“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.
What's It Going to Take
Chadwick Stokes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How many bones do we have to bury
How many hearts have got to hurt
Before one more becomes too many
Never had their first love, no
Never danced until the sun it shines
See their children's eyes
Imagine your anger, if it was your child
And all your world came crushing in
And the government, they don't do a thing
But look the other way
Never had their first love, no
Never danced until the sun it shines
See their children's eyes
Sip a sip of wine
The lyrics of Chadwick Stokes's song "What's It Going to Take" delve into themes of social injustice, government negligence, and the pain experienced by those who are marginalized and forgotten. The song poignantly asks what it will take for society to address these issues and bring about positive change.
The opening lines, "What's it going to take / How many bones do we have to bury / How many hearts have got to hurt / Before one more becomes too many," emphasize the frustration and urgency felt by the singer. The use of the phrase "bones do we have to bury" symbolizes the countless lives lost due to systemic issues that are ignored or swept under the rug. The lyrics suggest that there is a breaking point, a moment when the pain and suffering become unbearable.
The second verse conveys a sense of longing and innocence lost. The lines "Never had their first love, no / Never danced until the sun it shines / See their children's eyes / Sip a sip of wine" paint a picture of a group of people who have been deprived of basic joys and pleasures in life. It highlights how inequality and neglect have denied them the simple experiences that many others take for granted. The mention of children's eyes and sipping wine may symbolize the desire for a better future and the hope for a more fulfilling life.
Overall, "What's It Going to Take" serves as a call to action, urging listeners to recognize the injustice around them and demand change. It exposes the failures of those in power and appeals for empathy and understanding towards those who are suffering.
Line by Line Meaning
What's it going to take
What actions or changes are necessary to address the situation?
How many bones do we have to bury
How many lives need to be lost or sacrificed?
How many hearts have got to hurt
How many people need to suffer emotionally?
Before one more becomes too many
Before an additional casualty becomes unbearable or unacceptable
Never had their first love, no
They have been deprived of experiencing love and joy
Never danced until the sun it shines
They have never been able to fully embrace and enjoy simple pleasures
See their children's eyes
Witness the innocence and vulnerability of their own children
Sip a sip of wine
Take a moment to savor and enjoy a simple pleasure like drinking wine
Imagine your anger, if it was your child
Visualize the rage and frustration if it was your own child affected
And all your world came crushing in
The immense pain and devastation caused by a tragic event
And the government, they don't do a thing
The authorities or those in power refuse to take action or address the issue
But look the other way
They deliberately ignore the problem instead of facing it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Charles Stokes Urmston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@floydpinkerton7954
It’s been too long since we had a nice moody reggae tune in the Chadwick Stokes discography. Pays clear homage to “Time”, to be certain, particularly in the solo and outro...not that I mind, if my username is any indication!
@JL-uu3lv
love it
@rileyferguson6556
My face from the new one