The band members met in the DC punk/indie scene, though their music draws from more faraway sources. The band formed in the fall of 1998 from the ashes of local bands The Impossible Five and Colour, when singer-guitarist Jason Simon, bassist Steve Kille, and drummer Mark Laughlin set out to fuse their love of early 70s hard rock and 60s psychedelia with their love of writers J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft.
Dead Meadow released their six-song debut in 2000 on Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's Tolotta Records, and a joint vinyl release on Washington D.C. indie label Planaria Records. In 2001 the band released its second album, Howls From The Hills, on Tolotta. Whereas the first self-titled album was recorded in their practice space for a couple hundred dollars and plenty of learning curves, Howls From The Hills was born in a barn in Liberty, Indiana. Their sound fuller without losing its live essence, the band grew to encompass everything from ambient guitar drones to surging psych-funk sludge, blues-folk tunes to barbiturate space-rock, and some southern slow boogie thrown in for good measure.
In spring 2002, original drummer Mark Laughlin reluctantly quit the group, replaced by old friend and previous collaborator Stephen McCarty (whose grandfather's farmhouse is where the band recorded Howls From the Hills). Also in mid-2002 the band found an unlikely patron in Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe, who recorded, produced and printed Dead Meadow's live disc 'Got Live if You Want' it on his "Committee to Keep Music Evil" imprint of the legendary Bomp label. Soon after, they recorded a Peel Session at the Fugazi practice space - the first time the BBC recorded a Peel Session outside their own studios.
Shortly after signing with Matador in 2003, Dead Meadow self-produced 'Shivering King And Others' in the basement studio of the DC Pirate House over five months and during a busy schedule of touring. Along with the heavy rockers and bluesy numbers as on the previous two records, the band went deeper into the psychedelic realm, with chiming acoustic touches and lovely, disorienting ballads.
With the addition of 2nd guitarist Cory Shane and beautifully spacious production, their 2005 album 'Feathers' features songs like "At Her Open Door" and "Stacy's Song" influenced by the droning modal character of Eastern music as by classic rock riffs.
In early 2008, the band released Old Growth on Matador Records. A collection of songs that brought the band back initially to the same farm where their second release Howls from the Hills was created and eventually finished up at the Sunset Sound studio in Los Angeles.
In March 2010 the band released a live film and soundtrack, Three Kings, which was recorded at the final show of the band's five-month "Old Growth" tour.
In August 2010, it was announced that original drummer Mark Laughlin had re-joined the band.
Their album "The Nothing They Need" was released in 2018.
Ain't Got Nothing
Dead Meadow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What more is there that I could say then Lord, let it stay
I ain't got nothing to go wrong today
No, not today
I've been up and down this street for quite some time
The gutters get filled, it takes all kind like fish on a line
The way that things go these days, I'm fine
Yeah, I'm doing fine
All things in this world they come, they go
Yes, this much I know
If silence is golden then your words they're lead
I can't believe how that shit sticks in my head
The sun shines away, there's nothing to say
People they talk anyway, they're talking away
The lyrics to "Ain't Got Nothing (to Go Wrong)" by Dead Meadow paint a picture of a person who is content with their life and surroundings. The opening line describes a beautiful day with a "lemon yellow sun up overhead." The person is so happy with the day that they ask the Lord to make it stay. The chorus repeats the phrase "I ain't got nothing to go wrong today" emphasizing the contentment the person feels.
The second verse gives insight into the person's experiences. They have been up and down a street "for quite some time" and have seen all kinds of people pass by. The person has also experienced the ups and downs of life, but today they feel fine. They don't know why they feel this way, but they let it flow. The third verse touches on the power of words. The person compares silence to gold and words to lead. They struggle with negative words that stick in their head. Ultimately, the person seems to find solace in the fact that the sun shines away, and people talk anyway.
Overall, the lyrics to "Ain't Got Nothing (to Go Wrong)" convey a message of contentment with life. The person seems to have come to terms with the ups and downs of life and finds peace in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Lemon yellow sun up overhead today
The sun is shining brightly today.
What more is there that I could say then Lord, let it stay
There's nothing more to say, but I hope the sunshine lasts all day.
I ain't got nothing to go wrong today
I have nothing to worry about today.
No, not today
Definitely not today.
I've been up and down this street for quite some time
I've been around for a while.
The gutters get filled, it takes all kind like fish on a line
The world is full of diverse people and experiences.
The way that things go these days, I'm fine
Despite the ups and downs of life, I'm doing okay.
Yeah, I'm doing fine
Just checking again, everything is good.
Why that maybe I don't know, just let it flow
I don't know why everything is going well, but I'm not questioning it.
All things in this world they come, they go
Everything in life is fleeting.
Yes, this much I know
I know for sure that everything is temporary.
If silence is golden then your words they're lead
Your words are worthless if you can't be quiet and listen sometimes.
I can't believe how that shit sticks in my head
It's amazing how certain things people say can stay with you forever.
The sun shines away, there's nothing to say
The sun is still shining and there's nothing else to comment on.
People they talk anyway, they're talking away
People will always talk, regardless of what's happening around them.
Contributed by Benjamin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cintia Jacinto
Lyrics
Lemon yellow sun up overhead today
What more is there that I could say then Lord, let it stay
I ain't got nothing to go wrong today
No, not today
I've been up and down this street for quite some time
The gutters get filled, it takes all kind like fish on a line
The way that things go these days, I'm fine
Yeah, I'm doing fine
Good times come, they sure come slow
Why that maybe I don't know, just let it flow
All things in this world they come, they go
Yes, this much I know
If silence is golden then your words they're lead
I can't believe how that shit sticks in my head
The sun shines away, there's nothing to say
People they talk anyway, they're talking away
Cintia Jacinto
Lyrics
Lemon yellow sun up overhead today
What more is there that I could say then Lord, let it stay
I ain't got nothing to go wrong today
No, not today
I've been up and down this street for quite some time
The gutters get filled, it takes all kind like fish on a line
The way that things go these days, I'm fine
Yeah, I'm doing fine
Good times come, they sure come slow
Why that maybe I don't know, just let it flow
All things in this world they come, they go
Yes, this much I know
If silence is golden then your words they're lead
I can't believe how that shit sticks in my head
The sun shines away, there's nothing to say
People they talk anyway, they're talking away
MNR34
At 3:48 this song really takes off and then at 5:11 it becomes epic beyond words.
Jacob G.
gives me deepest chills
terry ells
great album
Adam
Masterpiece
WhoLetTheBullsOut
best intro song of any album, all time
Mister E
reminds me a lot of 'Fearless' by Pink Floyd
Jarrad
I thought the same thing :) Both two of my favorite songs
DEIMOSTheGameOfficial
Amazing song holy fuck yes
Vasiliki Katsouda
dope