manager and producer, is listed first on almost all of the songwriting credits of the band's songs.

While ARS would never reach the commercial success of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the Marshall Tucker Band, the group had a strong following in the south and charted a number of hits such as "Imaginary Lover," "I'm Not Going to Let it Bother Me Tonight," "Champagne Jam," "So Into You," and a remake of a Classics IV hit, "Spooky."

The band also influenced a number of rock and country artists, notably Travis Tritt, who recorded a cover of the ARS songs, "Back Up Against the Wall" and "Homesick." The group Shudder to Think covered "So Into You."

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Atlanta Rhythm Section Lyrics

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I picked up the paper this morning
And read all the daily blues
The world is one big tragedy
I wonder what I can do

About all the pain and injustice
About all of the sorrow
We're living in a danger zone

The world could end tomorrow

But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
Tomorrow I might go as far as suicide
But I won't let it bother me tonight

Life on the street is a jungle
A struggle to keep up the pace
I just can't beat that old dog eat dog
The rats keep winnin' the rat race

But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
The world is in an uproar and I see no end in sight
But I won't let it bother me tonight

I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
Tomorrow I might go as far as suicide
But I won't let it bother me tonight

Lord, Lord, Lord
We got nothing but trouble
I've done all I can do today
So bartender pour me a double, right now

But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
The world is in an uproar and I see no end in sight
But I won't let it bother me tonight

I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
No I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight

Tomorrow I might go as far as suicide
But I will not let it bother me tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Atlanta Rhythm Section's "Large Time" reflect the struggles of the modern world and the singer's attempt to compartmentalize and deal with it. The song is essentially about how difficult it is to cope with the daily news that seems to be filled with tragedy and injustice. The singer wonders about what he can do to rectify the situation and finds that it is simply too overwhelming to be dealt with.

The first verse talks about the daily blues and the world being one big tragedy. The lines "I wonder what I can do / About all the pain and injustice" emphasize the helplessness that many feel in the current world scenario. The second verse speaks of how life on the street is like a jungle, where survival is difficult, and the rats keep winning the rat race, implying that those who are ruthless and heartless often come out on top.

However, the chorus of the song tells us that the singer is not going to let it bother him tonight. He acknowledges the world is in an uproar, and that there seems to be no end in sight, but he refuses to let it get to him. The song ends with the lines "Tomorrow I might go as far as suicide / But I will not let it bother me tonight," suggesting that perhaps the singer may not have what it takes to deal with the problems of the world in the long term, but for now, he just wants to relax and forget about them.

Line by Line Meaning

I picked up the paper this morning
I read the news this morning

And read all the daily blues
And it was all bad news

The world is one big tragedy
The world has a lot of problems and sadness

I wonder what I can do
I wonder if there is anything I can do to help

About all the pain and injustice
About all the suffering and unfairness

About all of the sorrow
About all the sadness

We're living in a danger zone
The world is a dangerous place

The world could end tomorrow
The world might come to an end soon

But I'm not gonna let it bother me tonight
But I won't let this thought bother me tonight

Life on the street is a jungle
Life on the streets is tough and competitive

A struggle to keep up the pace
It's hard to keep up with everyone else