“I had ridden the trains a little bit in the past for a day or two but I had never done it for weeks at a time,” Stokes says. “I discovered an America that I knew was out there but had limited experience with. There's all kinds of people out on the rails: people simply trying to get from point A to B, people running from whatever they left behind, people with nowhere else to go. You get to see a part of America that only the trains go through -- remote stretches without any sign of mankind." It was out on these long isolated stretches and in the inner city train yards that Stokes found the inspiration for his solo debut, titled SIMMERKANE II.
At a time when the term Indie-rock refers more to a guitar sound than doing anything truly independent, Stokes is an artist who has genuinely lived the credo. Unassisted by a major label, his band Dispatch arose from the college circuit to become an international musical phenomenon. With only a celebrated live show and a series of self-released albums the band was not only able to sell out Madison Square Garden several times but attract 110,000+ fans to a Boston concert.
While riding the rails, Stokes made a designated stop so his band, State Radio, could play an anti-war concert at the Denver Coliseum with Rage Against The Machine. It is a DIY social consciousness that Stokes came to early in life - growing up as a pacifist, working in Zimbabwe after high school and eventually co-founding the Elias Fund, the Dispatch Foundation, and now Calling All Crows. In 2008, Stokes was honored as Humanitarian of the Year at the Boston Music Awards.
Simmerkane II, a proper follow-up to the State Radio EP (Simmerkane I), is a marked evolution in the musician-songwriter’s creative journey. Produced by John Dragonetti (of The Submarines), the album features background vocals from Carly Simon, Matt Embree (Rx Bandits), The White Buffalo, Blake Hazard (The Submarines), and Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars. The sound is an engaging mix of Americana, country, folk and rock in the service of some undeniably evocative lyrics. The songs tell a loose narrative of travel, love and loss, like some re-imagined rock-n-roll odyssey.
The journey begins with “Adelaide,” a fuzzed-out melodic folk rocker containing the prophetic line, “We left Worcester with our boots and our bags - and America undressed herself in front of our eyes.” Next, listeners venture into the “Crowbar Hotel” to discover an underground world populated by hard luck outsiders: “We are sold to the highest bidder, we are down to our very last crumb - May we invite ourselves to dinner, ‘cause we might just have to make a run.” The song “Back To The Races,” has Stokes reflecting on past mistakes and longing for the childhood farm while still seduced by the excitement of the journey and a new love. The symphonic rock-n-roll charges ahead before dropping down for the intimate lyrical refrain “Back to the races - and on with the day.”
The two-disc deluxe package includes three bonus tracks with Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, a musical ensemble of refugees from Sierra Leone’s 1991 civil war. Stokes, who did humanitarian work in Zimbabwe as a youth, has been a longtime fan of the All Stars. The tracks include a lilting African-tinged folk song called “Coffee And Wine,” a reflective reggae track titled, “All My Possessions (Ode To Troy)” and “Don’t Have You” – a heartfelt ballad that eventually erupts in celebration with the All Stars’ backing vocals and percussions carrying the weight of their troubled history and eventual transcendence. “It was such an honor to work with the All Stars,” Stokes explains. “The songs we did were kind of folk songs and one reggae song, so they were a bit out of their element trying to adapt to the folky farm kid and his songs. But you can hear their history in their singing and playing and it adds this amazing power to the songs.”
Simmerkane II is an ambitious album about discovery, loss and moving on. What begun as a journey across an unseen America becomes a moving musical tribute to the resilience of the human heart. “The album was initially inspired by the freight train trip with my brother and that vast underworld that exists out there,” Stokes explains. “But then it’s also about growing up on the farm and losing loved ones; a young man learning about life.” In his spare time, Stokes can still be found hopping trains with his beloved travel companion, Lefty.
