Brazzaville was formed by David Brown in 1998 in Los Angeles, California. While on tour playing saxophone with Beck, David bought an old guitar in Barcelona and began writing the songs for what would be the first Brazzaville album, 2002. Since then Brazzaville has recorded an additional 3 albums, Somnambulista, Rouge on Pockmarked Cheeks and Hastings Street. The original version of the band included many musicians, although the core group consisted of Kenny Lyon, Joe Zimmerman, Joel Virgel-Vierset, Mike Bolger and David Ralicke.
The band has toured the east and west coasts of the US as well as playing shows in Europe, Russia and Kazakhstan.
In 2003 David sold everything and moved to Barcelona. There he formed a new version of Brazzaville consisting of himself, two American expatriates (Ivan Knight and Brady Lynch) and two local boys (Paco Jordi and Richie Alvarez). In 2004, Mimicry Records released a greatest hits record called Welcome to Brazzaville. The band’s fifth album, East L.A. Breeze, was released in June 2006, and tracks are currently streaming on their myspace page.
Foolin' Myself
David Arthur Brown Lyrics
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I'm full of fear again
The money's running out
And Christmas is coming soon
I sold my amp again
To pay the rent again
The credit cards are full
Maybe I'm foolin' myself
And it's time to leave this old guitar
High up on the closet shelf
They came to turn the gas off yesterday
And the kids'll have to leave their school
If I can't find a way to pay
I'm on the road again
So far from home again
Chasin' up a dream
That feels like it's come and gone
A new hotel again
Jetlag and CNN
The rain's comin' down
And I'm washin' clothes in the shower
David Arthur Brown's song "Foolin' Myself" delves into the financial struggles of a musician who is at the end of his rope. As the song begins, Brown paints a grim picture of winter's arrival, bringing a palpable sense of anxiety and dread. The singer is already facing issues of dwindling funds and mounting bills, which are worsened by the impending holiday season. In a desperate attempt to make ends meet, he sells his amplifier and even mulls over the possibility of giving up music altogether.
The second half of the song takes the listener on the road with the singer, who is far from home and chasing a dream that might have slipped through his fingers. He's holed up in yet another generic hotel room, doing laundry in the shower and feeling lonely and defeated. The mention of jetlag and CNN reinforces his feeling of disconnection and disorientation. The constant struggle to survive as a musician is taking its toll, and the singer's predicament is summed up in the poignant words, "And I'm washin' clothes in the shower."
Overall, "Foolin' Myself" is a powerful meditation on the harsh realities of life as an artist, where financial instability and emotional hardship are often par for the course. Brown's lyrics touch on themes of economic insecurity, identity crisis, and the sacrifices one has to make in pursuit of a creative passion. The song serves as a poignant reminder of the immense personal costs that many musicians pay in order to bring their art to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Winter's here again
The season of Winter has arrived once more
I'm full of fear again
I am feeling apprehensive and anxious once more
The money's running out
I don't have much money left
And Christmas is coming soon
The holiday of Christmas is approaching quickly
I sold my amp again
I had to sell my amplifier once more
To pay the rent again
In order to pay for my living space once more
The credit cards are full
My credit cards have reached their limit
And I 'm getting' older
I am getting older with each passing day
Maybe I'm foolin' myself
Perhaps I am deceiving myself
And it's time to leave this old guitar
And perhaps it is time for me to give up on this guitar
High up on the closet shelf
Placed at a higher spot in the closet
They came to turn the gas off yesterday
They came by to shut off the gas supply yesterday
And the kids'll have to leave their school
And my children will need to switch schools
If I can't find a way to pay
If I cannot come up with the funds to pay for everything
I'm on the road again
I am travelling on the road once more
So far from home again
A considerable distance from my home once more
Chasin' up a dream
Pursuing a certain dream
That feels like it's come and gone
One that appears to have been and gone already
A new hotel again
A brand new hotel once more
Jetlag and CNN
Feeling the effects of jetlag and watching CNN
The rain's comin' down
It is currently raining
And I'm washin' clothes in the shower
I am having to wash my clothes in the shower
Contributed by Eli L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.