For nearly ten years, Schneider has performed a Monday night residency at the Saxon Pub, an intimate and legendary venue on South Lamar, Austin, Texas. Schneider and the members of Lonelyland, the band name that he uses to keep these shows “underground,” are seated on stage as they work through a “live rehearsal” of songs that Schneider calls up from his repertoire of over four hundred songs.
There are always new songs that are played for the first time or new
arrangements of classics that are tested. The show often begins with acoustic, somber and introspective songs and eventually gives way to storytelling, raunchy rock and comedic breaks.
But anything goes…really. And, that is exactly what the audience loves about Schneider.
Schneider's recording career spans some 20 albums, which include eight solo albums and those with his bands, all of which are legendary in the Austin, Texas music scene of the 90’s, The Scabs, Joe Rockhead and The Ugly Americans. There are many peaks within these albums but Lonelyland (2001) and I’m Good Now (2004) stand out at as the “mainstream highlights” while The Galaxy Kings (2002) and Underneath the Onion Trees (2000), are beautiful “artistic statements” and fan favorites.
If you take a journey through this collection of albums you’ll discover an artist with no boundaries. Schneider's repertoire covers a spectrum of musical styles…. mambo, rap, blues, country, Latin, swing, soul, even bluegrass…. all done with the aplomb of a virtuoso of any one of those musical genres.
Many of these genres are explored on Schneider’s album, Tarantula. Tarantula sparkles with songs that reflect a songwriter, artist and entertainer at the peak of his creative heights. It is an apex in Schneider's album catalog and stands alongside Lonelyland and I’m Good Now as one of his best.
Fans will know “['track artist=Bob Schneider]Tarantula” as the name of the song that has been Schneider's live signature for years. It’s the part of the show where the audience jumps to their feet, dances in the aisles, howls at the moon and sings the refrain along with Schneider. Sheer fun.
The song has never been available on a studio album so fans will know right away that they are in for a treat. Those lucky enough to have been at the Saxon the night that the lead single, “40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)” was debuted knew right away that they were in for something special with this album. There is a beautiful heart-rendering break-up song, “Changing Your Mind,” with Patty Griffin lending even more rue. “Trash” and “Bicycle Vs. The Car” both prove again that Bob is a master of pop hooks, melody and inspired wordplay.
Bob Schneider: At A Glance
He was born in Michigan but moved to Germany when he was two where he grew up attending Catholic school. His father sang opera and his mother taught school. He left Germany as a student to attend art school at the University of Texas/El Paso. He dropped out and moved to Austin where he struggled around as a musician before gaining some national recognition via his punk-funk band Joe Rockhead. He signed to Capricorn Records as the rock n’soul band, Ugly Americans, and nearly simultaneously formed The Scabs with a band of infamous Austin neo-legends known for (and still performing) their outrageous live shows.
In 1999, Bob took a solo turn to explore his introspective singer/songwriter side, and in 2001, Republic Records signs him after Lonelyland, explodes in his hometown and becomes (and remains) the biggest selling album in the history of Austin’s infamous Waterloo Records. A couple of self-released “artistic exploration” albums are released before, I’m Good Now, is released on Vanguard in 2004, and there is another flirt with mainstream chart success with the singles, “Captain Kirk” and “Come With Me Tonight.”
He has built his audience by touring relentlessly and over the years has opened for the Dixie Chicks, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews and the H.O.R.D.E Tour, but mostly through headlining club and theater tours. Bob will be on tour in May and June of 2009 playing songs from the new album, Tarantula.
The Other Side
Bob Schneider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That if I turned myself inside out
I might get out alive
And I have reason to believe
You would be satisfied
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That everything you do or say
Well, it is just a dream
And I have reason to believe
That this electric midnight feeling's
Filled with razor beams
I have reason to believe
That if I could just be all that you want
That I?d have some place I could hide
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That if I were just a little taller
I'd be better off
I have reason to believe
That if my head came with a switch
Why I would turn it off
I have reason to believe
That everything that I have learned
Is all just a goddamn lie
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
The Other Side by Bob Schneider is a song that deals with the various thoughts and doubts that one tends to have in their mind. The opening lines of the song-"I have reason to believe the grass might be a little greener on the other side. I have reason to believe that if I turned myself inside out I might get out alive,"- suggests that the songwriter is trying to find a way to escape from his current situation. He feels that life might be easier and better on the other side.
The next few lines of the song suggest that the songwriter is looking for a way to break free from the monotony of life. He believes that if he could get it right just once, he would be satisfied. The line, "That everything you do or say is just a dream" reinforces the idea that the songwriter is looking for something beyond his current reality. The reference to the "electric midnight feeling's filled with razor beams" suggests that this desire for something new is starting to become overwhelming.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that the grass might be greener on the other side. It suggests that the songwriter is looking for something more fulfilling, and he believes that he might find it if he could just make a change in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
I have reason to believe
I have a feeling or intuition
The grass might be a little greener
Things might be better or more enjoyable elsewhere
On the other side
In a different situation or circumstance
That if I turned myself inside out
If I changed who I am at my core
I might get out alive
I might find a way to survive or escape a difficult situation
That if you get it right just once
If you accomplish something successfully one time
You would be satisfied
You would feel content or fulfilled
That everything you do or say
All actions and words
Well, it is just a dream
Are not real, just a figment of imagination
That this electric midnight feeling's
This current late-night sensation
Filled with razor beams
Is sharp and intense
That if I could just be all that you want
If I could meet all of your expectations
That I'd have some place I could hide
I would have somewhere to retreat or that felt safe
That if I were just a little taller
If I were physically taller
I'd be better off
I would have improved circumstances or be happier
That if my head came with a switch
If I had control over my thoughts or emotions
Why I would turn it off
I would choose to stop thinking or feeling
That everything that I have learned
All knowledge or teachings
Is all just a goddamn lie
Is untrue or misleading
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JuniorSantiago
bicycle dreams brought me here. very nice song
@fingletoad
Bob Schneider is amazing! I took my daughter to see him at the first ACL festival in Austin! What a great concert!!
@WAbikes
This song makes a great opening to the movie Bicycle Dreams about the Race Across America.
@galaintheclouds
Why I like this song so much?? It's just amazing, you're incredible, Bob!
@favrenstein
Caught this song on Pandora..What a gem
@JuniorSantiago
Lyrics:
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That if I turned myself inside out
I might get out alive
And I have reason to believe
That if you get it right just one time
You would be satisfied
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That everything you do or say
is more then just a dream
And I have reason to believe
That this electric midnight feelings
Filled with razor beams
I have reason to believe
That if I could just be all that you want
That I'd have some place I could hide
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
I have reason to believe
That if I were just a little taller
I'd be better off
I have reason to believe
That if my head came with a switch
Why I would turn it off
I have reason to believe
That everything that I have learned
Is all just a goddamn lie
I have reason to believe
The grass might be a little greener
On the other side
@kimturner3744
Lyrics don’t seem to match what Bob is singing. In fact some of the wording is the exact opposite of what’s being sung.
For example the 2nd to last phrase of verse 3 is actually sung "And I have reason to believe that everything that I have learned is not a, goddamn lie" the key difference is the word "not", just sayin'
@hmctamma
Agree, he says "not a giddamn lie, and that's the reason I believe..."
It's pivotal