“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.
Indian Moon
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Outstretched arm and hand upturned
Never knowing When the shakes steady
And 'till now we have Seldom Seen
And I will go if you go with me
Understand I will wait for thee
I'll try to catch up if you move Quickly
If the rain does blow
And oh sir
If you ever lose your way
You can call upon this family
You can call upon this day
And oh maim
If you ever lose your way
You can call up on this family
You can call upon this day
'Cause you're my present my future
My lesson my teacher
Oh, My world is silent
You're my guard you're my guide
In my life I confide
To shelter your ever want
And my words are forever my blanket my shiver
Whatever you give I'll never paint
You're my my refrain
The verses of my first pain
Let the voices come barreling back
'Cause I can stand to stay right where I am
Let the water fill this hand
Bring it to your mouth
And pass beyond your lips
No gale can down this ship
And I'll stand on your shoulders
To watch us grow older
I can see us far along the road
As the trail grows deeper
your my giver my keeper
Laughter for years untold
'Cause I can stand to stay right where I am
Let the water fill this hand
Bring it to your mouth
And pass beyond your lips
No gale can down this ship
And wherever you go there you are
And if I go I will not go far
Wherever You Go
There you are
And if I go I will not go far
And oh sir
If you ever lose your way
You can call upon this family
You can call upon this day
The lyrics to Chadwick Stokes's song, Indian Moon, speaks to the importance of community and support in times of uncertainty and fear. Stokes begins the song with the line "On This Earth Not Alone We Stand," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The outstretched arm and hand upturned is a symbol of vulnerability and seeking help, but also hope, as it represents reaching out to the world and the people in it for support. The mention of "never knowing when the shakes steady" refers to the unpredictability of life and the moments when things come crashing down unexpectedly. Despite this uncertainty, the chorus reassures the listener that they are not alone and can rely on their community for help and strength.
The lyrics progress to reflect the depth of the relationship between the singer and the person they are addressing. They state that the other person is their "present, future, lesson, teacher, guard, and guide," and they confide in them completely, making them immortal through their words. The stanza "you're my refrain, the verses of my pain" suggests that the person being addressed brings comfort and security to the difficult moments in life. Together, they stand and face whatever comes their way. The song ends with the repeated notion that wherever the two go, they will always have each other and their community to rely on.
Overall, "Indian Moon" is a song about finding strength in community and relying on each other during times of difficulty. The singer addresses someone they have deep trust in and expresses the importance of sticking together in the face of uncertainty. The song provides a powerful message of hope and love for one another.
Line by Line Meaning
On This Earth Not Alone We Stand
We stand together on this Earth, never alone.
Outstretched arm and hand upturned
Our arms are outstretched and our hands upturned in a gesture of openness and welcome.
Never knowing When the shakes steady
We never know when we'll be faced with challenges, but we stand strong and steady through them.
And 'till now we have Seldom Seen
Until now, we've rarely seen the kind of unity and support that we're experiencing.
And I will go if you go with me
I will only move forward if you're by my side.
Understand I will wait for thee
I understand that sometimes you need time, and I'll wait patiently for you to catch up.
I'll try to catch up if you move Quickly
If you move fast, I'll do my best to keep up with you.
If the rain does blow
Even if we face obstacles and challenges, we'll stand strong together.
And oh sir
Addressing a male listener with respect.
If you ever lose your way
If you ever feel lost or uncertain about your path.
You can call upon this family
You can turn to us, your community, for support and guidance.
You can call upon this day
You can seek help from us at any time, including right now.
And oh maim
Addressing a female listener with respect.
You can call up on this family
You can depend on us to be there for you when you need us.
Cause you're my present my future
You are both my present and my future, the person I share my life with.
My lesson my teacher
You teach me valuable lessons every day, and I learn from you.
Oh, My world is silent
Without you, my world would be empty and silent.
You're my guard you're my guide
You protect and guide me through life.
In my life I confide
I trust you with my life and confide in you with my deepest thoughts and fears.
To shelter your ever want
I'll be there to provide comfort, care, and support for your every need.
And my words are forever my blanket my shiver
My words will always be there for you, providing comfort and warmth like a blanket, and helping you through any tough times like a shiver or tremble.
Whatever you give I'll never paint
I'll never pretend to be someone I'm not, and I'll always be true to myself and our relationship.
You're my my refrain
You're the constant in my life, the steady refrain that brings me comfort and joy.
The verses of my first pain
You were there during my first moments of pain, and you have become a source of healing and comfort for me.
Let the voices come barreling back
Let the memories and emotions come flooding back, as we continue to grow and evolve together.
And I'll stand on your shoulders
I'll use your strength and support as a foundation for my own growth and development.
To watch us grow older
I look forward to growing old with you, and continuing to build a life and a relationship together.
I can see us far along the road
I can picture us years down the line, still together and happy.
As the trail grows deeper
The journey may get more difficult as we go on, but we'll face it together.
your my giver my keeper
You give me so much, and you help me to keep going even when things get tough.
Laughter for years untold
We'll share countless moments of laughter and joy in the years to come.
And wherever you go there you are
No matter where life takes you, you'll always be yourself and remain true to who you are.
And if I go I will not go far
If I have to go somewhere else, I won't be gone for long, and I'll always find my way back to you.
Contributed by Katherine P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.