“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.
The Waitress
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ask her why she falls
Surely it will happen again
And the pay phone is swinging against the wall
Don't ask her 'bout the call
She's just trying to forget
And the manager is yelling
Something about her hair being in her face
Customer complainin'
But he really had no case
Counter queens looked up from their magazines
But she goes and stares straight ahead
Today with the door opens
The rain slants in
There's water all over the floor
Busser waves to the
Meter maid
Who don't wave back no more
Heyoh, heyoh...
And the waitress
Has her back up against the wall
You can see her chest rise and fall
Surely she'll come again
And the pay phone is
Swinging 'gainst the wall
Don't ask her about the call
She's only trying to forget
But today with the door wide opens
The rain slants in
There's water all over the floor
Busser waves to the
Meter maid
Who don't wave back no more
Today with the door opens
The rain slants in
There's water all over the floor
Busser waves to the
Meter maid
Don't wave back no more
Heyoh, heyoh...
Chadwick Stokes’s song, “The Waitress,” is a melodious tribute to an everyday hero who puts on a brave face and keeps going, no matter what life throws her way. The song paints a poignant picture of a waitress who seems to be going through a rough patch in her life. She is perhaps overwhelmed or burnt out, and this is portrayed in the line, “And the waitress is sliding down the wall/ Don’t ask her why she falls/ Surely, it will happen again.”
As the song unfolds, it becomes clear that the waitress is facing a barrage of problems - a manager shouting at her, customers complaining, and the messy aftermath of a rainstorm. Despite all this, the waitress tries to put on a brave face, staring straight ahead and trying to forget. Perhaps, her strength lies in the fact that even though she may feel like falling apart, she knows that she has to keep going, and so she will surely come again.
In many ways, “The Waitress,” is a tribute to the everyday heroes who keep the world going round. It reminds us to appreciate the efforts of those who may be struggling with life's challenges, and yet refuse to give up. Through this song, Chadwick Stokes underscores the idea that every person we meet is fighting a battle, and we should strive to be kind and compassionate to everyone.
Line by Line Meaning
And the waitress is sliding down the wall
The waitress is feeling overwhelmed, possibly struggling with personal problems, and is letting herself collapse onto the floor
Don't ask her why she falls
It's unclear why she's falling, but it's likely due to her emotional state or exhaustion
Surely it will happen again
This isn't an isolated incident and it's likely that she will continue to struggle in this way
And the pay phone is swinging against the wall
The pay phone is idle and being moved by the wind without purpose
Don't ask her 'bout the call
The call is likely a painful memory or reminder of something she wants to forget
She's just trying to forget
The waitress is intentionally trying to move past something in her life, and this call is making it difficult for her
And the manager is yelling
The manager is likely frustrated with the waitress or the situation, and is expressing that through anger and hostility
Something about her hair being in her face
The manager is using the waitress's appearance as a way to attack her, further adding to her distress
Customer complainin'
A customer is unhappy and likely taking their frustration out on the waitress
But he really had no case
The customer's complaint is unfounded or unfair, and he is being irrational
Counter queens looked up from their magazines
Other employees are taking notice of the situation
But she goes and stares straight ahead
The waitress is ignoring the commotion and trying to keep her focus on something else
Today with the door opens
The door is open
The rain slants in
Rain is coming into the building and making a mess
There's water all over the floor
The rain has caused a significant hazard, potentially adding to the distress of the waitress
Busser waves to the
The busser is trying to signal something to someone
Meter maid
Someone working outside in the parking lot
Who don't wave back no more
This person is not responding to the signal
And the waitress
Referring back to the start of the song
Has her back up against the wall
The waitress is in a vulnerable position, possibly feeling trapped
You can see her chest rise and fall
The waitress is taking deep breaths, possibly trying to calm herself down
Surely she'll come again
The waitress will likely continue to struggle and may have similar incidents in the future
And the pay phone is
Referring back to a previous part of the song
Swinging 'gainst the wall
The pay phone is still idle and swinging with the wind
She's only trying to forget
Referring back to a previous part of the song
But today with the door wide opens
Referring back to a previous part of the song
The rain slants in
Referring back to a previous part of the song
There's water all over the floor
Referring back to a previous part of the song
Busser waves to the
Referring back to a previous part of the song
Meter maid
Referring back to a previous part of the song
Don't wave back no more
Referring back to a previous part of the song
Writer(s): Charles Stokes Urmston
Contributed by Zachary P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.