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.
Trust In Trust
Blues Traveler Lyrics
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I hear truth, but I just speak the rhyme
Fear knows no one if he hasn't met me
I got to know him well and only now do I see
You can run where you wanna run when you wanna hide
You feel like you are driving but you just took a ride
The truth shall set you free is what I hear them say
Blame yourself, blame the way you were raised
And if you need to blame, you could blame your own rage
Or you could trust yourself and trust others too
And trust your trust in trust and then they'll trust you
You can run where you wanna run, when you wanna hide
You feel like you are driving but you just took a ride
The truth shall set you free is what I hear them say
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
A radical concept I know, I'm laying down
But try it just once and take one more look around
I spoke not in haste till I said to my fear
"One of us must go", and look, I'm still here
You can run where you wanna run when you wanna hide
You feel like you are driving but you just took a ride
The truth shall set you free is what I hear them say
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
And to my sweet surprise
The lyrics of Blues Traveler's song Trust In explore themes of fear, trust, and self-reflection. The opening lines, "Set your sights on my corner of time, I hear truth, but I just speak the rhyme," suggest that the singer is confident in their perspective on the world - they know the truth, but they express it through their art (in this case, the "rhyme" of the lyrics). The next few lines are more complex, as the singer acknowledges the power of fear, but also their own ability to overcome it: "Fear knows no one if he hasn't met me, I got to know him well and only now do I see." Here, fear is anthropomorphized, but the singer has come to know it intimately, allowing them to "see" beyond it.
The chorus of the song - "You can run where you wanna run when you wanna hide / You feel like you are driving but you just took a ride / The truth shall set you free is what I hear them say / And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way" - contains a clear message about the importance of confronting your fears and trusting in the truth. The idea that "the truth shall set you free" is a common one, but the specificity of the next line ("And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way") suggests that the singer has come to this conclusion through personal experience.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most uplifting, as the singer encourages listeners to take a leap of faith and trust in themselves and those around them. "Blame yourself, blame the way you were raised / And if you need to blame, you could blame your own rage / Or you could trust yourself and trust others too / And trust your trust in trust and then they'll trust you." By ending on such a hopeful note, the song seems to suggest that even in the face of fear and uncertainty, there is power in self-reflection and trust.
Line by Line Meaning
Set your sights on my corner of time
Focus on my perspective or understanding of the world
I hear truth, but I just speak the rhyme
I understand reality, but I communicate it through art or poetry
Fear knows no one if he hasn't met me
I am an expert in dealing with fear and can disarm it
I got to know him well and only now do I see
Through experience, I have learned how to handle fear
You can run where you wanna run when you wanna hide
You can try to avoid facing your problems but they will catch up to you eventually
You feel like you are driving but you just took a ride
You may feel in control, but in reality, you are at the mercy of your circumstances
The truth shall set you free is what I hear them say
Honesty can lead to liberation from mental or emotional obstacles
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
I have found that being honest with myself and others has positive results
Blame yourself, blame the way you were raised
You can put responsibility on yourself or your upbringing for your current situation
And if you need to blame, you could blame your own rage
You could attribute your difficulties to your own anger or lack of control
Or you could trust yourself and trust others too
You can choose to have faith in yourself and others
And trust your trust in trust and then they'll trust you
If you trust in the concept of trust, then others will trust you
A radical concept I know, I'm laying down
I understand that my belief in trust may not be the norm, but I stand by it
But try it just once and take one more look around
Give trust a chance and see how it can change your perspective
I spoke not in haste till I said to my fear
I carefully considered my thoughts before facing my fear head-on
"One of us must go", and look, I'm still here
I confronted and overcame my fear, coming out stronger on the other side
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
I have learned that facing my fears and trusting myself has positive outcomes
And to my sweet surprise it does work out that way
I have been pleasantly surprised by the positive results of trusting myself and others
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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