BALLYHOO! is undeniably turning the world of music upside down and sideways as they blur the lines between rock, reggae, punk and pop to craft their own hybrid of music that can’t be held down to one definitive genre. This signature sound of theirs is one they have been perfecting since their high school days in Aberdeen, Maryland - the sweet melodic voice of lead singer and guitarist Howi Spangler; the hard hitting beats set forth by brother and drummer Donald “Big D” Spangler; the skillfully added funk of bassist JR Gregory and Scott Vandrey (aka DJ Blaze) rounds it out on the turntables and keys.
BALLYHOO!’s unique sound, hardcore devotion to the road and to their fans, partnered with their irresistible “life of the party” approach have pitched them into the position of America’s favorite feel good party band. They didn’t get here by accident; rather, they had been single-handedly growing their empire through unparalleled hard work and dedication until Jan 2011, when they got a well-deserved nod from LAW Records and were signed to the Hawaii-based independent record label. Yesod Williams of the dub rock music mega-sensation PEPPER and owner of LAW Records says of his newest addition, “Having BALLYHOO! join the LAW Records family is a perfect fit. They are an incredibly talented band with a really catchy style”. Now, with the backing of LAW, 2011 promises to be a paramount year on BALLYHOO!’s trajectory destined for greatness!
BALLYHOO! has toured the country with some of the biggest and most respected names in the reggae rock genre – 311, Authority Zero, Pepper, The Supervillains. “It’s always intimidating when playing for another band’s crowd, you never know how they’re gonna react,” explains front man Howi, “but then you see that they’re enjoying it and the worry goes away. You’re free to rock at that point!”.
BALLYHOO! will start their tour of the southeast with fellow label mates Iration in February 2011. Their rigorous, nonstop nationwide touring schedule has certainly been the catalyst for the exponential growth in their fan base. BALLYHOO! fans are some of the most loyal and enthusiastic fans out there and their love for the band runs deep.
In 2006, BALLYHOO! released Do It For The Money! which “opened a lot of doors for us and spread like wildfire in the underground” says Howi. Their follow up album, Cheers!, was released in May of 2009 and was an opportunity to work with 311’s Scotch Ralston as the producer. In addition, BALLYHOO!’s stellar rendition of “40 Oz. To Freedom” is featured on the compilation album, Forever Free: A Tribute to Sublime, and helped stimulate a surge in their popularity. Fans can also hear their songs on the Rock Band Network and in feature films.
BALLYHOO! currently has a single out on iTunes (“The Front Porch”) and when they aren’t on the road, they are in the studio, finishing their new album, which is slated for release on LAW Records in the summer of 2011.
http://www.ballyhoorocks.com
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Close To Me
Ballyhoo! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every day's another day from what we used to be
I don't know what I've been thinking
'Cause this is much like hell
It's days like this, I must insist
I'm not doing so well
Oh no, get lost in you
And I wonder if you're proud of me
If you can hear me, shout at me
I need to kill this doubt in me for good
So help me now to let you go
So I can live
I think about these last 10 years
And what they've done to me
And I don't think it's worth it
'Cause it's just not fun to me
What if I just killed myself
And never spoke again?
Could you make your way back through the darkness
And meet me at the end?
The song "Close to Me" by Ballyhoo! features lyrics that express the singer's struggles with maintaining a relationship that has changed over time. The lyrics suggest that the singer is willing to do anything to keep the other person close to them, even if it causes them pain. The line "I don't know what I've been thinking, 'cause this is much like hell" reveals the singer's confusion, indicating that they are aware that something is wrong but don't know how to fix it. The chorus, "Oh no, get lost in you, like you know, I often do, and I wonder if you're proud of me, if you can hear me, shout at me, I need to kill this doubt in me for good, so help me now to let you go, so I can live," portrays the singer's internal battle with themselves, feeling trapped and unable to let go of the other person.
The song explores the idea of what if things were different and if the singer had the strength to walk away from the relationship. The lyrics "What if I just killed myself, and never spoke again? Could you make your way back through the darkness and meet me at the end?" represents the desperation the singer feels towards the situation, expressing that they'd rather disappear than to feel the agony of the relationship.
Overall, "Close to Me" conveys a sense of emotional distress and highlights the consequences of being unwilling to let go of a relationship that is no longer healthy. It evokes a range of feelings such as sadness, desperation, and longing, as well as making the listener question themselves about their own relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
All these things I do to keep you close to me
I go out of my way to ensure we remain close and connected.
And every day's another day from what we used to be
Things keep changing between us and we need to adapt.
I don't know what I've been thinking
I'm not sure why I keep doing this to myself.
'Cause this is much like hell
This is causing me intense emotional pain.
It's days like this, I must insist
On days like this, I have to admit that I'm struggling.
I'm not doing so well
I'm not coping very well with the situation.
Oh no, get lost in you
I get so caught up in my feelings for you that it's overwhelming.
Like you know, I often do
As if you're aware, I do this frequently.
And I wonder if you're proud of me
I question whether you're proud of who I am or what I do for you.
If you can hear me, shout at me
If you're aware of my feelings, please show me by expressing them.
I need to kill this doubt in me for good
I need to eliminate my doubts about us and our future for good.
So help me now to let you go
Please help me to let go of my attachment to you.
So I can live
So I can move on and focus on other aspects of my life.
I think about these last 10 years
I reflect on the past decade with you.
And what they've done to me
I consider the impact our relationship has had on me.
And I don't think it's worth it
I'm beginning to question whether this relationship is worth the effort.
'Cause it's just not fun to me
Because it's just not enjoyable for me anymore.
What if I just killed myself
I find myself considering drastic measures because I'm not sure how to fix the situation.
And never spoke again?
And just completely cut off all communication.
Could you make your way back through the darkness
Would you be able to find your way back to me if we lost contact completely?
And meet me at the end?
Would you still be there for me if I pushed you away?
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SanaDespiertayvive
I've heard this song since i lived in Venezuela, now listening from California. Dreams come true!
@princellacooley501
This song reminds me of my brother he's in the Air Force... and this is the band he showed me... I miss him so much!!!
@milaignatich8066
Princella Cooley I feel so bad for you. Your comment made me cry. 😧😢😢😭
@c.g.109
Mila Ignatich 😘😘😘😘😘😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😃😃😃😃😃😃😅😅😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘🎂🎂🎉🎉🎉🎂🎉🎉🎉🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎉🎉🎉🎂🎉🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🥅🥅🥅🏑🏑🏑🏑🏑🏑🥅🏑🥅🥅🥅🥅🥅🥅🥅🥅🏑🥅🍶💧🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍏🍎🍎🍎🍎🍏
@matthewjones543
Lost my parents,sister plus the girl i wanted to merry
@Sensei_SeRn
how anyone would dislike this is beyond me. This song is great!!
@JetStar9115
Coming back to this song. Is so good. But I hate the time I listened to it. Haha just that year was horrible. Good songs. Terrible memories.
@Killian1826
love all of the ballyhoooooo
@Ffeoli1039
Great song. The lyrics are masterful.
@Theaustin007
Listen to this song everyday muti times just so good I love to sing it. And play it