Prophet released his solo debut Brother Aldo in 1990 on Fire records,(later reissued in the late 1990's on Walter Yetnikoff's Velvel imprint. His immediate career path took him through mostly European touring markets and his followup "Balinese Dancer" came out in 1993 & later the Steve Berlin produced "Feast of Hearts" came out in Europe only through the Fire imprint. After a decade long bout with substance abuse, Prophet resurfaced refreshed and renewed on the critical breakthroughs 1998's "Homemade Blood", 2000's "The Hurting Business" and 2002's live "Turn The Pigeons Loose" (all available via Cooking Vinyl in UK). By 2000 he'd recorded a side project with his wife Stefanie called Go Go Market and begun incorporating electronic influences into his traditional roots rock formula, resulting in some mainstream radio play and expanded exposure, culminating in the wider distribution of albums "No Other Love" from 2002 and 2004's "Age of Miracles" on New West Records. Chuck signed a new arrangement in the US with North Carolina based Yep Roc for 2007's "Soap and Water", an album that saw the musician invited to play twice on National Public Radio, as well as on televison talk shows like Late Night With David Letterman, and The Carson Daly Show.
Over the years he also began collaborating with other songwriters like Kelly Willis, Steve Yerkey and contributing as a guitarist/musician to studio efforts from folks like Jonathan Richman, Warren Zevon, Kim Carnes, Cake, Tom Heyman and Jewel. Alejandro Escovedo's upcoming 2008 release produced by Tony Visconti entitled Real Animal was co-written and recorded with Prophet. In addition to having his songs recorded by artists like Solomon Burke, Heart & Cyndi Thomson he has also recorded with men who started out as his influences like Jim Dickinson, Dan Penn and the late Warren Zevon.
www.chuckprophet.com.
New Year
Chuck Prophet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wound up at the taco stand
I changed my clothes in the parking lot
And thought about our wedding plans
Then I looked up at the foothills
Where I used to hide with you
You gave me anything I wanted
I'm lost inside my skin
No messages to send
Don't cry
It's New Year's day again
I came back around
To hide out for the holidays
That was over thirteen months ago
I don't know if I'll ever escape
So I'm back where we started
Working from room to room
Yeah, I'm all over the campus
A big man with a mop and a broom
I'm lost inside my skin
No messages to send
Don't cry
It's New Year's day again
Last night the champagne was flowin'
Some guys were runnin' off at the mouth
Your name came up in conversation
Then somebody started the count
I woke up in my Nissan
To the static on the radio
I dialed up a station
Closed my eyes and started to glow
I'm lost inside my skin
No messages to send
Don't cry
It's New Year's day again
The lyrics of Chuck Prophet's "New Year's Day" tell a story filled with nostalgia, regret, and a desire to escape one's current circumstances. The song starts with the singer taking a drive by a prison, followed by a stop at a taco stand, where he changes his clothes in the parking lot and contemplates his wedding plans with his partner. However, his thoughts soon turn to the past, specifically a time when he used to "hide" with his partner in the foothills. He reminisces about how his partner used to give him anything he wanted, but now all he wants is a substitute. This suggests that the relationship has soured, and he is no longer satisfied with what he has.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I'm lost inside my skin. No messages to send. Don't cry. It's New Year's Day again." These lines capture a sense of hopelessness and stagnation. The singer feels trapped in his current situation, with nothing to say and no way out. The reference to New Year's Day suggests that he's been stuck in this same place for a long time, and even the start of a new year hasn't offered him any fresh opportunities.
The second verse finds the singer hiding out for the holidays, but he's been there for over thirteen months and doesn't know if he'll ever escape. He's working from room to room, all over the campus, as a janitor with a mop and broom. It's clear that he's fallen far from the life he used to have, and he's struggling to find a way back. The bridge of the song describes a night of partying, with champagne flowing and guys running off at the mouth. When his partner's name comes up in conversation, somebody starts the count. He wakes up in his Nissan to the static on the radio and dials up a station, hoping to escape his thoughts and find some relief.
Overall, "New Year's Day" is a hauntingly beautiful song that explores themes of disillusionment, regret, and longing for something that might be out of reach. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery and a sense of melancholy that perfectly captures the mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I took a drive by the prison
I drove past the prison for some inexplicable reason.
Wound up at the taco stand
Ended up at a taco stand by accident.
I changed my clothes in the parking lot
Changed my clothes in the parking lot because I wanted to.
And thought about our wedding plans
I thought about our wedding plans and what went wrong.
Then I looked up at the foothills
I looked towards the foothills where we used to spend time together.
Where I used to hide with you
Where we used to go and hide away from the world together.
You gave me anything I wanted
You gave me everything I wanted when we were together.
Now all I want's a substitute
All I want now is something to replace you.
I'm lost inside my skin
I feel lost in my own skin.
No messages to send
I have nothing to say and no one to say it to.
Don't cry
Don't feel bad or sad.
It's New Year's day again
It's the start of a new year, but everything still feels the same as before.
I came back around
I came back to where we started from.
To hide out for the holidays
I came back to hide away for the holidays.
That was over thirteen months ago
I've been hiding here for over a year.
I don't know if I'll ever escape
I don't know if I'll ever be able to leave this place.
So I'm back where we started
I'm back to where we were in the beginning.
Working from room to room
Working in different rooms, trying to keep busy.
Yeah, I'm all over the campus
I'm all over the place, trying to find something to do.
A big man with a mop and a broom
I'm doing menial work just to keep myself busy.
Last night the champagne was flowin'
Last night we drank champagne and celebrated.
Some guys were runnin' off at the mouth
Some guys were talking too much and making noise.
Your name came up in conversation
Your name was brought up during the conversation.
Then somebody started the count
Then someone started counting down to the new year.
I woke up in my Nissan
I woke up in my car.
To the static on the radio
The radio was only playing static noise.
I dialed up a station
I changed the radio station.
Closed my eyes and started to glow
I closed my eyes and started feeling something inside.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KLIPSCHUTZ, CHUCK PROPHET, KURT LIPSCHUTZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind