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.
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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.
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Wind
Better Than Ezra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said what I can't face to face
I hoped that you would share all my thoughts
We are young and unimpressed,
With all you'd recognize.
So play it all over
Turn it wide.
Now there is nothing but a
Now it won't rewind
In my care we are superstars
Run you lipstick down your chin
While up ahead we saw such a crash
Right there a song became a soundtrack
For this space in time.
So play it all over
Turn it wide.
Now there is nothing but a
Mix tape left behind
Now it won't rewind
Wonder is often lost
Jaded at such a cost
Time undermines you when you close your eyes.
We pass right by you.
So play it all over
Turn it wide.
Now there is nothing but a
Mix tape left behind
Now it won't rewind.
The song Wind by Better Than Ezra is reflective of youth, music, and relationships. The first verse talks about making a mix tape of the singer's favorite songs, but also using it to communicate things to someone that he cannot express directly. The line "we are young and unimpressed" highlights the sense of invincibility that often comes with youth, and the idea that things may not last forever. The chorus, with the repeated "play it all over, turn it wide" emphasizes the desire to relive happy moments, but the mix tape is all that is left behind. The concept of the mix tape and the power of music as a connector is evident throughout the song, with a song becoming a soundtrack to a particular moment in time.
In the second verse, another relationship is hinted at, but this time with a more negative outcome. The line "jaded at such a cost" shows that sometimes experience (cost) can leave people feeling jaded or disillusioned. The chorus is repeated, with the added line "Wonder is often lost," which suggests that as we get older, we lose the ability to wonder and be amazed as we did in our youth. The final line "we pass right by you" could be seen as a metaphor for time and how it moves on regardless of our desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut a tape of my favorite songs
I compiled a mixtape of all my favorite songs
Said what I can't face to face
On the mixtape, I expressed things I couldn't say in person
I hoped that you would share all my thoughts
I wanted the recipient of the mixtape to understand and relate to my feelings
We are young and unimpressed,
We are in our youth and not easily impressed by things
With all you'd recognize.
Despite that, the songs on the mixtape are ones that you would recognize and relate to
So play it all over
Listen to the mixtape on repeat
Turn it wide.
Crank up the volume
Now there is nothing but a mixtape left behind
All that remains is the mixtape, as everything else has changed or moved on
Now it won't rewind
We can no longer revisit the past or relive those memories
In my care we are superstars
Through the songs on the tape, we feel like we are the stars of our own story
Run your lipstick down your chin
A reference to a passionate kiss, a moment captured by one of the songs on the mixtape
While up ahead we saw such a crash
Despite any positive moments, we saw trouble on the horizon
Right there a song became a soundtrack
A particular song played during a significant moment in our lives, making that moment memorable
For this space in time.
That moment in time will forever be associated with that song on the mixtape
Wonder is often lost
Over time, we can lose our sense of wonder and curiosity
Jaded at such a cost
This loss can come at a high emotional price, making us jaded or numb
Time undermines you when you close your eyes.
Time can sneak up on us when we're not paying attention and make us feel older and more out of touch
We pass right by you.
We can become so focused on moving forward, that we pass by opportunities to stop and appreciate what we have
So play it all over
Return to the mixtape and keep listening to relive those memories
Turn it wide.
Crank up the volume even louder, to feel the full force of the emotions captured on the tape
Now there is nothing but a mixtape left behind
As time passes, the only physical thing left from those memories is the mixtape
Now it won't rewind.
We can't go back to those moments, and can only move forward to create new ones
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KEVIN GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind