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.
Look Around
Blues Traveler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About what I want of what I get
Brave enough to speak afraid to see
Confuse the issue till you forget
And I've tried
To finally decide
Why
And if you can't already tell
I am unable to let things go
I'm told I do it very well
But more important you should know
That all the same
You've got no one to blame
But yourself
If you call that a waste
'Cause it ain't me
That's been hurting you inside
And if you've learned
You'll know much more than I
That you're gonna have to go and fine it
You'll have to dig beneath the ground
You'll have to unearth every ugly stone
That kept you on your own
And simply put them down
You're gonna have to look around
You'll get no answer from me
About what I get or what I want
That was enough to make her leave
She's not the first one come and gone
And I don't care
Buyer beware
Of me
Cause it might get rough
If you want peace then live alone
If you want to hide then find a stage
Each a brief but perfect home
To accommodate your rage
And sometimes
In the midst of all my crimes
I feel lost
Or have I lost enough
Remaining friends
Remind me as they say
It's up to you
The things you throw away
And still you're gonna have to go and find it
You'll have to dig beneath the ground
You'll have to unearth every ugly stone
That kept you on your own
And simply put it down
You're gonna have to look around
You're gonna have to look around
You're gonna have to look around
In "Look Around," Blues Traveler explores the journey of self-discovery and facing the consequences of one's actions. The lyrics express the idea of speaking up but being afraid of the outcome, and trying to confuse the issue to avoid dealing with it. The singer is self-aware enough to recognize that he is unable to let things go and holds onto his mistakes well. However, he emphasizes that it is not him who has caused the pain and that the responsibility of dealing with it lies with the other person. In the second verse, the singer acknowledges that his behavior has caused people to leave him, but he does not care because he is who he is. He advises people to have peace by living alone if they want to avoid conflicts.
As the song progresses, Blues Traveler suggests that to find what one is looking for, they must take the initiative to search for it. The person must dig below the surface and confront the ugly truth that they have kept buried inside. The line "You're gonna have to look around" emphasizes that the person won't find what they are looking for quickly, but they need to keep looking, keep digging and not give up until they find it.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll get no answer from me
I won't tell you what I want or what I'm hoping to receive
About what I want of what I get
I won't disclose what I'm trying to achieve or hope to receive
Brave enough to speak afraid to see
I'm willing to voice my thoughts, but I'm scared of what I'll discover
Confuse the issue till you forget
I'll make things complicated so that you'll lose track of the subject
And I've tried to finally decide
I attempted to make a decision
Why I'm in your face
I questioned why I'm bothering you or why you're bothering me
And if you can't already tell
If you haven't noticed already
I am unable to let things go
I struggle with moving on from things
I'm told I do it very well
Others think I'm skilled at it
But more important you should know
However, what you need to realize is
That all the same
Regardless
You've got no one to blame
You can't hold anyone else accountable
But yourself
Except for yourself
If you call that a waste
If you consider that a regrettable outcome
'Cause it ain't me
Because I'm not the one
That's been hurting you inside
Who caused your internal pain
And if you've learned
And if you've come to understand
You'll know much more than I
You'll be more knowledgeable than I am
That you're gonna have to go and fine it
You'll have to search for it on your own
You'll have to dig beneath the ground
You'll have to look deeper within yourself
You'll have to unearth every ugly stone
You'll have to confront all of your issues
That kept you on your own
That prevented you from engaging with others
And simply put them down
And let them go
You're gonna have to look around
You're going to have to explore different perspectives and experiences to find what you need
That was enough to make her leave
That was sufficient to drive her away
She's not the first one come and gone
Others have left before her
And I don't care
I'm not concerned
Buyer beware
Be cautious
Of me
Of my actions or intentions
Cause it might get rough
Because the situation could become difficult
If you want peace then live alone
If you truly want tranquility, then you should remain separate from others
If you want to hide then find a stage
If you wish to conceal yourself, then find a place where you can perform
Each a brief but perfect home
Each one is a temporary but wonderful place to reside
To accommodate your rage
To provide an outlet for your anger
And sometimes in the midst of all my crimes
Occasionally, in the midst of my transgressions
I feel lost
I become disoriented
Or have I lost enough
Or have I already lost enough
Remaining friends remind me as they say
My friends who are still around often remind me
It's up to you
It's your responsibility
The things you throw away
What you discard
And still you're gonna have to go and find it
You'll still need to search for it
You'll have to dig beneath the ground
You'll have to delve deeper within yourself
You'll have to unearth every ugly stone
You'll have to face all of your flaws and imperfections
That kept you on your own
That compelled you to be alone
And simply put it down
And let it go
You're gonna have to look around
You'll need to broaden your horizons to get what you need
You're gonna have to look around
You'll need to explore different perspectives to obtain what you require
Lyrics Ā© CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOHN C. POPPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
breakdanceattiffanys
of all the songs I've ever heard, these are my favorite lyrics. As a former performing musician, the line "If you want peace then live alone / if you want to hide then find a stage / each a brief but perfect home / to accommodate your rage" is one of the most intellectual things that has ever been in music. This whole song is worthy of a semester at Cornell. So incredible.
Lysa Fisk
Boom
Joshua Kegley
Those lyrics have always had a strong resonance with me.
Tsahkratis
Easily one of the finest songs yet written. A timeless classic that never fails to pull water from my eyes.
Lisa A
Actually I thought I was the only Swede that was listening. Glad to hear at least one more have enriched their life with this ātop tenā ever songs. Brings me back to 1994 when I was an exchange student! Still listen to it almost 30 years later!
lorraine costanzo
@Magnus Ydhag Privy them up to Blues Traveler ! Play it LOUD wherever you go LOL ...They are awesome !
Magnus Ydhag
Innit! No one except me, in the whole of Sweden, even knows of their existence. Bonkers! Love this son soooo much!
Snuffsound
"If you want peace then live alone"... some good stuff right there., John popper is a very underrated song writer
Travis Szudajski
@ryan trout That lyric right there always hits me-
ryan trout
O I agree and I also think he is a phenomenal song writer as well as the very best harmonica player in the world by a long hike...