The band was formed in Nashville by co-leads Gary Bennett and Chuck Mead. Their music, referred to as alternative country or neotraditional, contains elements of western swing and rockabilly. They eschew modern Top 40 pop-country for a more raw, honky-tonk sound, with songs about 50s pin-up/dominatrix Bettie Page and The Ramones. They took their name from a telephone number regularly used in a Junior Samples sketch on the television show Hee Haw.
BR549 toured with Bob Dylan, the Mavericks, Junior Brown, the Black Crowes, and Brian Setzer. Whike on hiatus, multi-Instrumentalist Don Herron is touring with Bob Dylan, and lead vocalist Chuck Mead is performing with the honky-tonk country supergroup The Hillbilly All-Stars, along with Robert Reynolds and Paul Deakin of the Mavericks and solo recording artist/actor Mark Collie. Former co-lead vocalist, and co-founder, Gary Bennett released his solo debut, Human Condition, in February of 2006, and former bassist Geoff Firebaugh is a member of the Nashville based rockabilly outfit Hillbilly Casino. Despite shows in Europe in 2007 it's unclear if the band will return to its capacity as a full-time touring band.
The group disbanded, and Chuck, Shaw and Donnie returned to Lower Broadway to play weekly gigs with musical collective The Hillbilly All-Stars. The three were soon revitalized to again play music within an unpredictable scene, leading them to reform BR549 in 2004 with bassist Geoff Firebaugh and singer/guitarist Chris Scruggs for their Dualtone debut Tangled In The Pines. But following victorious tours of the U.S. and Europe (marred only by two separate thefts of their instruments and gear), BR549 was faced with their ultimate challenge when Donnie Herron was invited by Bob Dylan to become the new fiddle and steel guitar player in his band.
“It was a real test of our abilities as a family,” admits Mead. “Donnie went on the road with Dylan. Shaw moved to Arizona. I’d moved on to other projects. But for us, BR549 had always been something that needs to be respected and nothing we could ever take lightly.” Following months of heart-to-heart phone calls, plate-spinning scheduling and the addition of new bassist Mark Miller, the band finally convened in Athens to record in a way they never had before. “In the past, we’d always made a record coming off the road, with songs we’d been played for weeks and sometimes months on tour,” Chuck remembers “But this time, we were all coming in fresh, making the record then and there. It’s an album that’s truly in the moment.”
BR549 released six albums and two EPs, including three albums on Arista Nashville and two on Dualtone Records. The band's self-titled debut album produced three singles on the Billboard country charts in 1996. The band was nominated three times for the Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
A-1 On The Jukebox
BR5-49 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had that kinda confidence that I was picked to play
But if you could stand in my shoes you wouldn't feel so smart
'Cause I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
My Agent gives me spendin' cash, his pockets seem so deep
I'd live just like a millionaire if it were mine to keep
But money ain't a problem, no, though it may be a part
A-1 on the jukebox, played in every bar
A-1 on the jukebox, a big rock older star
I know we're on the hit parade 'cause no one likes my art
And I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
A-1 on the jukebox, played in every bar
A-1 on the jukebox, a big rock older star
I've seen the fortune on the trays
They take my every cent
I see my name in black and white
But words don't pay the rent
I know that I could make a run if only I could start
But I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
Yes, I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere
on the charts
The song "A-1 on the Jukebox" by BR5-49 talks about the struggles of an artist who is popular only on jukeboxes and not on the charts. The lyrics describe the frustration of the artist who thought he would quickly make it to the charts, but instead finds himself without any hits. The artist's agent gives him spending money, but he realizes that money can't solve his problems. The artist sees his name on the jukebox across bars, but he is nowhere to be seen on the charts. The song resonates with aspiring artists who are struggling to make it big in the music industry.
The lyrics of the song convey the message that popularity doesn't always guarantee success. Sometimes, it's just a fleeting moment on the jukebox, and it fades away without ever making it to the charts. The song also highlights the importance of consistent hard work and resilience in the face of failure. Despite the artist's struggles, he knows that he needs to keep pushing forward, and even though he may be A-1 on the jukebox, he is determined to make it to the top of the charts.
Line by Line Meaning
When I started out I thought that I'd make it double quick
At the beginning of my career, I was very confident that I would become successful very quickly.
I had that kinda confidence that I was picked to play
I believed that I was chosen to be successful, that I was destined for greatness in my music career.
But if you could stand in my shoes you wouldn't feel so smart
If you were in my position, you would not feel as confident and successful as you might think.
'Cause I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
While my songs are popular and played in every bar, they are not successful enough to make it onto any official music charts.
My Agent gives me spendin' cash, his pockets seem so deep
My agent gives me a lot of money to spend, but it is not my own and I cannot keep it.
I'd live just like a millionaire if it were mine to keep
If the money my agent gives me were my own, I would be living a very luxurious lifestyle.
But money ain't a problem, no, though it may be a part
While having money is important, it is not the sole solution to all of my problems as a musician.
A-1 on the jukebox, played in every bar
My songs are very popular and played in every bar where people come to listen to music.
A-1 on the jukebox, a big rock older star
Despite my music being popular, I am not considered a big rock star and I am not young anymore.
I know we're on the hit parade 'cause no one likes my art
Even though my songs are played often, they are not well-liked or popular enough to make it onto any music charts or make me a hit.
And I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
Despite my songs being popular, they are not successful enough to make it onto the official music charts.
I've seen the fortune on the trays
I have seen the money that people put into the jukebox to play my songs.
They take my every cent
I rely solely on the money that people put into the jukebox to play my songs, and it is not enough to sustain my career.
I see my name in black and white
I see my name on the jukebox machine as a popular song choice.
But words don't pay the rent
Despite my songs being popular and well-known, they are not enough to support my living expenses as a musician.
I know that I could make a run if only I could start
I believe that I could become successful and make it onto the music charts if I were given the right opportunities.
But I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere on the charts
Despite my popularity among audiences, I am not successful enough to make it onto the official music charts as a musician.
Yes, I'm A-1 on the jukebox, nowhere
My songs may be popular and played often in bars, but they are not successful enough to make it onto any official music charts and make me a true hit.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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