Chris began playing guitar at the age of 11, but some of his earliest memories include performing The Beatles song Help! for a show and tell in kindergarten. His favourite bands growing up included The Beatles, KISS, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Rush among others. He has cited guitarists such as Ted Nugent, Rik Emmett, Ace Frehley, Randy Rhoads, Michael Schenker as influences through out the years as well.
After only 13 months, Chris grew bored with guitar lessons and decided to teach himself. He was part of a band called "Blitzkreig" in middle school and played a few shows, the first of which was at a bar in Ridgewood, New Jersey when Chris was only 13. At the age of 14, Chris and his brother formed a band called "Anti". While searching for a bass player, Chris found Darryl Sage, who remains one of his best friends and ended up co-owning Chris's house in Ridgewood. Anti eventually found a singer named Blaze, and whilst in High School, Chris opened for bands like Mountain, Overkill, Steppenwolf, Blackfoot and Metallica. Chris graduated from High School at the age of 16 and went straight into being a professional musician, teaching students during the day and playing shows in the night.
Anti did fairly well, but always had trouble with vocalists. Chris recorded his first demo tape at age 14 and his second at 17, which got him his first national gig. Chris was in New York City one night, hanging around in a club in the middle of Times Square, when he met the lead singer of a band called Heaven named Allan Fryar. They were looking for a guitarist and Chris asked if he could give Allan a tape. A week later and Fryar called, and it turned out that the band also needed a drummer, so Chris's brother Phil joined. The band was managed by David Krebs and a certain Paul O'Neill, who Chris would maintain close ties for most of his career.
Heaven were in-between leaving labels, and Chris did shows with them at the end of a tour and they recorded a new demo. Fryar sung on tapes of some Anti songs and it inspired the band to get the producers in the studio. Opening for Heaven were Skid Row (minus Sebastian Bach) on the East Coast (Chris turned down the opportunity to join the band) and on the West Coast, Warrant.
Paul O'Neill was later introduced to the Oliva brothers, Jon and Criss of Savatage by an Atlantic Records rep and O'Neill left Heaven to work with Savatage. Eventually, Paul invited Chris to New York, where they recorded the CD and introduced Chris to the band. Heaven did was not working with O'Neill and Krebs any more, but wanted a vocalist. Ironically, the band considered asking Sebastian Bach to join them, but they could not catch him in New York. But, Chris soon learned that a second guitarist may be needed in Savatage, so he learned all of the Savatage songs he could in time for Savatage's 1987-1988 tour with Dio and Megadeth. Savatage hired someone else, which left Chris very upset and he flew himself down to the audition. Chris was given the opportunity to perform, played 2 songs before the band stopped and hired him on the spot. The band went on tour, but Chris was kept on the side of the stage, hidden from the audience. Chris was only 20 years old and playing arenas and was happy, but miserable. He left Savatage after the arena tour.
Chris bounced between bands, such as Big Mouth for a couple of years until he came into contact with the Oliva brothers once more. They asked Chris to join them just as the 'Gutter Ballet' CD was finished. He gladly accepted, but the road took it's toll on all of the members and it was around this time that Jon Oliva began his drug and alcohol addiction. Under pressure from his brother to find a singer for their band, Chris quit Savatage at the end of the tour and formed Witchdoctor, with his brother Phil on drums, Hal Patino of King Diamond on bass, and TSO West member Doug Kistner on keyboards. The band played all over Europe, but the brothers were not clicking musicially and the band disbanded. Criss was contacted to perform on Savatage's Streets tour, but issues meant this did not happen. Chris soon learned that Jon Oliva had left Savatage. Chris called Jon, who invited him to Florida, and over "10 bottles of Jack Daniels", their project Doctor Butcher was born.
Zachary Stevens replaced Jon in Savatage, but Jon continued to work with his brother Criss on the record. Chris was again asked to re-join the band, but, he stayed loyal to Jon and Butcher. Some initial demos were recorded with Hal Patino and Gene Barnett for Butcher, but bad press over Jon's health lead Atlantic Records to make a decision - Doctor Butcher or Savatage? Atlantic chose Savatage. Chris was left disheartened. He went to work with friend Ray Gillen of Badlands fame, but he died shortly after the project began. Around this time, Criss Oliva was killed in a car accident. Chris was asked for the fourth time to join Savatage, but Atlantic Records suggested Alex Skolnick join the band instead. Chris would later work with Alex on the TSO East touring company. Butcher was signed in Europe and their debut was recorded in 1994. Jon Oliva left to do the Handful of Rain tour with Savatage so Butcher never toured. Chris, this time, inquired about joining Savatage on a more permanent basis with Jon Oliva, as a close friend and student of Criss Oliva he felt he could pay respect to Criss "spiritually" on stage. Jon agreed, and Chris was joined by Al Pitrelli, a good friend of his from New York. The two formed a steady partnership for almost 6 years, recording both 1995's Dead Winter Dead and 1998's The Wake of Magellan together.
During this time, Chris recorded with Joe Lynn Turner, TM Stevens, as well as produced and recorded for Metalium. Chris was featured on Tribute CD's for Guns N' Roses, Accept and Iron Maiden. The Maiden CD was with Jeff Plate and his long time and newly re acquainted best friend, John West. Savatage was stalled a bit in the recording of a follow up to The Wake of Magellan, due to the tremendous success of the then "Side Project", Trans Siberian Orchestra. Caffery considers himself the "ring leader" of TSO East when they tour, and he enjoys performing live with the ensemble.