Back to the Races
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then I wouldn't have to lie
But it's gonna be okay
I met more honest men inside
But I never met a cop
Who didn't like his jackets straight
Never met a jailer who wasn't on the take
Yeah, but I'd rather be a bum than a bitch
I'd rather get a meal than a kiss but I
I wouldn't mind both
You're just a belly rubber with the right last name
Boarding house boss you better lower that cane
And when it all falls out we'll be halfway to the horn
Thank the gandy dancers for a path well worn
Yeah, but I'd rather be a bum than a bitch
I'd rather pull the pin than the switch
I'd rather be a coke than a kid but I
I wouldn't mind both
We are sold to the highest bidder
We are down to our very last crumb
May we invite ourselves to dinner
'Cause we might just have to make a run
Dreaming of their wives and dreaming of their soap
I traded all the coin for the faro and the dope
Looking for high heels in the crowbar hotel
Just an Angelina and a n'er do well
Yeah, but I'd rather be a bum than a bitch
I'd rather catch a dog than a switch
I'd rather get a meal than a kiss but
I wouldn't mind both
We are sold to the highest bidder
We are down to our very last crumb
May we invite ourselves to dinner
'Cause we might just have to make a run
We are sold to the highest bidder
We are down to our very last crumb
May we invite ourselves to dinner
'Cause we might just have to make a run
We are sold to the highest bidder
We are down to our very last crumb
May we invite ourselves to dinner
And then we're down and on the run
Yeah, down and on the run
The lyrics of "Back to the Races" by Chadwick Stokes are complex and intricate, providing a commentary on society, honesty, and survival. The opening lines, "I wish I could not say, Then I wouldn't have to lie" suggest a discomfort with the necessity of dishonesty. The singer implies that in a world where honesty is scarce, it is challenging to resist the temptation to deceive. The next lines, "But it's gonna be okay, I met more honest men inside" suggest that the singer is familiar with a world of deceit and understands that even in the midst of corrupt environments, there exist honest people.
The lines that follow, "But I never met a cop Who didn't like his jackets straight Never met a jailer who wasn't on the take" suggest the singer's lack of trust in law enforcement. They imply that many officers are corrupt and are more concerned with maintaining a facade than doing their job. The next few lines portray a preference for homelessness over engaging in immoral activities, "Yeah, but I'd rather be a bum than a bitch I'd rather catch a dog than a switch I'd rather get a meal than a kiss but I, I wouldn't mind both." Here the singer is expressing a belief that sometimes it is better to have nothing and maintain your morals than to compromise your values for mere survival.
The chorus repeats the idea that we are sold to the highest bidder and are down to our last crumb, suggesting that society is corrupt and that ordinary people are at the mercy of those in power. The singer's struggle for honesty and integrity is reflected throughout the song, portraying a harsh reality where survival requires compromise and where the impact of corruption is pervasive.
Line by Line Meaning
I wish I could not say
I would rather avoid telling the truth
Then I wouldn't have to lie
Otherwise, I have to lie to hide the truth
But it's gonna be okay
Despite the situation being tough, things will work out well in the end
I met more honest men inside
I found more truthful people in unexpected places
But I never met a cop
However, I've never encountered a police officer
Who didn't like his jackets straight
Who wouldn't want their clothes to be neat and tidy
Never met a jailer who wasn't on the take
I've never come across a prison guard who wasn't corrupt
Yeah, but I'd rather be a bum than a bitch
I prefer being a poor person than a cowardly one
I'd rather catch a dog than a switch
I'd rather capture a canine than be punished harshly
I'd rather get a meal than a kiss but I
Receiving food is more important than receiving love, but ideally, I would like both
I wouldn't mind both
Getting both a kiss and a meal would be great
You're just a belly rubber with the right last name
You're a lucky person who receives certain privileges because of your family name
Boarding house boss you better lower that cane
You, the person in charge of the boarding house, should be less harsh with your punishment
And when it all falls out we'll be halfway to the horn
When everything goes wrong, we'll be close to being in serious trouble
Thank the gandy dancers for a path well worn
Thank the railroad workers for paving the way
We are sold to the highest bidder
We have no control and are at the mercy of whoever is willing to pay the most
We are down to our very last crumb
We have nothing left and are almost starving
May we invite ourselves to dinner
We need to beg for food just to survive
'Cause we might just have to make a run
We might have to flee at any moment
Dreaming of their wives and dreaming of their soap
People are longing for the comforts of home
I traded all the coin for the faro and the dope
I foolishly traded all my money for gambling and drugs
Looking for high heels in the crowbar hotel
Searching for luxury in a place where it doesn't exist
Just an Angelina and a n'er do well
The only companions I have are a woman named Angelina and a person who's no good
And then we're down and on the run
We're in a bad situation and need to escape quickly
Contributed by Madelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Larry Hoover
This guy is magical. I want to meet him so bad!
Sean Smith
Such an epic song. Chad and State radio are my favorite by far.
WalkingCat
This should a more popular song
HedwigFan2214
ahhhhhhhh love this
WillBrink
A+ tune.
Skakid789
0 dislikes? I like that
Swahili Monster
@StoNes845 That's my boat as well. Chad is too much awesome.
Michael Galvin
@liftthebear mhmm met him in Atlanta. such a good guy