“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.
Coffee And Wine
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Back from his minesweeping days
You never could tell just what he could and could not hear
And he intended to keep it that way
He joined the Navy just like his Daddy done
When he was of the rightful age
He took off right quick like many a kid did
And now it's coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Any time's a good time so go unlock your daughters
With his motorcycle friends, they're going off again
From the Black Sea all the way to Britain
All the way to Britain
She was a dame of New Jersey fame,
Lived her life like it was a bourre game
And if there were sides being taken
You better believe you wanna be on the side she was on
She went to the city for secretary school
Ended up working for the CIA
She had a short hand that didn't suffer no fools
She intended to keep it that way
And she drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Any old time she could any horse she wanted
And if you gonna ride then you ride it like you stole it from a steeple chase
She drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Boys tried to give chase but no one ever caught her
Till she found her love, and Sheila didn't let Tommy sleep for days
Their first meeting was hardly a word
But he built her a harpsichord
And he found her unconscious just inside the door
And carried her to help
Now every now and again
She pretends to faint on the harpsichord bench
And he picks her up again and carries her up to their bed
And they drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Any time's a good time cause now they have a daughter
And she rides so fast, they said they gonna name her Farley
They drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Don't ask what kind, it's just the kind our parents brought us
From the Black Sea shore and the girl next door who could ride
They drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Any times's a good time cause now they have a daughter
And she rides so fast, they said they gonna name her Farley
They drink coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Don't ask what kind, it's just the kind our parents brought us
From the Black Sea shore and the girl next door who could ride
The song "Coffee and Wine" by Chadwick Stokes tells the story of two individuals, Tommy and Sheila, who have led interesting lives and found love with one another. The song also touches on the idea that time is fleeting and it's important to enjoy life in the present moment. The lyrics begin by describing Tommy, who had one deaf ear because of his past as a minesweeper. Despite this, he was proud of what he could and couldn't hear and kept it that way. Tommy joined the Navy just like his father did and left home when his parents turned to alcohol. The lyrics suggest that Tommy now enjoys life to the fullest and drinks coffee like it's fine wine, and wine like it's water.
Sheila, the other protagonist in the song, was a "dame of New Jersey fame" who lived life like it was a game. She ended up working for the CIA, using her impressive shorthand skills which didn't suffer fools. Sheila, too, is described as living life to the fullest, drinking coffee like it's fine wine and wine like it's water.
The two meet, fall in love and have a daughter whom they name Farley. The final verse suggests that Farley is following in her parent's footsteps by living life to the fullest and enjoying coffee and wine like it's the best thing in the world. Overall, the song's message is about embracing life and enjoying the little things that make it worthwhile.
Line by Line Meaning
Tommy, you know, he had one deaf ear
Tommy had lost his hearing in his ear during his minesweeping days
Back from his minesweeping days
Tommy had returned from his dangerous job as a minesweeper
You never could tell just what he could and could not hear
It was hard to know what Tommy could hear due to his hearing loss
And he intended to keep it that way
Tommy preferred to keep his hearing loss to himself
He joined the Navy just like his Daddy done
Tommy followed his father's footsteps and joined the Navy
When he was of the rightful age
Tommy joined the Navy when he reached the appropriate age
He took off right quick like many a kid did
Tommy quickly left for the Navy like many other young people do
When he parents took hard to the drink
Tommy's parents struggled with alcoholism
And now it's coffee like it's fine wine, wine like it's water
Tommy enjoys coffee as much as fine wine and drinks wine like it's water
Any time's a good time so go unlock your daughters
Tommy is carefree and always up for a good time with his friends
With his motorcycle friends, they're going off again
Tommy goes on motorcycle road trips with his friends
From the Black Sea all the way to Britain
Tommy's motorcycle trips go from the Black Sea to Britain
She was a dame of New Jersey fame,
The woman was well-known in New Jersey
Lived her life like it was a bourre game
She lived her life like a French card game called Bourré
And if there were sides being taken
If there was a conflict, she knew which side to take
You better believe you wanna be on the side she was on
She was so influential that everyone wanted to be on her side
She went to the city for secretary school
The woman went to the city to study to become a secretary
Ended up working for the CIA
She eventually ended up working for the CIA
She had a short hand that didn't suffer no fools
She was skilled in shorthand and did not tolerate foolishness
She intended to keep it that way
She wanted to maintain her reputation and skills
Boys tried to give chase but no one ever caught her
Even though men were interested in her, she never let anyone catch her heart
Till she found her love, and Sheila didn't let Tommy sleep for days
Sheila, the woman the CIA worker fell in love with, kept Tommy (her lover) up for several days
Their first meeting was hardly a word
Sheila and Tommy's first encounter was not a conversation-filled one
But he built her a harpsichord
Tommy built Sheila a harpsichord as a gift of love
And he found her unconscious just inside the door
One day, Tommy found Sheila unconscious near their front door
And carried her to help
Tommy quickly carried Sheila to get help
Now every now and again
From time to time
She pretends to faint on the harpsichord bench
Sheila pretends to faint on the harpsichord bench as a way to have Tommy pick her up again
And he picks her up again and carries her up to their bed
Tommy willingly picks up Sheila and carries her to their bed
And she rides so fast, they said they gonna name her Farley
Their daughter, who rides fast, is named Farley
Don't ask what kind, it's just the kind our parents brought us
Tommy and Sheila's parents gave them coffee and wine, respectively, and they do not know the specific types
Writer(s): chadwick stokes
Contributed by Kennedy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SomethingBlue1342
On my radio station, they play this every day at exactly the same time, which is also right when I'm driving to school with my dad. We both sing this at the top of our lungs and get weird looks from people, but it's fun!
@tobiaslutz4993
which radio station is it ???????
@draywhite1655
2023 ❤
@johnnyamo83
That cat Chad don't miss. Ever!
@katperry7267
I'm a Chadwick and grew up listening to my Dads brothers all playing instruments as a kid...where do thee hail from are you truly a Chadwick
@theinflatablecouch
WOW! What a song! Deffo my new summer song.
@tgonella
Awesome song. Add it to the Chad best of: Calling All Crows, Elias, Out Loud, Right Me Up
@iSkiCliffs
This live... sweet childd<333
@didgNdrums
Damn...
@daleisfat
this is such an awesome song.