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.
One Long Saturday Night
BR5-49 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the hills of Tennessee
Well, we're sifting through that asphalt barnyard
Just a-looking for that be-bop beat
'Cause we sleep all day, play all night
Man that ain't no lie
We can't tell what day it is
It just seems like one long Saturday night
Or something in the air
Something to them effigies on that street down there
Cause we sleep all day, play all night
Man that ain't no lie
We can't tell what day it is
It just seems like one long Saturday night
You know I ain't got nothing
That thirteen bucks won't buy
But when I get me a little money baby
I'm gonna take me a little ride
Six more months of nighttime, I'll take six months more
I'll keep taking whatever it takes
'Til I can't take no more
Because that lonesome ghost is calling me
One day I'll have to fight
Until then I'll just keep running through my
One long Saturday night
You know I ain't got nothing
That thirteen bucks won't buy
But when I get me a little money baby
I'm gonna take me a little ride
Repeat 1st verse
Yeah, it seems like one long Saturday night
It seems like one long Saturday night
The song "One Long Saturday Night" by BR5-49 tells the story of a group of people in the hills of Tennessee who are caught in a cycle of working all day and playing all night, unable to distinguish one day from another. The singer describes their search for the perfect "be-bop beat" and the sense of being lost in time in a place where "something in the water" or "something in the air" keeps them going. The chorus repeats the phrase "it just seems like one long Saturday night," emphasizing the monotony and disorientation of their lives.
The song captures the feeling of being stuck in a rut, unable to see a way out but still searching for something more. The mention of a "lonesome ghost" calling the singer highlights the sense of longing and nostalgia that permeates throughout the song. The singer knows that he has nothing, but the dream of a little money allows him to hold onto hope and the possibility of escape.
Overall, "One Long Saturday Night" is a bittersweet ode to the struggle of small-town life and the ups and downs of chasing a dream. The catchy melody paired with the reflective lyrics perfectly encapsulate the feeling of wanting more out of life but not knowing how to achieve it.
Line by Line Meaning
Down in the valley of the fever
We're in a place where there's a lot of excitement and energy.
In the hills of Tennessee
Specifically, we're in Tennessee - a place we associate with music and partying.
Well, we're sifting through that asphalt barnyard
We're looking for something great, but it's not exactly easy to find in this concrete jungle.
Just a-looking for that be-bop beat
We're in search of a specific style of music that's upbeat and danceable.
'Cause we sleep all day, play all night
We're living a lifestyle where we stay up late and party all the time - nothing is off limits.
Man that ain't no lie
It's true, we really are living this way.
We can't tell what day it is
Time doesn't mean much to us when we're always awake and having fun.
It just seems like one long Saturday night
Every day feels like a weekend when we're always partying and having fun.
Well, it's something in the water
There's just something about this place that makes us want to have a good time and let loose.
Or something in the air
Maybe it's the atmosphere around us that contributes to our party lifestyle.
Something to them effigies on that street down there
There's something about the statues or monuments in this area that gives off a vibe of excitement and fun.
You know I ain't got nothing
Personally, I don't have much money or possessions.
That thirteen bucks won't buy
I could get by with very little money.
But when I get me a little money baby
If I did have some extra cash, I know what I'd do with it.
I'm gonna take me a little ride
I'd go out and explore, perhaps taking a spontaneous trip.
Six more months of nighttime, I'll take six months more
I'm committed to this lifestyle for at least another six months.
I'll keep taking whatever it takes
I'll do whatever is necessary to keep up this way of life, even if it's not sustainable in the long run.
'Til I can't take no more
I'll keep up this lifestyle until it's just not fun anymore.
Because that lonesome ghost is calling me
There's a part of me that knows this partying can't go on forever, and that sometimes makes me feel sad or restless.
One day I'll have to fight
Eventually I'll have to face the reality that this lifestyle can't go on forever.
Until then I'll just keep running through my
But for now, I'm going to keep going and not think too much about what the future holds.
One long Saturday night
It feels like we're trapped in an endless cycle of partying and fun.
Repeat 1st verse
We're still looking for that perfect music and party scene.
Yeah, it seems like one long Saturday night
We're stuck in this lifestyle, and it doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: John Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind