Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.
Gotta Get Mean
Blues Traveler Lyrics
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You're stuck in a race that you just can't win
Just take a look around and it's so obscene
But that's the way it is, so you gotta get mean
Don't waste your time wondering why
Cause the only thing you know is that someday you'll die
You gotta get tough, you gotta get lean
You give me an itch and I'll blow you away
It's part of this dangerous game that we play
You'd do the same if you'd seen what I'd seen
C'est la vie, mon cherie, ya gotta get mean
The lyrics of "Gotta Get Mean" by Blues Traveler convey a message of survival in a harsh and unforgiving world. The vale of toil and sin refers to the challenges and hardships that people face in their daily lives. The phrase "stuck in a race that you just can't win" suggests that life can feel like a never-ending struggle against obstacles that are difficult or impossible to overcome. Despite the disturbing and obscene things that happen all around, people have to find ways to survive.
The lyrics then suggest that instead of wondering why things are the way they are, people need to toughen up and become more resilient. They have to become lean and mean to survive. The phrase "you gotta get mean" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the importance of having a fighting spirit.
The last verse contains a threat of violence that suggests that survival often depends on being able to intimidate others. The phrase "It's part of this dangerous game that we play" suggests that life is a game in which aggression and violence are often necessary for survival. The French phrase "C'est la vie, mon cherie" means "that's life, my darling," emphasizing that these harsh realities are simply part of the human experience.
Overall, "Gotta Get Mean" is a song about survival, suggesting that people need to toughen up and become more resilient if they want to survive in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving.
Line by Line Meaning
In this vale of toil and sin
In this difficult and morally corrupt world
You're stuck in a race that you just can't win
You're trapped in a competition that has no clear winner
Just take a look around and it's so obscene
When you observe the world, you see depravity and obscenity
But that's the way it is, so you gotta get mean
However, that's the reality, so you need to get tough
Don't waste your time wondering why
Don't spend too much time questioning life's meaning
Cause the only thing you know is that someday you'll die
Because, in the end, the only certainty is death
You gotta get tough, you gotta get lean
You need to be strong and agile to survive
But best of all you get to gotta get mean
The most effective way to do this is to develop a fierce and aggressive attitude
You give me an itch and I'll blow you away
If you provoke me, I'll retaliate with force
It's part of this dangerous game that we play
This is all part of the perilous game we're involved in
You'd do the same if you'd seen what I'd seen
You too would behave in this manner if you had witnessed what I have witnessed
C'est la vie, mon cherie, ya gotta get mean
Such is life, my dear, you have to be ruthless to survive
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: BRENDAN HILL, CHAN KINCHLA, JOHN C. POPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind