In 1984 Hornsby formed Bruce Hornsby & the Range, who were signed to RCA Records in 1985. Besides Hornsby, Range members were David Mansfield (guitar, mandolin, violin), George Marinelli (guitars and backing vocals), Joe Puerta (bass guitar and backing vocals), and John Molo (drums).
During the 1990s he toured with the Grateful Dead, and released four albums, including A Night on the Town (1990) after which he split from The Range. Harbor Lights (1993) was his first solo album and signaled Hornsby was moving in a new jazz-influenced direction, whilst retaining elements of rock and pop. Later releases include Hot House (1995) and Spirit Trail (1998).
His experimental album Big Swing Face (2002) attracted much criticism as it veered away from his piano-based style. Despite these criticisms, he returned with his next studio album, shrugging off RCA and signing to Sony Music Entertainment. Halcyon Days, released in 2004, saw a return to the piano as the key instrument; this album also became the premise for his world tour the same year.
Hornsby continues to tour with his live band "The Noisemakers", in addition to solo shows and his progressive bluegrass performances with Ricky Skaggs.
In 2007 he released Camp Meeting, his first total jazz album as The Bruce Hornsby Trio, which involved jazz giants, Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride with whom he made live appearances with throughout 2007.
In March 2007 Hornsby teamed with bluegrass player Ricky Skaggs to produce a bluegrass album, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, and played several tour dates together. The seeds for the album had been sown in 2000 when the pair collaborated on "Darlin' Cory", a track on the Big Mon Bill Monroe bluegrass tribute album and then proposed recording an album together. Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, featuring the duo backed by Skaggs's band Kentucky Thunder, combined bluegrass, traditional country, "a tinge of Hornsby's jazzy piano and a splash of humor" on a spectrum of songs from the traditional to new compositions such as the opening track "The Dreaded Spoon," "a humorous tale of a youthful ice cream heist. The pair also reinvented Hornsby's hit "Mandolin Rain" as a minor key acoustic ballad and "give his cautionary tale of backwoods violence", "A Night On the Town," a treatment highlighting the "Appalachian storytelling tradition that was always at the song's heart. The album ended with a surprise cover of Rick James's funk hit "Super Freak" in a bluegrass arrangement. Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby topped Billboard's bluegrass charts for several weeks. The album showed Hornsby carving out a place for piano within traditional bluegrass, disproving the notion that the piano is not compatible with "string-oriented" bluegrass.
Concurrently with the bluegrass project, Hornsby recorded a jazz album, Camp Meeting. with Christian McBride (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums). Alongside original compositions by Hornsby, the trio delivered "newly reharmonized versions" of tunes by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell, a previously unrecorded Ornette Coleman work ("Questions and Answers") and an early Keith Jarrett composition ("Death and the Flower.") The trio made a series of appearances in the summer of 2007, including the Playboy Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival and at the Hollywood Bowl.
On January 4, 2007, former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann and Mickey Hart reunited along with Hornsby, Mike Gordon (of Phish and the Rhythm Devils) and Warren Haynes to play two sets. including Dead classics, at a post-inauguration fundraising party for Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House in the United States Congress.
Hornsby wrote songs for a Broadway Musical, titled "SCKBSTD"; one song from this project, a playful biographical tune about real-estate tycoon Donald Trump titled "The Don of Dons," made several appearances in setlists during his early-2007 solo piano performances. He also composed the score for Spike Lee's ESPN documentary, Kobe Doin' Work, about NBA star Kobe Bryant and his MVP season.
Outside of music composition and performance, Hornsby has taken an ownership interest in Williamsburg area radio station "The Tide," WTYD 92.3 FM, and he has endowed the Bruce Hornsby Creative American Music Program at University of Miami's Frost School of Music, encouraging the study of songwriting broadly across traditional genres. Hornsby played himself in a cameo role in the Robin Williams movie World's Greatest Dad, in which Williams' character is a Bruce Hornsby fan.
