Craig's Brother released their first commercial album Homecoming on Tooth & Nail Records in 1998. By this time they had already released two demos: one self-titled cassette tape and a CD/LP called Keepin' It Real. They never achieved much fame, but the fans they did attain were extremely dedicated. They relied quite a bit on the Christian music market in order to gain a foothold.
In 2000, a sophomore release, Lost At Sea, was planned, when Tooth & Nail dropped the band. It is still unclear why they did so. It took more than a year before Lost At Sea became available outside the United States. Soon thereafter, the album once again became unavailable.
Right around this time, the drummer, Heath Konkel, one of the few who had stuck with the band from the beginning, left to attend school. More members left, new ones were gained, among these a certain Steven, who also performs in the band HeyMike!, that split up around this time. Dan McClintock of Inspection 12 also contributed songwriting, singing, and guitar playing to the second album. Ryan Key, Yellowcard's vocalist, also joined the band for a short while. Yellowcard's violinist, Sean Mackin, also made a guest appearance on "Back and Forth" on the Lost at Sea album.
In the end, it was too turbulent to keep going. Craig's Brother disbanded in 2001, after fans had been kept on their toes for months.
The band's website at www.craigsbrother.net, remained however, and has changed layouts numerous times. The webmaster, Eli, has stuck around and kept the messageboard running, and there have even been a few updates. In the summer of 2003, www.tedbond.com was launched, also by Eli (As of 2005, the domain is no longer up). Ted gave the fans three new acoustic songs, one of which was called "Craig's Brother". It was a sad reflection on the time in the band, hanging out with, "just a bunch of drunks I can't stand". These songs proved Ted could still write songs that were of the same caliber as the earlier Craig's Brother material.
Rumours that that the band would reunite were proven true. At the end of 2003, it was announced that Craig's Brother was back. Heath and Scott returned from school, and they also recruited some other new band members. A new EP, EPidemic (with that capitalization) was released the next summer.
In early 2009 Craig's Brother reported on their web site www.craigsbrother.com that they would be entering the studio to record a new full length album. The new album is titled 'The Insidious Lie'. The band finished the album in December 2010 and it will be released in early 2011.
Glory
Craig's Brother Lyrics
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The war's still new, but Iæ?¦ tired of fighting
Bloody boys sobbing fears all somehow died brave men
Exalted then, so wrong yet somehow inviting.
Like a dream moving in slow motion
The smell of death spreads across the ocean
Despite the masses that hate the notion
Bending every purpose toward war
And the bombs start falling,
Tight fists of rage hurled
Searching for sanity in such a crazy world
I guess I thought when we got in our boats and sailed away
We wouldn't be here today;
We left behind all that fighting
In a place where they're still debating feudal rights
And boundary lines, and ancient agreements
But I know that Iæ?¦ only dreaming
Any day I could wake up screaming
Taking orders in a far away land
Marching round with a gun in my hand
And the bombs start falling,
As the trigger fingers pull
Searching for sanity in such a crazy world
Little boys go marching on for peace . . .
The song "Glory" by Craig's Brother is a poignant commentary on war and its aftermath. The first stanza sets the scene by referencing the year 1942, a time when World War II was still new but already taking its toll. The singer wonders how "Franklin" (presumably a reference to President Franklin D. Roosevelt) felt at the time, as weary soldiers fought on despite their exhaustion. The image of "bloody boys sobbing fears all somehow died brave men" speaks to the tragedy of war, where young soldiers face their greatest fears and often pay the ultimate price.
The second stanza continues the theme of the horrors of war, with the singer describing the smell of death spreading across the ocean. The lines "Despite the masses that hate the notion / Bending every purpose toward war" suggest that war is brought about by a small group of people, even though the majority may be against it. The chorus drives home the sense of futility and despair, with bombs falling and people desperately seeking sanity in a crazy, violent world.
The final stanza pivots to a more personal, introspective tone. The singer reflects on the idea of leaving behind the fighting, only to realize that it may follow them anywhere they go. The line "But I know that I'm only dreaming / Any day I could wake up screaming" speaks to the PTSD and trauma that soldiers often experience long after their service is over. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the image of "Little boys go marching on for peace," suggesting that even in the face of war, there is still the possibility of hope and change.
Line by Line Meaning
And I wonder how Franklin felt in '42
I am curious about how Franklin Roosevelt must have felt during the year 1942, which was still during the early stages of the war.
The war's still new, but I'm tired of fighting
Even though the war is still in its beginning, I have grown weary of constantly fighting.
Bloody boys sobbing fears all somehow died brave men
Young men who were once scared are now tragically losing their lives, but they are still considered heroes in death.
Exalted then, so wrong yet somehow inviting.
Though it was wrong to glorify a deadly war, somehow it still attracted people and made it seem desirable.
Like a dream moving in slow motion
The events of the war seem to be happening slowly, almost as if it's a dream.
The smell of death spreads across the ocean
The stench of death from the war can be felt even across the vast ocean waters.
Despite the masses that hate the notion
Even though many people are against the idea of war and its consequences, it still persists.
Bending every purpose toward war
Everything seems to be leading towards war and its continuation, with no end in sight.
And the bombs start falling,
The bombing has begun, and there is no stopping it now.
Tight fists of rage hurled
People are angry and lashing out, resorting to violence to express their emotions.
Searching for sanity in such a crazy world
In the midst of all this madness and chaos, people are desperately trying to find some sense of rationality.
I guess I thought when we got in our boats and sailed away
I once believed that leaving home and going to war meant leaving all the fighting behind us.
We wouldn't be here today;
I hoped that we wouldn't end up in this place, but unfortunately, we have.
We left behind all that fighting
I believed that all the fighting was in our past when we left our homeland, but I was wrong.
In a place where they're still debating feudal rights
While we fight a war, others are still debating matters related to traditional feudal systems and rights.
And boundary lines, and ancient agreements
People are still arguing over borders and long-standing treaties while we are fighting a bloody battle.
But I know that I'm only dreaming
I realize that the idea of escaping the war and living in peace is just a dream that can never come true.
Any day I could wake up screaming
Each day brings the possibility of waking up in terror, with the harsh reality of war never far from my mind.
Taking orders in a far away land
I am far from home, taking orders and fighting in a foreign country.
Marching round with a gun in my hand
I am constantly on the move, carrying a weapon and ready to use it at a moment's notice.
And the bombs start falling,
The bombs continue to drop, and there is no way to escape them.
As the trigger fingers pull
The war rages on as soldiers continue to pull the triggers on their weapons.
Searching for sanity in such a crazy world
In an insane and chaotic world, people are trying to hold onto their sanity and make sense of it all.
Little boys go marching on for peace . . .
Young boys are still marching and fighting for a peaceful world, even though the reality of war says otherwise.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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