“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.
Chaska
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stood in the cold next to my mother and 38 men blindfold
As the natives took their place singing their death song
The prison chaplain called their names, but he got one of the names wrong
Now I've been, fighting, with this notion that the world does a good man well
I seen all around me, a man do hateful things and he's still walking around y'see, while the good one's gone
Some say there was no mistake, some say they wanted that man to be hung
For falling in love with a white woman and caring for her infant son
When he was first captured, she cried don't take him, you don't know
If not for him, my bones would be bleaching on the prairie, my children with little crow
Now I've been fighting with this notion that the world does a good man well
I seen all around me, a man do hateful things and he still walking around y'see, while the good one's gone
The moment came and the ropes all placed and the drums they quieted the crowd
The men wailed and danced on the trap door gallows and yelled eachother's names so loud
And when they heard their name they yell I'm here, I'm here, and they yell out their fellowman's name for the heavens to hear
And the clergyman spoke on, about christ and how he died
And the ax was lifted high
I've been fighting with this notion that the world does a good man well
I seen all around me, a man do hateful things and he's still walking around y'see, while the good ones gone
The lyrics of Chadwick Stokes's song "Chaska" tell a story of a tragic event that happened many years ago in the back of the heart of Blue Earth County. The singer sets the scene of his memory where he was with his mother and 38 blindfolded men, standing in the cold. The natives then took their place, singing their death song. The prison chaplain called their names but got one of the names wrong. The mistake in calling the name emphasizes the inhumane nature of the event. The singer has been fighting with the notion that the world does a good man well as he has seen people who do hateful things still walking around while the good ones are gone.
The tragic event narrated in the song revolves around the hanging of a man who had fallen in love with a white woman and cared for her infant son. The lyrics introduce the idea that the hanging of the man was due to the fact that he was in love with a white woman, which was not acceptable at that time. The woman cried and begged for them not to take him because of what he had done for her and her children. The men who were hung were wailing and dancing on the trapdoor gallows and yelling each other’s names so loudly for the heavens to hear.
In summary, the song “Chaska” tells the story of the hanging of 38 men due to racial prejudice in the past. It portrays the true tragedy of the situation and the pain felt by those who unjustly lost their lives. The singer, through his musings, questions the morality of man and the injustice of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
In the back of the heart of blue earth county, many many years ago
Chadwick Stokes is setting the scene for the tragic event he is about to describe
I stood in the cold next to my mother and 38 men blindfold
Chadwick Stokes was present at the execution of 38 Dakota men, with his mother standing next to him
As the natives took their place singing their death song
The Dakota men sang a death song as they prepared to be hanged
The prison chaplain called their names, but he got one of the names wrong
The chaplain who was reading out the names of the men to be executed made a mistake with one of the names
Now I've been, fighting, with this notion that the world does a good man well
Chadwick Stokes struggles with the idea that good people are treated well by the world
I seen all around me, a man do hateful things and he's still walking around y'see, while the good one's gone
Chadwick Stokes has observed that bad people seem to go unpunished, while good people suffer
Some say there was no mistake, some say they wanted that man to be hung
There is dispute over whether the man whose name was misread was executed intentionally or by mistake
For falling in love with a white woman and caring for her infant son
The man who may have been intentionally executed was accused of loving a white woman and taking care of her child
When he was first captured, she cried don't take him, you don't know
The white woman who the man loved pleaded with the authorities not to take him
If not for him, my bones would be bleaching on the prairie, my children with little crow
The white woman believes that the man saved her and her children's lives
The moment came and the ropes all placed and the drums they quieted the crowd
The execution was about to take place, and there was a moment of silence as the ropes were put in place
The men wailed and danced on the trap door gallows and yelled eachother's names so loud
The Dakota men yelled out their names and the names of their fellowmen in defiance and solidarity
And when they heard their name they yell I'm here, I'm here, and they yell out their fellowman's name for the heavens to hear
The Dakota men shouted out their own name and their comrades' names to let the world know that they were not forgotten
And the clergyman spoke on, about christ and how he died
The clergyman gave a sermon about the sacrifice of Jesus
And the ax was lifted high
The trap door was opened, and the Dakota men were hanged
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Chad Stokes Urmston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steven Oxley
Chadwick Stokes continues to impress me with his ability to pull me in with his storytelling.
Best songwriter out there in my humble opinion. He can put so much passion into such a simple story time and time again. He makes me care more for the people who are alive and a deep respect for those who've we lost too soon.Take a few minutes to sit back and let him tell you a story.
Chad Cadran
No doubt!
Nick DeStefano
Chad continues to deliver!! What a journey it has been...I first heard "The General" in my senior year of high school. Now I am 36 years old. I've gotten to see you at MSG, The Hatch Shell, Stone Pony, Levon Helms, and small venues all over the Northeast. From Dispatch to State Radio to all of the amazing solo work and collaborations...you are my favorite artist!
J L
Im 32, from NJ and have been to all the Pintos, State Radio and Dispatch shows as you <3
Nope
Chadwick I absolutely love your music. Timeless brother. Absolutely timeless. Thanks for everything you do.
Trevor O'Keefe
Thanks for putting this on YouTube. Thanks for making incredible music and sharing it with the world.
Trevor O'Keefe
The Helpful Consumers I ended up getting tickets yesterday
The Helpful Consumers
Tickets go on sale Friday!!!!
Ian Kenney
OMG It doesn't get any better than new music from the one and only. Cannot wait to hear the whole album! Will most definitely be seeing you in NH!
Professor Swaggamuffin🔉🔥
I dont have the words to convey what your music has meant to me. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