“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.
Spider and Gioma
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
his legs were all long and lean
He was always in the fields working on his flying
so to impress her lady the Queen.
Once there was a Queen named Gioma
She was doted upon by all her worker bees
They guarded her from all her enemies
to keep the monarchy pleased
Spider and Gioma had a love that few others had ever seen
It was met with some disdain by those between our name
so a plan was hatched to see young spider gone
Then there came a time when I had to leave the old city
When a scout stand stowed all that they had seen.
For a new royal had been born
And they blamed Spider for the scorn
He brought this plight upon their majesty
Ohh Spider and Gioma don't you leave our hearts too soon
For what she did not know
how the scaffold down below left Spider cast out to the cold
When she woke in her new land
Something had happened to her man
She started searching high and low
And what have y'all to give if you need to kill to live
She knew there was only one place she could go
She left her new city never to see it again
She knew something about how?? queen could kill a queen
In her old city she knelt and her new queen asked her how her people felt
I will lay my people down
I lay my people down X8
The lyrics to Chadwick Stokes's song Spider and Gioma tell the story of a love affair between two bees named Spider and Gioma. Spider has long legs and works in the fields to impress the Queen, who is named Gioma. Gioma is doted upon by her worker bees who guard her and feed her honey to keep her happy. Their love is met with disdain and a plan is hatched to get rid of Spider, blaming him for some unknown scorn.
The song then shifts to the perspective of a new character who leaves the old city and learns that there is a new royal baby who blames Spider for something. Spider is cast out, and Gioma is left to search for him. She eventually realizes that there is only one place she can go, back to her old city, to find him. Upon returning, she knows that the Queen could kill her if she finds out what she knows about how to kill a Queen. But, Gioma is not afraid to confront the Queen and says she'll lay her people down, presumably to save Spider.
The song is a metaphorical commentary on societal structures and how those in power often seek to maintain their power at all costs, even if it means destroying those who threaten their authority. It also touches on the theme of love and loyalty, in that Gioma is willing to risk her life to find Spider and save him.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was a bee named Spider,
Introduces the story's main character, a bee named Spider.
his legs were all long and lean
Describes Spider's long, lean legs.
He was always in the fields working on his flying
Spider worked hard to improve his flying abilities.
so to impress her lady the Queen.
Spider worked hard to impress the Queen of the hive.
Once there was a Queen named Gioma
Introduces another character, the Queen of the hive named Gioma.
She was doted upon by all her worker bees
Gioma was adored by all of her worker bees.
They guarded her from all her enemies
The worker bees protected Gioma from any potential threats.
fed her honey,
The worker bees provided Gioma with food in the form of honey.
to keep the monarchy pleased
This act of service kept the monarchy content and satisfied.
Spider and Gioma had a love that few others had ever seen
Spider and Gioma's love was special and unique.
It was met with some disdain by those between our name
Some within the hive disapproved of Spider and Gioma's relationship.
so a plan was hatched to see young spider gone
Some within the hive created a plan to get rid of Spider.
Then there came a time when I had to leave the old city
The singer left the old hive behind at a certain point in time.
When a scout stand stowed all that they had seen.
A scout observed and reported what they had seen in the hive.
For a new royal had been born
A new queen had been born and was set to take the throne.
And they blamed Spider for the scorn
The hive blamed Spider for their misfortune.
He brought this plight upon their majesty
Spider was responsible for the Queen's displeasure and suffering.
Ohh Spider and Gioma don't you leave our hearts too soon
A plea for Spider and Gioma to stay in the hearts of those who loved them.
For what she did not know
Gioma was unaware of what had happened to Spider.
how the scaffold down below left Spider cast out to the cold
Spider was punished and cast out, left to suffer in the cold.
When she woke in her new land
Gioma arrived in a new place after leaving the old hive behind.
Something had happened to her man
Something had happened to her beloved Spider.
She started searching high and low
Gioma searched tirelessly for Spider.
And what have y'all to give if you need to kill to live
Gioma questioned the value of taking a life in order to survive.
She knew there was only one place she could go
Gioma knew where she needed to go to seek answers about Spider's fate.
She left her new city never to see it again
Gioma quickly left the new city behind, never to return.
She knew something about how?? queen could kill a queen
Gioma had knowledge about how one queen bee could kill another.
In her old city she knelt and her new queen asked her how her people felt
Gioma returned to the old hive and the new queen asked for her assessment of the hive.
I will lay my people down
The new queen expressed her willingness to sacrifice her people for the hive's survival.
I lay my people down X8
The repetition of this line emphasizes the queen's determination to save the hive at any cost.
Contributed by Chloe B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matthew Rogers
it flows from i love your army to spider and gioma so fantastically. cant get enough of the build up. marvelous job on the solo album chad.
nrubey
This song is beautiful...I just wish I could find lyrics for it
Steve Schultz
i love this song Chad. great to see you in SF Amigo!
Eric Louthain
How does this not have more views? Seriously...
littlelion426
They are in the description. And yeah this song is amazing.
Çılgın Mühendis
what does it mean to lay people down?
Isabella Dimond
Prisoner Of Paradise like they pass away