Since the band's establishment during college, Barefoot Truth has been developing this signature sound that has virally spread through a grassroots following. With their lead singer on drums, and an array of unlikely roots-based instrumentation, the band translates their originality to their ever-evolving live show. The quintet features Will Evans on lead vocals and drums, John Waynelovich on piano, Jay Driscoll on Weissenborn slide guitar, Andy Wrba on upright bass, and Garrett Duffy on harmonica. It is not unlikely for members of the band to switch instruments mid-show, or even begin playing a didjeridoo, adding to the dynamic of the band's sound.
Mixing a strong environmental message with the lofty theme of humankind's interconnectedness on their 2010 studio album 'Threads', Barefoot Truth reached #21 on the iTunes Rock Charts, momentarily stepping ahead of bands such as Dave Matthews Band and The Fray. The new disc was noted as "The best independently released album of 2010" by ThisIsModern. Barefoot Truth happily credits Pandora Radio for their crucial role in growing the band’s silent army of listeners, as Driscoll recently stated in a USA Today article, "Pandora has basically created an avenue for us to have a career in music".
Since taking the band 'full-time' in 2007, after finishing college, Barefoot Truth has earned spotlight attention on many levels, including an invitation to play at President Obama's pre-debate rally in New York, where they performed between Bruce Hornsby and Crosby and Nash. They were asked to lend several songs from their new album 'Threads' to the internationally acclaimed film 'Nature Propelled', in addition to scoring original music for the film. Barefoot Truth also lent their song 'Threads' to the video game 'Rock Band' (MTV Games). The band has also made appearances at major festivals such as Summerfest, 10,000 Lakes Festival, and FloydFest, in addition to tallying over 100 college and prepschool performances in the Northeast. Fans of Barefoot Truth can be confident that the quiet success of this small band will grow increasingly louder, one listener at a time...
I Prefer
Barefoot Truth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
running down the street,
I prefer smiling rather than frowning
at the people I might see
If it were up to you would you
look at it the same?
Or would you close your eyes,
have no voice of opinion
Cause I say woah something's gotta give
I need a simpler life to live,
Woah look inside yourself
You best find a better way to measure wealth
Cause it's a simple life for a simple race,
beneath the stars is where we find our place
It's a simple love I'm gonna spread your way
it's a simple life just living it day to day.
I prefer climbing rather than falling from a tree
I prefer singing rather than whispering silently
If it were up to you would you look at it the same? Or
would You close your eyes
and have no voice of opinion
of what lies before you? Shame on you
Cause it's a simple life for a simple race,
beneath the stars is where we find our place
It's a simple love I'm gonna spread your way
it's a simple life just living it day to day.
I prefer helping rather than acting helplessly
I prefer living ain't that the way it's supposed to be?
If it were up to you would you look at it the same?
Or would you close your eyes
and have no voice of opinion
of what lies before you? Shame on you
Cause it's a simple life for a simple race,
beneath the stars is where we find our place
It's a simple love I'm gonna spread your way
it's a simple life just living it day to day.
It's a simple life I'm gonna spread around,
it's a feeling of elation you could get me down
It's a simple world gonna make a stand
it's a simple life
just living it the best we can.
The lyrics of Barefoot Truth’s “I Prefer” convey a message of simplicity and positivity in life. The song speaks about the singer’s preferences for the simpler things in life such as walking, smiling, climbing, singing, and helping others. The singer questions whether the listener would look at life the same way and encourages them to have a voice of opinion instead of closing their eyes to what lies before them.
Through the song, the singer highlights the importance of simplicity and how it can lead to a fulfilling life. The line “It’s a simple life for a simple race” emphasizes that despite the complexities of modern life, simplicity is still achievable. The song encourages listeners to find their place in the world beneath the stars and to spread love in a simple way through living their lives day by day.
The line “it’s a feeling of elation you could get me down” suggests that the singer is unwavering in their pursuit of a simple life and that they are committed to standing up for this way of life. Overall, the song’s lyrics remind us of the beauty of simplicity and offer an alternative perspective on how we can live our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I prefer walking rather than running down the street,
I would rather take my time and enjoy the journey rather than rush through life without appreciating it.
I prefer smiling rather than frowning at the people I might see
I would rather spread positivity and kindness rather than negativity and judgment toward others.
If it were up to you would you look at it the same?
If you were in my position, would you value the same things or have the same perspective?
Or would you close your eyes, have no voice of opinion of what lies before you? shame on you
Or would you ignore the world around you and not use your voice to make a difference? That would be a shame.
Cause I say woah something's gotta give I need a simpler life to live,
I feel like something needs to change and I need to live a simpler life to be happy and fulfilled.
Woah look inside yourself You best find a better way to measure wealth
Take a moment to reflect on what truly brings you happiness and don't measure your worth by material possessions.
Cause it's a simple life for a simple race, beneath the stars is where we find our place
Life doesn't have to be complicated, and we can find our sense of belonging and purpose when we take a step back and look at the world around us.
It's a simple love I'm gonna spread your way it's a simple life just living it day to day.
Through spreading love and living life in a simple and meaningful way, I hope to inspire others to do the same.
I prefer climbing rather than falling from a tree
I would rather take risks and experience new things than play it safe.
I prefer singing rather than whispering silently
I would rather express myself and my emotions through song and be heard rather than keeping them bottled up.
I prefer helping rather than acting helplessly
I would rather make a positive impact and lend a helping hand than stand by and feel powerless.
I prefer living ain't that the way it's supposed to be?
I prioritize living my life to the fullest and enjoying every moment, as that is what life is supposed to be about.
It's a simple life I'm gonna spread around, it's a feeling of elation you could get me down
I want to inspire others to live a simple but fulfilling life, and not let negativity bring me down from that elation.
It's a simple world gonna make a stand it's a simple life just living it the best we can.
We don't have to conform to the pressures of society and can make a stand for what we believe in by living a simple life to the best of our abilities.
Contributed by Stella O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.