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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Rollin
Current Swell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But when he's on a ride there's no slowing him down
Too young to listen, too late for wishing
He lost his brakes about the second block
Now no matter what it take there's no way to make him stop
Keep on forgiving the mistakes that he's living
It's fine all the splendid time that he had
When he hit the suburbs he was going too fast
People screaming at the top of their lungs when he'd pass
Too young to listen, too late for wishing
When he finally hit the countryside he was laughing out loud at the cliff where he'd die
Found a note in a bottle was his body really swallowed by the sea
It's fine all the splendid time that he had
It's fine but that splendid time that made him mad
He was a good man, but stuck in his way
Stood strong in his will when he would stay up for days
He would never want to give in, so much that we will miss him now
All in black, standing around crying over a picture, not a body in the ground
Still forgiving mistakes he was living then
It's fine all the splendid time that he had
It's fine but that splendid time that made him mad
The lyrics of "Rollin'" by Current Swell are filled with themes of recklessness and regret. The song tells the story of a person who is too young to listen to the warnings of others, and as a result, is unable to slow down until it is too late. The singer is so consumed by the thrill of the ride that he loses control, ultimately leading to his demise. In the end, the song laments the loss of a good man who was unable to break free from his self-destructive tendencies.
Throughout the song, the lyrics repeat the phrase "too young to listen, too late for wishing," emphasizing the idea that the singer was unable to change his ways despite the warnings of those around him. The line "he lost his brakes about the second block" is a vivid image that illustrates just how out of control he was. The chorus, with the repetition of "it's fine," feels almost like a desperate attempt to convince oneself that everything will be okay, despite the tragedy that has occurred.
One interesting aspect of the song is the use of imagery to paint a picture of the singer's wild ride. The lyric "when he hit the suburbs he was going too fast, people screaming at the top of their lungs when he'd pass" creates a vivid mental image of the chaos caused by the singer's reckless behavior. The lyric "found a note in a bottle, was his body really swallowed by the sea" is another striking image that adds to the dramatic tension of the story.
Another interesting element of the song is the way it explores the idea of forgiveness. The lyrics repeatedly mention "forgiving the mistakes he was living then," suggesting that the singer's actions were not just reckless, but potentially harmful to those around him. Despite this, the song seems to suggest that forgiveness is important, highlighting the complexity of human relationships and the need for empathy and understanding, even when people make mistakes.
Overall, "Rollin'" is a powerful song that uses vivid imagery and thoughtful lyrics to explore themes of recklessness, regret, and forgiveness. Its catchy melody and driving rhythm make it a standout track in Current Swell's discography.
Line by Line Meaning
He doing alright when his ear is on the ground
He is in a good place when he keeps his ear to the ground, but fails to see the big picture and may miss out on important opportunities.
But when he's on a ride there's no slowing him down
When he's caught up in something, he's unstoppable and not looking for a way out.
Too young to listen, too late for wishing
He was too inexperienced to listen to advice and too late to turn back from the decisions he made.
He lost his brakes about the second block
He had no control over his situation and couldn't stop himself from heading down a dangerous path.
Now no matter what it take there's no way to make him stop
He is so entrenched in his current path that it seems impossible for anyone to change his mind or persuade him to do anything differently.
Keep on forgiving the mistakes that he's living
Despite his poor choices, people around him continue to forgive him and his poor judgments.
It's fine all the splendid time that he had
The good times he had were great and it's important to acknowledge that.
It's fine all that splendid time that made him mad
But those wonderful times eventually led to his downfall and caused him to lose his mind.
When he hit the suburbs he was going too fast
He had reached a point of no return and was racing blindly through life with no regard for his own safety or the safety of others.
People screaming at the top of their lungs when he'd pass
People were aware of the danger he posed and begged him to slow down, but he refused to listen.
When he finally hit the countryside he was laughing out loud at the cliff where he'd die
He was so consumed with his reckless behavior that he laughed in the face of danger and wasn't afraid of the consequences.
Found a note in a bottle was his body really swallowed by the sea
He met a tragic end and his remains were lost to the sea, leaving behind only a message that spoke of his tragic fate.
He was a good man, but stuck in his way
Despite his mistakes, he was a good person at heart, but was stubborn and refused to change.
Stood strong in his will when he would stay up for days
His determination was admirable, but his refusal to rest or take care of himself led to his eventual downfall.
He would never want to give in, so much that we will miss him now
His refusal to give in to his vices and change his ways has left a void in the lives of those who knew him.
All in black, standing around crying over a picture, not a body in the ground
His family and loved ones are mourning him in their own way and remembering his life, despite not having a physical body to bury.
Still forgiving mistakes he was living then
Even in death, those who cared about him continue to forgive him for his mistakes and the life he lived.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: AARON WRIGHT, DAVID JAMES LANG, SCOTT MARSHALL STANTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Rizzo
Harmonica and slide guitar go together like peanut butter and jam. Great tune and well played by the entire band.
Derek Tomsa
This is one of my all-time favorite rock and/or roll songs
Alex Neville-Smith
Heard this live at surfana festival; this recording doesn't do the song justice. Absolutely awesome in person. I've been playing on repeat all day!
Jose Armando Perdomo Cuevas
Excelente rola 2022 y la sigo escuchando
Candy Delorme
I love it . Such a change . Beautifully done . Great talent
Johnathon Baxter
The sound is amazing. Need more music like this, only other song I found was keys to the kingdom. Need more like this!
Jonathan Boh
This track kicks some serious ass! Slide guitar is brilliant!!
Nautical Disaster
Tune still rocks! Hope it's in the set list for your Victoria show in April!
Anne Dorval
Love this, saw them in Salmon Arm BC, excellent live show, so much talent!
D. Wysz
what a song! way to be bringing us some good Blues feel!!!