Al Pitrelli left Savatage in 2000 when he accepted an invitation to replace Marty Friedman in Megadeth. Zak Stevens left shortly after, citing family reasons. Chris was left as the only guitarist in Savatage and Jon Oliva took up lead vocal duties for the first time in ten years. Chris played the lead parts with Jack Frost (who replaced him in Metalium) playing the rhythm parts on a short tour with Fates Warning and Judas Priest in support of 2001's Poets and Madmen. After Megadeth "disbanded" (it later reformed in 2004) in 2002, Al Pitrelli was invited to re-join the band since "he never left the family anyway".
Since the release of Savatage's most recent CD, Chris has appeared on records of Savatage alumni, including Zak Stevens's Circle II Circle and on Jon Oliva's Pain records. Chris himself released solo EPs and albums in 2004 and 2005, with a follow-up full-length album due for release in 2006.
Solo Discogs
The Mold EP - 2004
Music Man EP - 2004
Faces - 2005
W.A.R.P.E.D - 2005
Pins And Needles - 2007
House Of Insanity - 2009
Your Heaven Is Real - 2015
The Jester's Court - 2018
Get Up Stand Up
Chris Caffery Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight!
Preacher man, don't tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know
What life is really worth
It's not all that glitters is gold
Half the story has never been told
So now you see the light, oh!
Stand up for your rights
Come on!
Get up, stand up
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up
Don't give up the fight!
Most people think
Great god will come from the sky
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You will look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your rights
(Jah)
Get up, stand up!
(Jah! jah!)
Stand up for your rights!
(Oh whoa)
Get up, stand up!
(Get up, stand up)
Don't give up the fight!
(Life is your right)
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
(Lord, Lord)
Get up, stand up!
(We keep on struggling on)
Don't give up the fight!
(Yeah!)
-Solos-
We sick an' tired of-a
Your ism-skism game
Dyin' to go to heaven
In-a Jesus' name, lord
We know when we understand
Almighty god is a living man
You can fool
Some people sometimes
But you can't fool all
The people all the time
So now we see the light
(What you gonna do?)
We gonna stand up for our rights!
(Jah, jah)
So you better
Get up, stand up!
(In the morning get it up)
Stand up for your rights!
(In the night)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
(Don't give it up, don't give it up!)
Get up, stand up!
(Get up, stand up!)
Stand up for your rights!
(Get up, stand up!)
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up!
(Life is your right)
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
(Jah)
-Solo-
The song Get Up Stand Up by Chris Caffery is a version of the classic Bob Marley and Peter Tosh song that encourages people to stand up and fight for their rights. The lyrics urge listeners not to give up the fight for their rights and to stand in the face of adversity. The chorus repeats the phrase “Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights” and encourages people not to give up. The song is an anthem for oppressed people everywhere and is often played at protests and demonstrations.
The lyrics of the song are aimed at people who are oppressed and have been told that their place is in heaven and not on earth. The lyrics challenge this idea and urge listeners to focus on their lives on earth and fight for their rights here and now. The song also takes a swipe at religious leaders who preach that heaven is under the earth and that everything will be better in the afterlife. The song asserts that people have the right to live a good life here and now and should not be content with waiting for something better in the future.
The repeated refrain of “Get up, stand up” is a call to action, urging people to not just sit back and accept their situation but to take action and fight for their rights. The song emphasizes the importance of solidarity and the strength that comes from standing together. The solos in the song reflect the intensity and emotion of the lyrics and add an extra layer of urgency to the message.
Line by Line Meaning
Get up, stand up
Rise up and take a stand
Stand up for your rights!
Fight for your fundamental freedoms and beliefs
Don't give up the fight!
Persist and keep struggling even when faced by adversity.
Preacher man, don't tell me
Don't preach to me about something you are unsure of.
Heaven is under the earth
There is no fixed afterlife, or we are already living in it.
I know you don't know
You lack knowledge and experience in this matter.
What life is really worth
The true value of living or how to live meaningfully.
It's not all that glitters is gold
Things are not always as they appear. Appearances can be deceiving
Half the story has never been told
Incomplete knowledge or perspective.
So now you see the light, oh!
You understand the truth.
Most people think
Many people have the belief that...
Great god will come from the sky
A supreme deity will come from the heavens to rectify wrongs.
Take away everything
Eliminate all worries and pains felt by all.
And make everybody feel high
And achieve an everlasting sense of happiness and pleasure.
But if you know what life is worth
However, If you know the value of living
You will look for yours on earth
You will seek out and find what makes your life worthwhile.
Jah
A nod to Rastafarianism, where God is called Jah.
We sick an' tired of-a
Tired of dealing with...
Your ism-skism game
Your divisive and contentious rhetoric
Dyin' to go to heaven
Eager to leave this world and ascend to the afterlife.
In-a Jesus' name, lord
Believing in Jesus Christ as a savior figure.
We know when we understand
We are aware once we fully comprehend
Almighty god is a living man
The All-powerful God is a being that has lived and breathed.
You can fool
One can deceive or mislead...
Some people sometimes
Some individuals are susceptible to this behavior.
But you can't fool all
However, not everyone will fall for this trickery.
The people all the time
Every time interests of the people are affected.
What you gonna do?
What actions will you take?
We gonna stand up for our rights!
We shall fight for our basic human rights!
So you better
You better...
In the morning get it up
Wake up in the morning and...
In the night
Then, later in the evening...
Life is your right
It's your birthright to live fully and completely.
Lord, Lord
An expression of exasperation or frustration.
We keep on struggling on
We persist and keep fighting for what's right.
Contributed by Alex H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.