According to Songfacts, Buffalo Tom's name is derived from the band Buffalo Springfield and the first name of the drummer Tom Maginnis. The band epitomized the rise of indie guitar rock in the 1990s, but unfortunately they had only limited commercial success, despite the consistently high quality of their records.
While Buffalo Tom never 'officially' broke up, they took a seven year break, starting around 1999/2000. During that time while singer/guitarist Bill Janovitz and singer/bassist Chris Colbourn worked on solo material and other projects (Bill with his band, The Crown Victoria, Chris with former Fuzzy singer/guitarist Hilken Mancini). Drummer Tom Maginnis took up a day job in publishing.
In 2007 the trio began playing again and released an album of new material, Three Easy Pieces.
As of 2018 they are again active, touring behind their album released 3/2/2018, "Quiet and Peace."
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Larry
Buffalo Tom Lyrics
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Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
I shut my eyes all the world drops dead
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
When I sleep is when you rise
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
My heart and soul are in your hands
Now's the time friend of mine
With a passage to
A passage from
Your daily missal
We taught that
Cat to crawl
Now's the time friend of mine
And now's the time friend of mine
The lyrics of Buffalo Tom's song 'Larry' are cryptic and difficult to decipher at first glance. The first line 'When I sleep is when you rise' sets the tone for the rest of the song. It suggests that there are two people in the narrative who occupy different worlds, and their lives mirror each other from afar. The next line 'Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes' suggests that the other person is starting their day with a fresh perspective while the singer is still in a state of slumber.
The next verse, 'I shut my eyes all the world drops dead', suggests that the singer is in a state of isolation, detached from the world around him. But in the next line, he addresses his friend, 'Now's the time friend of mine', indicating that he wants to connect with someone who can see the world from a different perspective. The line 'with a passage to, a passage from, your daily missal' suggests that the friend has some kind of spiritual or religious guidance to offer the singer.
The next line 'We taught that cat to crawl' is unclear but could be interpreted as an achievement from their past that they both share. It could also be a metaphorical reference to helping someone who felt stuck, to get moving again. Overall, the song 'Larry' is a meditation on the nature of friendship, isolation, and the search for meaning in everyday life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I sleep is when you rise
I am asleep when you get up
Get out of bed wipe the sleep from your eyes
Leave the bed and rub your eyes to wake up
I shut my eyes all the world drops dead
Everything disappears from my vision when I close my eyes
Now's the time friend of mine
This is the right moment, my dear friend
With a passage to
With a route or way to
A passage from
A path leading away from
Your daily missal
Your everyday prayers or religious book
We taught that cat to crawl
We helped that person to learn basic skills or tasks
My heart and soul are in your hands
You have full control over my emotions and being
And now's the time friend of mine
This is still the perfect moment, my dear friend
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BILL JANOVITZ, CHRIS COLBOURN, TOM MAGINNIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind