The members of Current Swell no longer live together under a single roof — as they did years ago,
when the group first came together as a unit — but the bond between the four friends is stronger than
ever.
Touring the world for the better part of five years, from Brazil to Australia, often has that effect.
Current Swell’s years of experience on the road can be heard — and felt — in the nooks and crannies
of Long Time Ago, the new full-length from this rootsy Victoria, B.C. quartet. The record shifts
between upbeat folk (the title track, Long Time Ago) and singalong-ready roots rock (the first single,
Too Cold) with a fluidity and ease that could only come from continual touring.
The band originally wanted to call its fourth record People Not Places, as if to signify its new lyrical
direction. “We used to write about traveling, because that’s all we did for a while,” says singer-
guitarist Scott Stanton. “But on this record, we wrote mostly about people in our lives.”
Friends, acquaintances — even strangers — have been an integral aspect of Current Swell’s personal
and professional development. Decidedly grass-roots, the band has developed a strong online
following over the years, dating back to the independent release and promotion of its previous
recordings, So I Say (2005), Trust Us Now (2007), and Protect Your Own (2009).
Fans have remained steadfast in their support, something the members of Current Swell do not take
for granted. When the band earned first place at Vancouver’s Peak Performance Project (a 2011 radio
contest which awarded the group $100,500 for top prize), the first people on Current Swell’s thank-
you list were their fans.
“The online community has always backed us,” said singer-guitarist Dave Lang, addressing the group’s
considerable presence through iTunes and YouTube. “That is a big reason for our success.”
Steady momentum at the grass-roots level (the group’s video for its campfire-friendly single, Young
and Able, became a word-of-mouth YouTube success in 2010) has now translated to the stage, where
Current Swell shines. Their ability to capture a crowd was honed the old-fashioned way — through
constant practice. Current Swell has always tweaked things as needed, careful not to move in a
direction that feels inauthentic.
The band, which also features drummer Chris Petersen and bassist Ghosty Boy, started its career
with the most modest of expectations, playing shows in settings that ranged from backyards to
beaches. “When we first got together, we just started writing music for fun,” Stanton says. “Then we
got an opportunity to perform, and then we got an opportunity to tour. It wasn’t something we ever
chased too passionately at first. A lot of things just fell into place for us.”
The quartet struck upon a rhythm soon after, the size of its concerts increasing in tandem with its
rapidly progressing talent. Momentum kept Current Swell moving forward in the years that followed,
culminating last summer with a Canada Day concert before 45,000 people at the B.C. Legislature, one
of the largest concerts of its kind ever in Victoria.
That level of accomplishment (when coupled with sets in support of everyone from the Tragically Hip
and Xavier Rudd to K‘Naan, K-OS, The Beach Boys and more) suggests a band long-removed from its
learning-on-the-fly early days. That didn’t happen by accident.
“We’re all much more educated and knowledgeable about our career nowadays,” Stanton says. “We
feel like we know how to do this for a living.”
Despite years of careful planning and intuitive, thoughtful decisions, some things remain beyond
Current Swell’s control. Case in point: Brazil.
Through a mixture of circumstance and happenstance, the members of Current Swell are now the
beneficiaries of a large and loyal following in Brazil, the largest country in South America. The group
has just returned from a tour of the country, a trek which saw Current Swell headline two large
festivals in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, among the largest cities in the world.
“We’d get an e-mail here and there, ‘Please come to Brazil, I’m a huge fan,’ which was hilarious to
read,” Stanton says of the group’s throng of Brazilian fans. “But then we’d go on YouTube and there
was a bunch of people covering our songs. Someone even covered one of our music videos, lip-
syncing all our lyrics.”
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Long Time Ago
Current Swell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It feels brief when the light is gone.
When I look to my youth I never thought about the time.
The thought of my day to come was the last thing upon my mind.
But that was a long Time ago.
My adolescent way.
Feels like it was only yesterday.
Learning to cast my line right off the riverbed.
It was a long time ago.
We had a blast we had a ball.
I was told man that I could have it all.
I was told to watch every little thing that I go and say.
Told a long long time ago but still got it with me today.
It was a long time ago.
It was a long time ago.
In the song "Long Time Ago" by Current Swell, the lyrics reflect on the passing of time and the loss of innocence that comes with growing up. The opening lines "This day feels long. It feels brief when the light is gone" suggests the weariness that can come with age, as each day seems to last longer but time itself seems to pass more quickly. The next lines "When I look to my youth I never thought about the time. The thought of my day to come was the last thing upon my mind" reflect on the carefree nature of childhood when thinking about the future was something to be done later.
The chorus then speaks of the past and how quickly it feels like it has gone, "Feels like yesterday but it was a long time ago I said. It was a long time ago." The nostalgic tone continues in the verse "We had a blast we had a ball. I was told man that I could have it all. I was told to watch every little thing that I go and say. Told a long long time ago but still got it with me today." The lyrics reflect on the fun times of youth but also the lessons that have stayed with the singer as they've grown older.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the fleeting nature of time and the importance of cherishing the memories of the past while also learning from them.
Line by Line Meaning
This day feels long.
The current day feels like it's dragging on and on.
It feels brief when the light is gone.
However, when it gets dark and the day comes to a close, it seems like it went by too quickly.
When I look to my youth I never thought about the time.
In my younger years, I never really considered how quickly time would pass by.
The thought of my day to come was the last thing upon my mind.
I didn't really think much about the future and just preferred to focus on the present.
But that was a long Time ago.
But that way of thinking was a thing of the past.
My adolescent way.
Back when I was young and naive.
Feels like it was only yesterday.
It feels as though my youth just happened not too long ago.
Learning to cast my line right off the riverbed.
One of the things I remember from my youth was learning how to fish properly.
Feels like yesterday but it was a long time ago I said.
It seems like I just learned how to fish recently, but in reality, it's been a long time since then.
We had a blast we had a ball.
Back then, my friends and I had a lot of fun together.
I was told man that I could have it all.
People told me that I could achieve anything I wanted in life.
I was told to watch every little thing that I go and say.
They also advised me to be careful about what I say or do.
Told a long long time ago but still got it with me today.
Those words of advice were given a long time ago, but I still carry them with me today.
It was a long time ago.
Overall, it's been a while since those carefree days of youth.
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
tracy thompson
To bad more people haven't found this good music. It deserves more listening. I listen often!!!
Andre
Que música!!
Lindy A Taylor
Beautiful song, hits a place deep in my soul.
Quisha Blesses All
Great rasp, soul and control...thank you for sharing this <3 . Beautifully shot and sung.
Brenda Colby
Great song! Great video...brought back lots of childhood memories when life seemed so much simpler.
chantel swain
Love you guys , I loved rocking out with you all ❤🎶 hope you guys still have the photos we made in the frame for you!! #goodtimes#canadianmusic#keeponrockin😘
GORD SUE Paton
Super good...best times with family & friends...love the song & the band...BC...just beautiful...thank you to the videographer for capturing its beauty...all the best!!! Suzanne🕊🌿🎶
Lizzie Bridges
Absolutely love Current Swell!!!!
Iris Eng
Great song! Thanks for such great video. Brings back some GREAT memories for me!
Froglord
Had the wonderful privilege of seeing this guys last night and chatting to a few of them after. Good vibes and happy smiles all round!