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.
True Devotion
BoDeans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I never felt much pain
A mess of clouds came over me
The night it finally rained
In my hand there's a silver heart
It says you belong to me
But it's empty and used up
I'm sailing off to sea
Going down, going down
Swallow an ocean
Going down, going down
With true devotion
When the rain started coming down
It was so hard to see
Swear I lost you in the crowd
When you were right there with me
People scattering everywhere
Trying to make it back home
And I slipped and fell on my ass
I'm going down alone
All I see is icy blue
And I don't feel the waves
It doesn't matter anyhow
I know I won't be saved
Before you go to sleep tonight
Say a prayer for me, yeah
And all the other wasted souls
Drowning definitely
The lyrics of BoDeans's song "True Devotion" describe a moment of loss and longing. The singer reflects on how lucky he was for a long time, never feeling much pain, but then the rain came and everything changed. He holds a silver heart that once belonged to someone, but now it's empty and used up. The singer is setting sail, leaving behind all that he once knew. In this moment of departure, he is swallowed by the ocean, going down with true devotion.
The rain is a metaphor for the difficulties and challenges that the singer has faced in his life. As the rain beats down, it's hard to see and he feels lost in the crowd. People are scattering everywhere, trying to make it back home, but the singer slips and falls on his own. In this moment of isolation, all he can see is icy blue and he doesn't feel the waves, which could symbolize how numb he feels to his own pain.
The singer asks for a prayer from someone who still has hope for him and all of the other wasted souls drowning in their own troubles. The song is a reminder that even in our darkest moments, we can still find hope and the strength to carry on.
Line by Line Meaning
I was lucky for a long, long time
I lived an easy life for an extended period
I never felt much pain
I did not experience significant hardship or suffering
A mess of clouds came over me
I encountered trouble and struggled to persevere
The night it finally rained
The moment of reckoning or crisis finally arrived
In my hand there's a silver heart
I possess a symbol of love or commitment
It says you belong to me
The inscription signifies ownership or belongingness
But it's empty and used up
The object has lost its value or meaning
I'm sailing off to sea
I'm leaving on a journey without knowing what lies ahead
Going down, going down
I'm descending or falling rapidly
Swallow an ocean
I'm overwhelmed by the magnitude of my problems
With true devotion
Despite my difficulties, I remain committed to my cause
When the rain started coming down
When my problems became more tangible or severe
It was so hard to see
It became difficult to stay focused or positive
Swear I lost you in the crowd
I lost track of what was important or valuable to me
When you were right there with me
Despite having support, I still felt alone
People scattering everywhere
Others were also struggling or fleeing
Trying to make it back home
Everyone wants to return to a place of safety or comfort
And I slipped and fell on my ass
I suffered an embarrassing setback or failure
All I see is icy blue
I'm lost and disoriented in my situation
And I don't feel the waves
I'm numb or indifferent to my surroundings or emotions
It doesn't matter anyhow
My actions or outcomes hold no significance or hope
I know I won't be saved
I've lost faith in a way out or solution
Before you go to sleep tonight
Asking for a moment of consideration or compassion
Say a prayer for me, yeah
A plea for a higher power or source of strength
And all the other wasted souls
Addressing others who also feel hopeless or lost
Drowning definitely
Giving voice to those who feel they are succumbing to their struggles
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.