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...
RED
Barefoot Truth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun shone grey in the Massachusetts sky
Red walked into his living room
Found his mother with a tear in her eye
Times have changed, or so it seemed
Boys became men at the age of seventeen
Red was one of those, oh you know
What choice did they have other than to go?
So they went one by one
They found no comfort from that Vietnam sun
They wiped the sweat and blood from their face
And all they wondered when to find their saving grace
Each and every day you know they watched their brothers fall
They drink heavy at night and try to forget it all
Didn't know if they would rather be alive or dead?
Oh this is the story of a man named Red
Telling tales of darkness
No legless man is harmless
Heartlessly described by a gun
Oh I can smell the gunpowder
The quiet cries getting louder
All this pain echoes in his head
This is the story of a man named Red
He walks the streets alone now
He can't quite understand how
He was the one to make it home
He came out just as he went in
Oh no, no, no if you could only see within
He lies awake and looks at his wife
Motionless and helpless
She has never felt this so but she knows what it's like
Living with these emotions each and every day
He still hears the orders calling calling, "Fire away!"
Yeah, yeah, no..
Taken by the government yeah, no
One by one they went
But they didnt come back
Well I'm telling tales of darkness
No legless man is harmless
Heartlessly described by a gun
Oh I can smell the gunpowder
The quiet cries getting louder
All this pain echoes in his head
This is the story of a man named Red
The story of a man named Red
Well they couldn't have resisted
I guess the government insisted, yea
That their new best friends, oh that their new friends
Should die in their arms, die in their arms, yea
Oh no
The Barefoot Truth song "Red" is a poignant and powerful narrative that tells the story of a man named Red, a Vietnam War veteran who returned home after war but still bears the scars of his experiences. The lyrics begin on a Tuesday afternoon in Massachusetts where Red walks into his living room and sees his mother's eyes filled with tears. It is implied that she is mourning the loss of his comrades in the Vietnam War, and Red is similarly affected by the memories of his time in Vietnam.
The lyrics go on to describe the impact of the war on Red's life and those of his fellow soldiers. The song paints a picture of the horrors of war, using vivid and emotive language such as "quiet cries getting louder" and "heartlessly described by a gun." The song questions the futility of war and the psychological impact of soldiers who went to war and returned home with deep emotional wounds. The chorus of the song repeats the description of this "story of a man named Red," highlighting the telling of this story as a way of bearing witness to the damage wrought by war.
The story of "Red," while not unique, is a deeply felt and powerful representation of the experiences and emotions felt by soldiers and veterans. The song encapsulates the trauma and scars left by war and the difficulties of reintegrating after returning home. The lyrics of the song are thought-provoking and powerful, questioning the necessity of war and the human cost of conflict.
Line by Line Meaning
On a late Tuesday afternoon
The story begins on a specific and mundane day of the week.
The sun shone grey in the Massachusetts sky
The day was gloomy and bleak.
Red walked into his living room
The singer of the story is a man called Red who enters his own home.
Found his mother with a tear in her eye
Red's mother is visibly upset, which sets the stage for an emotional story.
Times have changed, or so it seemed
The story takes place in the past, where things were different compared to the present.
Boys became men at the age of seventeen
Young men were expected to be mature and responsible during that time period.
Red was one of those, oh you know
Red was forced to grow up quickly, like many other young men of his generation.
What choice did they have other than to go?
There was no alternative for many young men but to join the military and fight in the war.
So they went one by one
The young men went off to fight the war one at a time.
They found no comfort from that Vietnam sun
The oppressive heat of the sun in Vietnam provided no solace for the soldiers.
They wiped the sweat and blood from their face
The soldiers had to clean the blood, sweat, and tears from their faces regularly.
And all they wondered when to find their saving grace
The soldiers were searching for some kind of salvation or safety in the midst of the war.
Each and every day you know they watched their brothers fall
The soldiers witnessed the tragic and brutal deaths of their fellow soldiers every day.
They drink heavy at night and try to forget it all
The soldiers tried to suppress their traumatic memories by drinking heavily at night.
Didn't know if they would rather be alive or dead?
The soldiers were living in such extreme conditions that they had to question whether living or dying was preferable.
Telling tales of darkness
The song is telling an unsettling and morose story.
No legless man is harmless
The wounded soldiers were still capable of doing harm or damage despite their injuries.
Heartlessly described by a gun
The soldiers were reduced to mere objects and dehumanized by the weapons used against them.
Oh I can smell the gunpowder
The vivid sensory detail adds to the overall atmosphere of war and violence.
The quiet cries getting louder
The cries of pain and suffering are becoming more intense and pronounced.
All this pain echoes in his head
The emotional and psychological pain that Red has gone through is still present in his mind.
He walks the streets alone now
Red is now living his life in isolation and solitude.
He can't quite understand how
Red is grappling with how he survived the war while others did not.
He was the one to make it home
Red is one of the few soldiers who managed to return home from the war.
He came out just as he went in
Despite his experiences, Red feels like he has not changed much since he joined the military.
She has never felt this so but she knows what it's like
Red's wife may not have experienced the horrors of war firsthand, but she empathizes with his pain and trauma.
Living with these emotions each and every day
Red is forced to endure the emotional turmoil of his traumatic experiences on a daily basis.
He still hears the orders calling calling, "Fire away!"
Red is haunted by the sounds of war and the instructions he was given by his superiors.
Taken by the government yeah, no
The government drafted young men like Red into the military.
But they didnt come back
Many soldiers did not survive the war to return home.
Well I'm telling tales of darkness
The song is recounting a somber and melancholy story.
I guess the government insisted, yea
The government compelled young men to go to war, whether they wanted to or not.
That their new best friends, oh that their new friends
The soldiers formed close bonds with their fellow soldiers during the war.
Should die in their arms, die in their arms, yea
The reality of war was that many soldiers saw their friends die right in front of them.
Oh no
This is an expression of dismay or sadness.
Contributed by Alexandra C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.