Beckett recruited his college friends Warkentin and Quon to experiment; spending one day in the studio tracking songs the old fashioned way—recording them live in an attempt to capture raw moments. The result lead them to return for four more sessions, tracking three songs a day to complete the record with the help of Richard Dodd (Kings of Leon, The Raconteurs). The bands name is a play on the expression, “pull yourself up by the bootstraps.”
Month’s prior to the album being released, their song ‘Guiltfree’ was the featured music on ABC’s No Ordinary Family and profiled in the ‘ABC Music Lounge’. Their music was also awarded ‘Best Music in a Film’ at the Nashville Film Festival in May ‘11. In July, they were featured in Hydrogen Magazine as their 2011 ‘Band To Watch’ as well as a spotlight interview for ASCAP’s We Create Music.
The film ‘Take Me Home’, which includes six Bootstraps songs has garnered awards and critical acclaim at Chicago, Las Vegas, Savannah, Boston, Brooklyn and Rhode Island Int’l Film Festivals.
Most recently, the track ‘Fortyfive’ was featured on NBC’s Parenthood and on the new CW series Secret Circle.
Revelator
Bootstraps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darling, remember when you come to me
I'm the pretender and I, what I'm supposed to be
But who could know if I'm a traitor
Time's the Revelator
They caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride
But every word seemed to date her
Time's the Revelator, the Revelator
Up in the morning, up and on the ride
Drive into Corning and all the spindles whine
And every day is getting straighter
Time's the Revelator, the Revelator
Leaving the valley, fucking out of sight
I'll go back to Cali where I can sleep out every night
And watch the waves and move the fader
Time's the Revelator, the Revelator
Queen of the fakes and imitators
Time's the Revelator
The lyrics of Bootstraps’ song Revelator are quite intricate and the meaning behind them is definitely up for interpretation. The opening two lines of the song set the tone, with the singer acknowledging that he is not necessarily who he seems to be. He refers to himself as a “pretender” and questions whether he is a “traitor.” The following line provides a clue to the perhaps paradoxical nature of the song, as the singer refers to time as the “Revelator.” This essentially means that over time, the truth behind the situation will be revealed or “reveled.”
In the second verse, the singer describes a situation where he has been left behind while others have moved on. He uses the metaphor of the “Katy” being caught while he has been left with a “mule to ride.” The “Fortune Lady” that joins him seems out of place and disconnected from the situation, with her words “dating her.” Again, the singer refers to time as the “Revelator,” insinuating that events that seem confusing or bewildering in the moment can be better understood over time.
The final verse sees the singer leaving the valley and heading back to Cali, a place where he can sleep out every night and “watch the waves and move the fader.” The Queen of the fakes and imitators is revealed to be time once again, suggesting that all that is fake and insincere will eventually be revealed by time. Overall, the song paints a picture of someone who is unsure of themselves and the situation they find themselves in, but takes solace in the idea that time may provide clarity and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, remember when you come to me
Hello dear, if you seek my affection / Please be aware, I may not show my true disposition
I'm the pretender and I, what I'm supposed to be
I play a part, and that is what's expected / Who knows if it's genuine or merely acted
But who could know if I'm a traitor
Perhaps I'm not trustworthy in every sense / Can anyone be certain of my true intents
Time's the Revelator
Only the passing of moments will reveal / What is concealed and what shall be unsealed
They caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride
They took the train, I'm left with this stubborn beast / But lo, the Fortune Lady visits from the east
The Fortune Lady came along, she walked beside
She's here to guide me, to advise and protect / Nonetheless, her words seem oddly out of step
But every word seemed to date her
Her counsel, though well-meaning, appears old-fashioned / As if she's from a time that's long since been rationed
Up in the morning, up and on the ride
Rising early, setting on my journey anew / Heading to Corning, where the spindles twist and chew
Drive into Corning and all the spindles whine
Where the factory churns and the machines lament / As I perform my duties, every day just comes and went
And every day is getting straighter
As time moves forward, life seems ever more clear / The fog lifts, the haze dissipates, my fate draws near
Leaving the valley, fucking out of sight
Making haste, I'm leaving this old, familiar place / Going west, to California, where there's ample space
I'll go back to Cali where I can sleep out every night
In this new land, I'll make my bed, under stars so bright / No more cramped quarters, no more stifling fights
And watch the waves and move the fader
I'll be near the ocean, listening to its eternal song / A musician, with all the knobs and sliders, where I belong
Time's the Revelator, the Revelator
Throughout my life, time is the great revealer / My secrets, my motives, all will be revealed in the end, no concealer
Queen of the fakes and imitators
There are many out there, pretending to be something they're not / But time will expose them, revealed to be naught.
Writer(s): Gillian Howard Welch, David Todd Rawlings
Contributed by Kaylee E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.