He has also been honored by piano makers Steinway & Sons with their Limited Edition Signature Piano Series. Hornsby selected ten Model B Steinway Grands to be featured in this collection, each one personalized with his signature. Hornsby owns three 9-foot Model D Steinway Grands himself.
King Of The Hill
Bruce Hornsby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Letting my eyes roam over the plain
Whoa, I'm laughing on my break
Feeling like a captive on a long chain
Watch the people pick up sticks
Big boss man cracks his whip
It's serious but we laugh to keep from crying
Whoa, crying
Spouting out the company line
Everything here's just fine
He says he cares about me but he's lying
Whoa, lying
And up, up in the big house
King of the hill
Whoa, I'm watching the boss man
Talking to his sister with the dirty hands
They sit, cussing at the rules
Wishing they could lose me as fast as they can
Got me in the roughest rig
He thinks I took his brother's gig
People say they've got the game rigged
Whoa, rigged
His daddy gave him everything
A job and a house and his earring
Why does he think that I'm so threatening?
Whoa, so bad
And up, up in the big house
King of the hill
And there, driving the big cat, king of the hill
I'm over in my space
Swatting bugs, sweat stain rolling down my face
I'm trying not to drink
Knowing I've got to roll out of this place
Watch the people pick up bricks
King of the hill with his nightstick
Caught up in accounting tricks
Throw a bone to the poor hicks
Got some candy, take a lick
Great white hope, shooting bricks
Time to let us all share the wealth
Whoa, the wealth
Getting coffee for the big stick
Hand in his pants at the skin flick
Leisure suit, but thinks he's slick
Lots of poisons, take your pick
Mama, mama, mama, come quick
Feeling like I'm getting sick
Have you noticed any nervous tics?
Think I'd better take care of myself
Whoa, myself
And up, up in the big house
King of the hill
And there, driving the big cat
King of the hill
In "King of the Hill", Bruce Hornsby paints a vivid picture of the daily struggles of the working class and their relationship with authority in a capitalistic society. The song speaks to the way people in positions of power are willing to compromise the well-being of their subordinates to maintain their status quo, while the workers maintain a façade of contentment through laughter and camaraderie even though they are struggling to get by.
The song describes a protagonist who is in a state of disillusionment as he watches the big boss man wield his power, not caring about the welfare of the workers. He recognizes that the company line is just a façade, and all is not fine, even though they are told it is. He sees those in power, living it up in the big house, while the workers are sweating over their tasks with little to show for it. The lyrics emphasize the idea of a rigged system that is not in favor of the worker, and the only thing holding them together is their unity and shared struggle.
Hornsby's song provides a somber commentary on the difficulties of life in a world where power and wealth are concentrated in a few hands, and the rest must pull themselves up by their bootstraps. However, the song also has a sense of humor to it, as the workers use laughter as a coping mechanism to deal with their daily struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa, I'm leaning on a rail
I'm standing with my arms crossed, looking at the vast land ahead, and deep in thought.
Letting my eyes roam over the plain
I'm observing the surroundings and taking everything in, from the wild flora and fauna to the fences and humans in the vicinity.
Whoa, I'm laughing on my break
On my break, I'm telling jokes with my co-workers to lighten the mood and create some relief from the stress of the work environment.
Feeling like a captive on a long chain
I feel trapped and powerless, forced to work under poor conditions with no clear way out.
Watch the people pick up sticks
Others working with me have to clean and organize their stations, and they look miserable doing so.
Big boss man cracks his whip
The boss is strict and domineering, micromanaging every move and demanding perfection from his employees.
It's serious but we laugh to keep from crying
The situation is grim, but we try to keep our spirits up by humor and laughter, as crying would be an indication of weakness.
Spouting out the company line
The boss is reciting the script given to him by upper management, emphasizing the supposed benefits and opportunities of the job while hiding its downsides.
Everything here's just fine
The boss wants to create an appearance of orderliness and efficiency, despite the truth being different.
