“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.
Mother Maple
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was just pushing down the pavement
I was turning into stone
And you run, and you run, and you run, and you run got to pick up your knees
As long as she don't kill us we'll be stronger in the end
And every boy out there on Bogle Street is dying to get in
And you run, and you run, and you run, and you run got to pick up your knees
And you run, and you run, and you run, and you run got to pick up your knees
And the old red door was always open to the angels and the devils
And nobody was young when they heard her mouth when she told us everything we never knew
It was the song of the grande madame
Mother Maple I drink from your syrup
And I am thankful for the blood that you bleed
We're in the sugar shack making our porridge
And you have given us more than we need
And I see more and more how you suffer, and not for nothing
But you can't often get the air that you need
When your roots leave the earth I will stay and get my honey from the trees
Laughter in the cottage house, could last for hours long
When we heard the last gasp we all gave up our mother's song
And you run, and you run, and you run, and you run, and you run
Mother Maple I drink from your syrup
And I am thankful for the blood that you bleed
We're in the sugar shack making our porridge
And you have given us more than we need
And I see more and more how you suffer, and not for nothing
But you can't often get the air that you need
When your roots leave the earth I will stay and get my honey from the trees
In Chadwick Stokes’s song “Mother Maple,” the lyrics tell a story of a person’s journey through life and reflect on the influence of a maternal figure. The opening lines convey a sense of longing for a place to call home, as the person feels like they are “tumbling back home” but also turning into “stone,” perhaps feeling stuck in life. The repetition of “and you run, and you run, and you run, and you run got to pick up your knees” suggests a need for perseverance and determination.
The song’s title references Mother Maple, who seems to be a symbol of maternal guidance and nurturing. The lyrics describe a place where Mother Maple “gave me room to amble, with brier and bramble,” where the door was always “open to the angels and the devils.” The phrase “nobody was young when they heard her mouth when she told us everything we never knew” suggests that Mother Maple is a wise and knowledgeable figure, who everyone turns to for guidance.
As the song progresses, the lyrics shift to focus on the singer’s gratitude for Mother Maple. The lines “Mother Maple I drink from your syrup / And I am thankful for the blood that you bleed / We're in the sugar shack making our porridge / And you have given us more than we need” convey a sense of appreciation for the gifts and opportunities provided by Mother Maple. The lyrics also touch on the struggles and hardships that Mother Maple faces, with lines like “And I see more and more how you suffer, and not for nothing / But you can't often get the air that you need” suggesting that despite her strength and resilience, Mother Maple also faces challenges. The final lines, “When your roots leave the earth I will stay and get my honey from the trees,” suggest a commitment to staying connected to Mother Maple’s legacy even as she passes on.
Line by Line Meaning
Long before I knew you I was tumbling back home
Before I met you, I was aimlessly wandering, trying to find my way back home.
I was just pushing down the pavement
I was putting in effort, but not seeing any progress.
I was turning into stone
I was becoming emotionally numb and static.
And you run, and you run, and you run, and you run got to pick up your knees
The journey of life is long and hard, so you must keep moving forward and pick up your feet to not get bogged down.
As long as she don't kill us we'll be stronger in the end
Despite the challenges and hardships we face, if we persevere and survive, we will come out stronger in the end.
And every boy out there on Bogle Street is dying to get in
Everyone desires to be a part of something greater, to belong.
She gave me room to amble, with brier and bramble
Mother Maple allowed me the freedom to explore, even through difficult and thorny situations.
And the old red door was always open to the angels and the devils
Mother Maple welcomed everyone, regardless of their nature.
And nobody was young when they heard her mouth when she told us everything we never knew
Mother Maple taught us important lessons that we would never have learned otherwise, regardless of our age.
It was the song of the grande madame
Mother Maple's teachings were like the wise and beautiful song of the grande madame.
Mother Maple I drink from your syrup
I draw strength and nourishment from your teachings, Mother Maple.
And I am thankful for the blood that you bleed
I am grateful for the sacrifices you made, even if it was painful.
We're in the sugar shack making our porridge
We are working hard to make something out of your teachings, Mother Maple.
And you have given us more than we need
Your teachings have enriched our lives beyond our basic needs, Mother Maple.
And I see more and more how you suffer, and not for nothing
I am beginning to understand the pain and struggles you have gone through, and it is not for nothing.
But you can't often get the air that you need
Sometimes it is hard to breathe and find peace in life.
When your roots leave the earth I will stay and get my honey from the trees
Even after you are gone, Mother Maple, I will continue to find inspiration and sweetness from your teachings.
Laughter in the cottage house, could last for hours long
The joy and happiness that your teachings brought us lasted for hours on end, Mother Maple.
When we heard the last gasp we all gave up our mother's song
When we realized that you were gone, we all mourned and stopped singing your song, Mother Maple.
Contributed by Logan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rachel Simonsen
Speechless....!
Uli Nowski
weird! I like it!
Aime'Riquet
Amazing clip vidoe full of sense
Riley Ferguson
First very good can't wait till ur in mi again