His GRP debut album Freedom at Midnight was his biggest seller and most popular album. Benoit also says that it was his favorite album to produce, because it was when "everything came together," as he stated in an interview on smoothviews.com.
Out of respect for one of his main influencers, Bill Evans, he dedicated his 1992 album Letter to Evan to him.
Many of his songs employed a string section, most notably on his American Landscape and Orchestral Stories albums in 1997 and 2005, respectively. He has said that it is his dream to release a symphonic album.
In 2000, after the death of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, he released a memorial album entitled Here's to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years! Collaborators included the chorus group Take 6, guitarist Mark Antoine and trumpeter Chris Botti. He also did the music for "Peanuts" in the later specials.
He is a close friend of The Rippingtons' guitarist and lead Russ Freeman, and they often appeared on each other's albums. They also released collaborative efforts The Benoit/Freeman Project and The Benoit / Freeman Project 2.
Snap!
David Benoit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To sum up the problems which we face
History's a lesson, let us learn by our mistakes
Just don't expect to make sense
Out of what you see
For I can tell you now that
Knowing is believing
So if you open your mind you might understand
And though you may not be inclined to believe
The man behind the desk does get paid to deceive
You live in your little dream world
You're much too cool to care
I really have to warn you
I think it's only fair
They await the final hour
As happy as they are sick
Laughing so hysterically
At all those who they've tricked
But then who an I to tell you who to believe in
When all the masks they seem so damn deceiving?
How can I say to you, "You be Free"
That would never bring about mass anarchy
Now, would it?
In David Benoit's song Snap!, he explores the theme of government scams and the manipulation of the masses. The opening lines suggest that there are no easy answers to the problems we face, and that learning from history and our mistakes is essential. The line "just don't expect to make sense out of what you see" hints at a sense of confusion and disillusionment, as the singer warns that knowing is believing. This implies that the reality of the situation may be difficult to accept.
The second verse is particularly pointed, as the singer suggests that the listener is living in a "little dream world" and is too cool to care. This could be interpreted as a critique of a certain apathy or complacence that exists within society. The final lines raise the question of who to believe in, as the masks worn by those in positions of power are described as "damn deceiving." The cautionary tone of the song suggests that there are forces at work that seek to manipulate and control the masses, and that it is up to individuals to be vigilant and aware.
Line by Line Meaning
No, there are no easy answers
There are no simple solutions to the issues we're facing
To sum up the problems which we face
To outline the many problems that we're confronting
History's a lesson, let us learn by our mistakes
We should learn from history so we don't repeat our errors
Just don't expect to make sense
Don't expect everything you see to be coherent
Out of what you see
Out of what you perceive
For I can tell you now that
Because I can assure you that
Knowing is believing
Once you know the truth, you'll believe it
So if you open your mind you might understand
If you're receptive, you'll be able to comprehend
You're the victim of a bigtime government scam
You've been cheated by a massive government deception
And though you may not be inclined to believe
Even if you're not inclined to believe
The man behind the desk does get paid to deceive
The man in charge is paid to lie
You live in your little dream world
You're confined to your own illusionary world
You're much too cool to care
You're too disinterested to care
I really have to warn you
I must genuinely caution you
I think it's only fair
I believe it's equitable
They await the final hour
They're anticipating the end of it all
As happy as they are sick
As ecstatic as they are diseased
Laughing so hysterically
Their amusement is borderline lunacy
At all those who they've tricked
At all the people they've fooled
But then who an I to tell you who to believe in
But who am I to tell you who to trust
When all the masks they seem so damn deceiving?
When all their disguises are extremely misleading?
How can I say to you, "You be Free"
How can I tell you, "Be free"
That would never bring about mass anarchy
That would never cause widespread chaos
Now, would it?
Would it?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID BRYAN BENOIT, RICHARD C. BRAUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind