Cowboy Mouth is a rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, taking their n… Read Full Bio ↴Cowboy Mouth is a rock band based in New Orleans, Louisiana, taking their name from the title of a Sam Shepard play which got the term from a Bob Dylan song. The nucleus of the band, Fred Leblanc (Drums, Vocals) and John Thomas Griffith (Guitar, Vocals), formed in the early 1990s, and they climbed the ladder from an opening act living in a van to a powerhouse live act that has been called "a religious experience" by more than one music journalist. In particular their 2004 live Lincoln Park, Chicago album "Live From the Zoo" received incredible criticial praise, especially form Rolling Stone. They have received modest radio play yet every year the band plays before more than half a million people at live shows around the nation. Some of their classic songs include "Everybody Loves Jill" (where the audience throws red spoons on stage), "Hurricane Party" (audience tosses Tootsie Rolls), "Easy," "Better,", "Disconnected", and "Jenny Says," the their most famous song and the traditional closing song of every show. They also perform a version of "Born to Run" on the Light of Day tribute album to Springsteen. "The Avenue" after the famed St. Charles Avenue, a heart-wrenching plea for New Orleans' return to normal in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, was treated as a athem to many in Lousiana. However, Leblanc has since added the line "The Saints won the f****** Superbowl" as a upbeat note. Now a regular of the Regis and Kelly show Leblanc has written a song ,"Kelly Ripa", about Leblanc's somewhat obsesion with the co-host. They have since performed the song on the show, much to the dancing Ripa's delight. They have also as one of their more popular songs "Joe Strummer", a ode to the late-great Clash guitarist. Lead singer Fred Leblanc, particularly in opening and closing numbers, exhorts the crowd with encouragements to let go of cares and worries, "I don't care what's buggin' you, I don't care what's bringing you down, the only thing that matters is right here, right now!" With roots always in New Orleans Cowboy Mouth constantly plays at the Annual Jazz Fest and is always one of the fan favorites there.

China
Cowboy Mouth Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dance with wind and danced with fire
Killed the truth and called it a liar
Bleeding in it's mystery and the moon begins to fall
Dreamers are not all they seem
Sleeping in their silent dreams
She locks it all inside and hides it all away

[Chorus]

China, China
Calling out to your history, is that the way its supposed to be
China, China
Questions right in my hand and then
Answers gone til I don't know when

All you speak and all you hear
Hand that's strong and voice that's clear
And unforgotten memory and the moon begins to fall
Called you right and called you wrong
Time that shadow sings your song
Don't lock it all inside and hide it all away

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Cowboy Mouth’s song “China” possess a deep and mystical quality that seems to speak to the human sin of pretense and secrecy. The first two lines of the verse, “Dance with wind and danced with fire/Killed the truth and called it a liar” are an allegory to the idea that people often move forward with passion and recklessness without taking stock of the truth. The next line, “Bleeding in it's mystery and the moon begins to fall” speaks to the hidden wounds that people carry within themselves and the truth that the hard life lessons we learn in life can be a painful process. The next two lines, “Dreamers are not all they seem/Sleeping in their silent dreams” speaks to people hiding behind a façade and suppressing their true selves. Finally, the last line of the verse, “She locks it all inside and hides it all away” drives home the point that people bury their vulnerabilities and true selves.

The chorus of “China” deals with the idea of a person who is trying to understand their own history, but is being met with confusion and angst. The opening line, “China, China/Calling out to your history, is that the way it's supposed to be” speaks to confusion in understanding one’s roots and the way that people often go about trying to understand their own history without really knowing what they are looking for. The next two lines, “Questions right in my hand and then/Answers gone til I don't know when” speaks to the idea that the closer one tries to understand their own history, the more it seems to slip away from them. Overall, the lyrics of Cowboy Mouth’s song “China” are emotive and thought-provoking, and touches on themes of pretense, keeping secrets, and the malaise that comes with searching for one’s true self.

Line by Line Meaning

Dance with wind and danced with fire
Moving freely and recklessly, regardless of rules or consequences

Killed the truth and called it a liar
Choosing to ignore the truth and labeling it as falsehood

Bleeding in it's mystery and the moon begins to fall
Being consumed by the unknown, leading to chaos and disaster

Dreamers are not all they seem
Appearances can be deceiving, and those who appear to be dreamers may have hidden motives

Sleeping in their silent dreams
Living in a state of unawareness, ignoring warning signs

She locks it all inside and hides it all away
Choosing to suppress and hide emotions rather than confront them

China, China
Addressing the country of China, while also representing the overarching theme of mystery and hidden meanings in the song

Calling out to your history, is that the way its supposed to be
Questioning the accuracy and legitimacy of China's historical narrative, and wondering if it should be accepted without scrutiny

Questions right in my hand and then
Having access to unanswered questions

Answers gone til I don't know when
Not being able to find the answers to those questions

All you speak and all you hear
The words you say and the words you choose to listen to

Hand that's strong and voice that's clear
Strength and clarity in communication

And unforgotten memory and the moon begins to fall
A memory that refuses to fade away, leading to chaos and confusion

Called you right and called you wrong
Acknowledging that sometimes we make mistakes in judgement

Time that shadow sings your song
The past is always present, and can have an influence on current actions and decisions

Don't lock it all inside and hide it all away
Encouraging emotional honesty and openness

[Chorus]
The recurring chorus emphasizes the idea of questioning and seeking truth, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID KAHNE, DARREN HILL, JAMES SINGLETARY, JOHN THOMAS GRIFFITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS