Like many bands in the then-burgeoning alt-rock movement of the mid-'90s, Better Than Ezra enjoyed their period of greatest chart success immediately following their debut major-label release (Deluxe), which spawned their highest-charting hits. At least commercially (and in terms of mainstream radio play), the band has experienced slightly diminishing returns with each successive release; however, unlike the majority of their contemporaries, Better Than Ezra's extremely loyal fan base has kept the group from dropping off of the musical map. Ezra's followers, who refer to themselves as Ezralites, have never cared whether radio stations play the band or not--in fact, many fans follow the band religiously, attending scores of their performances. It is Ezra's loyal fans and a relentless touring schedule which has allowed them to continue to produce new music, remain extremely viable in the music world, and out-live their projected shelf life. Additionally, Better Than Ezra's independence and survival in a business that has chewed up and spat out many bands who they used to jockey for chart position seems to indicate that the band will be around to satisfy their fans' rapacious appetite for their music for many years to come.
In addition to vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin from Monroe, Louisiana, the current members of Better Than Ezra are bass guitar player Tom Drummond and drummer Travis McNabb. Original drummer, Cary Bonnecaze, left the band after the release of Deluxe. Original lead guitarist, Joel Rundell, committed suicide in 1990. Multi-Instrumentalist James Arthur Payne also from Monroe, Louisiana tours with the band, fills in vocal, keyboard, guitar, and harmonica parts, and is a fan favorite.
Who or what Ezra might be is a mystery that the band members have no interest in clearing up. Drummond once told a reporter that the meaning of the band's name is "so lame you wouldn't even want to print it." However, it has also been said that the name came into being when the then nameless band entered a battle of the bands in competition with a group named Ezra. Needing a name to register they simply said that they were better.
In 2005, Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry used the band's song "Juicy" as the background music for the second season of the show's promotional advertisement.
The band is slated to headline A Taste of Fort Collins in Fort Collins, Colorado.
_____ _____ _____
In 2009 there were line-up changes and a new album released. Drummer Travis McNabb left to tour with the Country music group Sugarland. The split was friendly and McNabb still serves on the Ezra charitable organizations. McNabb was replaced by Michael Jerome as touring and ?future? drummer, with Blair Sinta filling in on parts of the album Paper Empire and 2 dates of the bands summer 2009 concert tour.
Travis McNabb played his last show with Ezra on Feb. 15, 2009 in Metairie, Louisiana.
Paper Empire was released on May 12, 2009.
_____ _____ _____
Rolling
Better Than Ezra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They make a tide pool
On your summer skin
Shoplifting corner store
I should have got,
Should have got some more
How'd you get so low?
Baby I don't know
God, how you look the same
I recognize the face,
But not the name
Pull over, never stop
A caramel-colored girl
In a halter top
How'd you get so low?
How'd you get so low?
(She said)
Me and you
Got a lot to do.
We go rolling
From Friday till Sunday noon
Stop! Start a letter,
Rent-A-Saint in back
Want to hit the interstate
In a Cadillac,
And we're rolling
Could it be that hard
To never mind the rent
And then quit your job?
Flying, at what cost?
Shout outs to the ones we've lost
How'd you get so low?
How'd you get so low?
Don't mind me. Me? I'm fine.
I just get a little lost sometimes
But what I really meant to say,
I couldn't live
Without you another day
How'd you get so low?
How'd you get so low?
(She said)
Me and you
Got a lot to do
We go rolling
From Friday till Sunday noon.
Stop! Start a letter,
Rent-A-Saint in back
Want to hit the interstate
In a Cadillac,
And we're rolling
Are you just worried to see me?
Are you just worried to need me?
Me and you
Got a lot to do
We go rolling
From Friday till Sunday noon
Stop! Start a letter,
Rent-A-Saint in back
Want to hit the interstate
In a Cadillac,
And we're rolling
Yeah, we're rolling
Me and you, we're rolling
On a Sunday afternoon
Yeah
The lyrics of "Rolling" by Better Than Ezra paint the picture of a carefree, adventurous couple living life to the fullest. The first verse describes the raindrops beading on the skin of the girl and how she looks alluring in the summer rain. The second verse talks about shoplifting and the remorse of not taking more. The chorus questions how the girl got so low, but the answer remains unknown. The bridge talks about recognizing the girl's face but not her name, and how they are rolling from Friday till Sunday noon. They sing about stopping to start a letter and wanting to hit the interstate in a Cadillac. The song concludes with the singer questioning whether the girl is worried to see him or worried to need him.
The lyrics of "Rolling" are open to interpretation, but it can be inferred that the song is about two young people who are living life to the fullest, enjoying every moment without worrying about anything else. It's a story of two people who are lost in the moment, enjoying each other's company and experiencing life's pleasures together. The chorus of the song, "How'd you get so low?" may refer to how they reached this state of carefree happiness or why they choose this way of life. However, the singer does not provide an answer, leaving the listener to interpret the song's meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Rain drops bead again
The raindrops are falling and forming small pools on your skin.
They make a tide pool
The raindrops have created a temporary pool on your skin.
On your summer skin
The pool of rain is on your skin that is warm and exposed to the summer air.
Shoplifting corner store
I shoplifted from a corner store.
I should have got,
I should have taken more items than what I did.
Should have got some more
I regret not taking more from the store.
How'd you get so low?
I don't understand how you got to this low point in your life.
How'd you get so low?
I am really perplexed about how you ended up in this situation.
Baby I don't know
I really don't have an answer to how you ended up here.
God, how you look the same
You look the same physically as you always have.
I recognize the face,
I remember your face and can identify you.
But not the name
I don't remember your name.
Pull over, never stop
We are driving but not planning to stop the car.
A caramel-colored girl
There's a girl with a skin color that resembles caramel.
In a halter top
She's wearing a top that exposes her shoulders and back.
How'd you get so low?
I still can't understand how you got here.
How'd you get so low?
I am really struggling to comprehend how you got to this place in your life.
(She said)
The girl responded to the previous question.
Me and you
The girl and I have some unfinished business.
Got a lot to do.
We have a lot of things to do together.
We go rolling
We go on adventures together.
From Friday till Sunday noon
We're together all weekend, till noon on Sunday.
Stop! Start a letter,
Pause for a moment to begin writing a letter.
Rent-A-Saint in back
There's a statue of a saint in the back of the car, probably rented.
Want to hit the interstate
We want to drive on the highway that connects states of the country.
In a Cadillac,
We drive in a luxurious Cadillac car.
And we're rolling
We're headed out on another adventure.
Could it be that hard
I wonder if it would be difficult to take a chance and stop doing the things that hold us down?
To never mind the rent
To ignore the costs we have to pay to live.
And then quit your job?
And then stop doing the work that we need to do to survive?
Flying, at what cost?
What is the price of traveling and experiencing life?
Shout outs to the ones we've lost
Let's remember and acknowledge the people who were once with us but are no longer here.
Don't mind me.
Don't worry about me too much.
Me? I'm fine.
I'm doing alright.
I just get a little lost sometimes
I get confused and directionless now and then, but it's just temporary.
But what I really meant to say,
What I truly wanted to convey was this:
I couldn't live
I cannot imagine living.
Without you another day
Without you around for another day.
(She said)
The girl responds to these sentiments.
Are you just worried to see me?
Are you anxious about seeing me?
Are you just worried to need me?
Do you worry about requiring my assistance?
Me and you
We're still together and need to talk.
Got a lot to do
We still have things we need to accomplish together.
We go rolling
We have a deeper connection that will get us through life's struggles.
From Friday till Sunday noon.
Our weekend adventures will always be a great memory.
And we're rolling
Let's hit the road - we have a lot to do!
Yeah, we're rolling
We're having fun and not stopping any time soon.
Me and you, we're rolling
The two of us continue on our journey.
On a Sunday afternoon
On lazy Sundays, we reminisce about the fun we had over the weekend.
Yeah
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LLOYD WOODROW JAMES, WYCLIFFE JOHNSON, CLEVELAND BROWNE, RICHARD WRIGHT, PATRICK HOWELL, KEVIN GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind