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.
Palm Springs
David Arthur Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She don't need diamond rings
No house in the hills
No weekends in Palm Springs
She just wants a guy who'll
Love her and won't beat her all the time
Is that too much to ask?
A family by the beach
The glow of the good life
Seems so out of reach
The hours on the bus and
The dealers on the corner by her home
It's so hard to face America alone
And Isabel says that
Maybe she'd be better off back home
South of the border
In the shadow of a bright green volcano
There isn't much work there
And her father likes to drink more
Than he should
But there's a boy there who loves her
And he'd treat her real good
Sunday she's free and
She spends it in her room
She shuts out the city
The danger and the gloom
She reads gossip websites
And chats with her beloved back at home
It's so hard to face America alone
The lyrics of David Arthur Brown's song "Palm Springs" are telling the story of a young woman named Isabel who is struggling to find her place in the United States. Isabel does not care about material possessions and longs for a simple life with someone who will treat her well. The first verse explains that she desires love and respect from a partner, without having to succumb to abuse. The reference to diamond rings and fancy houses indicates that Isabel is not interested in money or materialism, and rather would prefer a partner who values the simple things in life.
The second verse touches on the challenges Isabel faces in America. She works hard every day for a family by the beach, but struggles to feel any sense of fulfillment. The "glow of the good life" that she sees around her feels unattainable, and she is faced with the harsh realities of everyday life such as dangerous neighborhoods and drug dealers. The line "It's so hard to face America alone" emphasizes the isolation that she feels in a country that is not her own.
The final verse of the song introduces the concept of home for Isabel. She longs for the comfort of her family and the love of a boy back in her home country of Mexico. Although life may not be easy there, it is where she feels she truly belongs. The line "It's so hard to face America alone" is repeated, stressing the fact that while Isabel may be physically present in America, she is emotionally and spiritually disconnected from the culture and way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Isabel says that
According to Isabel
She don't need diamond rings
She doesn't require expensive jewelry
No house in the hills
She doesn't desire a house in high terrain
No weekends in Palm Springs
She doesn't want to spend her weekends in Palm Springs
She just wants a guy who'll
She needs a man who
Love her and won't beat her all the time
will love her without harming her physically
Is that too much to ask?
Is it a big deal to ask for these things?
She works everyday for
She goes to work constantly for
A family by the beach
A household living near the seaside
The glow of the good life
The exposure to luxurious lifestyles
Seems so out of reach
Appears to be unattainable for her
The hours on the bus and
She spends so much time driving and
The dealers on the corner by her home
Drug sellers present at the end of the street where she stays
It's so hard to face America alone
It is challenging to confront America as an individual
And Isabel says that
Isabel affirms that
Maybe she'd be better off back home
It could be more satisfactory for her to return to her country of origin
South of the border
On the other side of the country's border
In the shadow of a bright green volcano
In the midst of the shadow of a thriving green volcano
There isn't much work there
There are not many employment opportunities there
And her father likes to drink more
Additionally, her dad enjoys consuming alcohol to an excess extent
Than he should
More than is appropriate
But there's a boy there who loves her
Nevertheless, she has a male admirer there who loves her
And he'd treat her real good
He would treat her nicely
Sunday she's free and
On Sunday, she is unrestricted and
She spends it in her room
She utilizes it inside her chamber
She shuts out the city
She bars herself from the city
The danger and the gloom
The likely dangers and the dim lightings
She reads gossip websites
She reads websites that publish sensational news
And chats with her beloved back at home
And communicates with her special someone who is back in her homeland
It's so hard to face America alone
It is arduous to face America as a solo person
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.