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.
Unable
Blues Traveler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I choke on my reply
Let the blind man at the mirror spin his lie
And I'm damned if I don't try
Damned if I don't try
But no matter what I say
It doesn't go
And I've never been afraid
Of a consequence that I could have made
But having to admit this one has me
And so the tiger's got his toe
And the only way to holler is by letting go
Still unable to get free
With cork and wax I try my best
To spackle in the hole
The inevitable aging of my soul
And my heart, it gets so tired
It's my heart and it gets so tired
It's just a trace to track the pain
The beat that I
Sustain for hoping and I am still unable to get free
And I've never been afraid
Of a consequence that I could have made
But having to admit this one has me
And so the tiger's got his toe
And the only way to holler is by letting go
Still unable to get free
I see connections
In my contention
That I could see redemption
Through the bars
Of this cage
And I don't know what to do
I said, I don't know what to do
For accepting sight unseen
So desperately I
Dream of some day when I won't be unable to get free
And I've never been afraid
Of a consequence that I could have made
But having to accept this one has me
And so the tiger's got his toe
And the only way to holler is by letting go
Still unable to get free
And I've never been afraid
Of a consequence that I could have made
But having to admit this one has me
And so the tiger's got his toe
And the only way to holler is by letting go
Still unable to get free
The lyrics of Blues Traveler's "Unable" explore themes of denial, self-deception, and the struggle to overcome one's own limitations. The first lines of the song indicate that the singer is being asked about his ability to live without someone, likely a former lover. He admits to choking on his reply, suggesting that he is reluctant to face the truth that he is unable to move on from this person. He refers to himself as a "blind man at the mirror" who is spinning a lie, which implies that he is struggling to come to terms with the reality of his situation.
Despite acknowledging his inability to let go, the singer notes that he is "damned if I don't try." This line suggests that although he is aware of his own limitations, he is still making an effort to move forward. However, no matter what he does or says, he finds that he is "still unable to get free." The image of being trapped or confined is one that reoccurs throughout the song, as the singer describes feeling like he is in a cage or held back by something beyond his control.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "And I've never been afraid of a consequence that I could have made," highlighting the singer's willingness to take risks and accept the consequences of his actions. However, he then admits that "having to admit this one has me," indicating that he is struggling with something that he cannot overcome through his own efforts. The metaphor of the tiger getting his toe suggests that the singer is being held back by something powerful and dangerous. The only way for him to "holler" or assert himself is by letting go of whatever is holding him back, but he is still "unable to get free."
The final lines of the song offer a glimmer of hope, as the singer dreams of a future where he won't be "unable to get free." However, he also admits that he doesn't know what to do to make this vision a reality. The song ends on a bittersweet note, suggesting that while the struggle to overcome one's own limitations may be difficult, it is ultimately worth the effort.
Line by Line Meaning
You asked me if I live without her
Someone asked me if I can live without the person I am in love with.
I choke on my reply
I struggle to answer because I know the truth will hurt me and others.
Let the blind man at the mirror spin his lie
I am avoiding the truth and pretending everything is okay, even though it's not.
And I'm damned if I don't try
I am feeling desperate and out of options.
But no matter what I say
I can't seem to fix what is wrong.
It doesn't go
I can't make the pain disappear.
Away at all and I am still unable to get free
The situation is still trapping me and I can't break free from it.
And I've never been afraid
I have never been scared of the consequences of my actions.
Of a consequence that I could have made
I have never been afraid of the consequences of something that I caused.
But having to admit this one has me
But the truth of this situation scares me and makes me feel vulnerable.
And so the tiger's got his toe
I am in a dangerous situation that is hard to escape from.
And the only way to holler is by letting go
The only way out is to let go and accept what I can't change.
Still unable to get free
I am still struggling to break free and move on.
With cork and wax I try my best
I am doing everything I can to try and fix the situation.
To spackle in the hole
To fill the gap that is causing me pain.
The inevitable ageing of my soul
The unavoidable decay of my spirit.
And my heart, it gets so tired
My heart is exhausted from the emotional strain of the situation.
It's just a trace to track the pain
It's just a reminder of the suffering I am going through.
The beat that I
The persistent rhythm of my heart.
Sustain for hoping and I am still unable to get free
I am holding out hope, but it's not enough to escape the situation.
I see connections
I can see how everything is related.
In my contention
In my argument or reasoning.
That I could see redemption
I can envision a way to make things better.
Through the bars
Despite being trapped.
Of this cage
Of the situation that is limiting me.
And I don't know what to do
I am feeling lost and unsure of how to proceed.
I said, I don't know what to do
Again, I am expressing my confusion and desperation.
For accepting sight unseen
For blindly accepting something without knowing all the facts.
So desperately I
I am feeling a strong sense of urgency.
Dream of some day when I won't be unable to get free
I am hoping that someday, I will no longer be restrained by this situation.
And I've never been afraid
Repeating the line from earlier, emphasizing that I am not afraid of the consequences.
Of a consequence that I could have made
Emphasizing that I am not afraid of the consequences of something I caused.
But having to accept this one has me
Again, acknowledging that this situation is different and has me scared.
And so the tiger's got his toe
Repeating the earlier line, reminding the listener that the situation is dangerous and risky.
And the only way to holler is by letting go
Repeating the earlier line, emphasizing that the only way out is to accept and move on.
Still unable to get free
Ending the song with the same line, emphasizing that the situation is still trapping me and I am still struggling to break free.
Contributed by Sarah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aaron Wheeler
One of my favorite songs. Not many folks have ever even heard it. Thanks for the post.
Super Gravy
This is what I would consider to be their best album of the last 20 years. I got my fingers crossed that the new album coming out July 30th will be good. The two songs out already are not bad.