Formed in 1984 by high-school friends Sammy Llanas and Kurt Neumann, the Bo… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1984 by high-school friends Sammy Llanas and Kurt Neumann, the BoDeans mixed Midwestern roots rock with elements of adult contemporary pop, fashioning a sound that earned critical acclaim during the '80s and commercial recognition during the following decade. Llanas and Neumann fronted the group by sharing vocal and guitar duties, while bassist Bob Griffin and drummer Guy Hoffman populated the rhythm section. Although based in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the BoDeans began building an audience 20 miles east in Milwaukee, and their success in that town helped gain them a contract with Slash Records, with manufacturing and distribution handled by Warner Bros.

The BoDeans worked with T-Bone Burnett on their debut album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, which appeared in 1986 to warm reviews. They recruited another big-name producer, Talking Head Jerry Harrison, to helm 1987's Outside Looking In, which found the band reduced to a trio after the departure of Hoffman. Outside Looking In broke into the Billboard Top 100, and the BoDeans grew their audience by touring alongside U2, appearing on Robbie Robertson's self-titled solo album, and receiving the honor of Best New Band by Rolling Stone magazine. By the time they released their third album, Home, in 1989, keyboardist Michael Ramos and drummer Danny Gayol had joined. This lineup stayed intact for the release of 1991's Black and White, but the BoDeans went without a drummer once again on their next recording, Go Slow Down.

Following the release of a double-disc live album, Joe Dirt Car, the band returned in 1996 with Blend. Around the time of Blend's release, "Closer to Free" -- a song that had originally appeared on 1993's Go Slow Down -- became a hit, due in large part to its exposure as the theme song for the TV show Party of Five. "Closer to Free" eventually cracked the Top 20, becoming the most successful single of the band's career. The BoDeans were arguably more popular than ever, but the band took a break during the late '90s, with both frontmen devoting time to their solo careers.

By 2004, the band had reconvened and signed with a new label, Zoe. Resolution was released that year, followed in 2005 by Homebrewed: Live from the Pabst. Griffin left the group in 2006 and was replaced by Eric Holden, who appeared on 2008's Still. By this point, the bandmates had found a new home on 429 Records, and they remained with that label for the release of Mr. Sad Clown in 2010 and Indigo Dreams in 2011. That same year saw the departure of Llanas, citing "differences of opinion." The band's 11th studio album, American Made, arrived the following year on the band's own Free & Alive label, and was the first with Neumann as sole leader. The BoDeans toured extensively in support of the release, and in 2014 began work on their next studio project. Released in 2015, I Cant Stop featured a new BoDeans lineup anchored by Neumann, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Hawksley, bassist Eric Holden, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, the latter a well-respected journeyman musician who had played on several BoDeans recording sessions in the '90s. In June 2016, the BoDeans brought out a single, "My Hometown," with the release benefiting the Milwaukee County Historical Society. The single was a preview of the group's next album; titled Thirteen, the 11-song set was released in April 2017.

In Trow / Texas Ride Song
BoDeans Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In Trow

(Instrumental)

Texas Ride Song

I found a love, sweet and young
Out in the big open

Deep in the land of stars that shine
Bright like the heart she wore
I spent a lifetime on that road
She spent a life in town
I said C'mon, She said Right
Let's head for higher ground.

Let's go, shall we
On through the majesty
Let's go, you'd never know
But this was made for you and me

We hit the road, the big highway
Heart full of soul and fire
Making our way through America
In a Ford on a two-cent tire

Let's go, shall we
On through the majesty
Let's go, you'd never know
But this was made for you and me

We laid down, under stars
Under the dead of night
There in a field, of wildflowers
We finally made things right
Where no bands of gold or diamond ring
Or wishes of well could hold
More than our hearts, of good intent
More than our promise told

Let's go, shall we
On through the majesty
Let's go, you'd never know
But this was made for you and me

Let's go shall we
Let's go shall we

Overall Meaning

The song "In Trõw / Texas Ride Song" by BoDeans tells the story of a young couple who fall in love and decide to leave their respective homes to embark on a journey together. The first part of the song is an instrumental, which sets the mood for the rest of the song. The lyrics are about the couple's journey through America in a Ford car with a two-cent tire, traveling through the open countryside, under the stars of the deep land of stars. They symbolize the vast and majestic nature of the world around them, which adds to the feeling of freedom they experience while on their journey.

The couple's journey is depicted as an escape from their past lives – the singer has spent a lifetime on the road, while his partner has spent a life in town. The journey is also an opportunity for the couple to find themselves and their place in the world. Although they don't have much, they have each other, and their love sustains them through the hardships of their journey.

The chorus of the song, "Let's go shall we, on through the majesty", highlights the couple's determination to continue on their journey, despite not knowing what the future has in store for them. The song ends with the line "let's go shall we", as if to suggest that the couple's journey is ongoing and the possibilities are endless.

Overall, the song conveys a sense of adventure, freedom, and romance, and is an ode to the journeys we take in life and the people we share them with.

Line by Line Meaning

I found a love, sweet and young
I discovered a new and youthful love

Out in the big open
In the vast, open spaces

Deep in the land of stars that shine
Amidst a place with sparkling skies

Bright like the heart she wore
As radiant as the love she shared

I spent a lifetime on that road
I dedicated a significant amount of time to traveling

She spent a life in town
She lived her entire life in one place

I said C'mon, She said Right
I suggested we go, and she agreed immediately

Let's head for higher ground.
We should aim for higher aspirations.

We hit the road, the big highway
We embarked on the major interstate

Heart full of soul and fire
We had a passion and zest for life

Making our way through America
Traveling throughout the United States