There are, at least, two groups by this name. Ballyhoo (without the exclama… Read Full Bio ↴There are, at least, two groups by this name. Ballyhoo (without the exclamation mark!) is a South African group who had a huge hit in 1980 in their homeland with their single 'Man On The Moon'. This South African group is still going strong. The other group with the same name (but with the exclamation mark!) is from Maryland, USA, a modern rock/reggae party band, active since 2006.

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
http://www.facebook.com/Ballyhoo

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Ballyhoo! Lyrics

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Oh all these things I do to you to keep you close to me
And every day’s another day from what we used to be
And I don’t know what I’ve been thinkin’ cause this is much like hell
And it’s days like this I must insist I’m not doin’ so well

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

Think about these last 10 years and what they’ve done to me
And I don’t think its worth it cause its just not fun to me
what if I just kill myself and we never spoke again
would you make your way back through the darkness
and meet me at the end?

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
So I can live

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 help me now to let you go
So help me now to let you go

So I can live
a-Oh, So I can live

a-Oh, So I can live
a-Oh, So I can live

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ballyhoo!'s song Antisocial explore the struggles of a relationship that has lost its passion, and one partner's struggle to let go. The singer seems to be using desperate measures to keep their partner close to them, acknowledging that the relationship has changed from what it once was. However, the singer is aware that this situation is not healthy and is causing them emotional pain. They express a desire to move on from this toxic situation and let go of their partner, but they also fear being alone.

The line "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" suggests that the relationship has lasted for a long time, but has become stagnant and unenjoyable. The singer's thoughts turn dark as they contemplate suicide as a possible way out, but ultimately they decide that they need to let go of their doubts and move on in order to live a fulfilled life.

The repeated refrain of "get lost in you" highlights the singer's struggle to detach themselves from their partner and move on with their life. The plea for help in the final lines of the song show that the singer realizes they cannot do this alone and needs support to let go of their past relationship and move forward.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh all these things I do to you to keep you close to me
I do everything and anything just to keep you near me

And every day’s another day from what we used to be
Each day is a further departure from our past selves

And I don’t know what I’ve been thinkin’ cause this is much like hell
I feel like I'm in a living nightmare and I can't figure out why

And it’s days like this I must insist I’m not doin’ so well
On days like this, I need to admit that I'm not doing okay

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
I often lose myself in you, and I wonder if you're happy with who I am. I need to overcome my insecurities and move on from you, so I'm asking for help in doing so

Think about these last 10 years and what they’ve done to me
Reflecting on the past decade and how it has affected me

And I don’t think its worth it cause its just not fun to me
I don't see the value in this anymore because it doesn't bring me joy

what if I just kill myself and we never spoke again would you make your way back through the darkness and meet me at the end?
I contemplate ending my life and wonder if you would come back to me, even in death

So I can live
I need to move on and live my own life

So help me now to let you go
I need help in freeing myself from my attachment to you

So I can live a-Oh, So I can live a-Oh, So I can live a-Oh, So I can live
I need to let go and move on so I can finally live my own life

Contributed by Declan G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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