He says he cares about me but he's lying
The boss is pretending to take an interest in my well-being, while his focus is on maintaining profits and preventing any disruption to the workflow.
And up, up in the big house
The upper management, sitting in their offices, detached from the actual work being done, have the real power.
King of the hill
The boss holds the power to make decisions and control the workplace.
Whoa, I'm watching the boss man
I'm observing the boss's behavior and actions, trying to gauge his intentions and moods.
Talking to his sister with the dirty hands
The boss is having a personal conversation with someone close to him, ignoring the unclean nature of the situation as it doesn't affect him personally.
They sit, cussing at the rules
The boss and his sister are frustrated with the constraints of the workplace and the limitations placed on their power.
Wishing they could lose me as fast as they can
The higher-ups want to get rid of me quickly, as they consider me an inconvenience and potential risk to their interests.
Got me in the roughest rig
My work station and conditions are in the worst possible state compared to others in the workplace.
He thinks I took his brother's gig
The boss believes that I might replace his brother or compete with him for the same job.
People say they've got the game rigged
Others working with me think the bosses are cheating and manipulating the workplace to their advantage.
His daddy gave him everything
The boss inherited his position thanks to his family connections and privilege.
A job and a house and his earring
The boss has all the trappings of wealth and power, including flashy accessories like his earring.
Why does he think that I'm so threatening?
The boss is paranoid and sees me as a threat to his authority or position.
And there, driving the big cat, king of the hill
The boss is using his powerful and expensive car as a symbol of his wealth, status, and authority.
I'm over in my space
I'm in my work area, which is limited and cramped compared to other areas of the workplace.
Swatting bugs, sweat stain rolling down my face
The work is physically demanding and uncomfortable, with bugs flying around and sweat pouring down my body as I exert myself.
I'm trying not to drink
I'm trying to avoid resorting to alcohol or other substances to relieve my stress, as I know it would only lead to a downward spiral.
Knowing I've got to roll out of this place
I'm aware that I need to get out of this job, as it's taking a toll on my health and well-being.
King of the hill with his nightstick
The boss is using his power and authority to wield a nightstick, which symbolizes his domination and control over the workers.
Caught up in accounting tricks
The bosses are using underhanded and unethical tactics to manipulate the numbers and maintain the appearance of profitability.
Throw a bone to the poor hicks
The workers at the bottom of the hierarchy are given scraps and meager benefits, just enough to placate them and prevent open rebellion.
Got some candy, take a lick
The bosses offer small and meaningless rewards to the workers, like candy, that are meant to distract them from their subpar living and working conditions.
Great white hope, shooting bricks
The bosses see themselves as the saviors of the workers, but in reality, they are incompetent and making things worse for everyone.
Time to let us all share the wealth
It's time for a redistribution of resources and benefits, to give everyone a fair and equal chance at a decent life.
Getting coffee for the big stick
I'm making coffee for the boss, an insignificant and subservient task that emphasizes his power and my lowly position.
Hand in his pants at the skin flick
The boss is engaging in lewd and vulgar behavior, using his power to indulge his most base desires without any consequences.
Leisure suit, but thinks he's slick
The boss is wearing flashy and tacky clothes, thinking that it makes him look good and impressive, despite the opposite being true.
Lots of poisons, take your pick
The workplace is full of toxins and hazardous materials, and the workers have to choose which one to expose themselves to.
Mama, mama, mama, come quick
The situation is dire and unsafe, and the workers are calling for their mothers to come and rescue them from the intolerable conditions.
Feeling like I'm getting sick
The air quality and sanitation in the workplace are so poor that I feel nauseous and sick to my stomach.
Have you noticed any nervous tics?
The stress and anxiety of the job are causing me to develop involuntary nervous tics, and I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed.
Think I'd better take care of myself
I realize that the bosses do not care about my well-being, and I need to prioritize my own health and safety above all else.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bruce Hornsby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind