"The raw spirit of indie rock. An amplified, rocking version of ’60s protest folk. The soulful passion of the Violent Femmes and The Waterboys." All of these comparisons have been made in attempts to describe Delta Spirit, the southern California five-piece who might just be one of the most important new bands of the decade. Each description contains elements of the truth, but the real answer to the question “who is Delta Spirit?” lies within Ode to Sunshine, the band’s captivating debut. The group’s DIY ethic shines throughout the album, with songs honed razor-sharp over a year of non-stop touring across America. Opening sold-out tours for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog, the band developed a riveting live show and gained a loyal following amongst tastemaker music fans, earning them invites to national festivals like Austin City Limits, Noise Pop and Sasquatch. So it would not be an understatement to call Ode to Sunshine one of the year’s most highly-anticipated debuts. But don’t take our word for it; in the words of Delta Spirit: “If you’re feeling what I’m feeling come on, all you soul searching people come on.”
Jonathan Jameson of Delta Spirit took a few minutes out of the band’s busy touring schedule to answer a few questions about the band, their music, and Ode to Sunshine.
Where in California did the band come together? How did you meet?
We are all from Southern California. Brandon met Matt while he was singing and playing guitar by the train tracks in San Diego. The rest is boring.
Who plays what and sings? Do you trade off instruments on different songs?
Brandon plays drums and percussion. Sean plays guitar, does some percussion and hits a big drum. Jon exclusively plays bass with the occasional vocal. Kelly plays piano, hits a drum, sings, hits a trashcan, plays guitar and a high strung guitar. Matt plays guitar, sings and plays piano.
Your songs are credited to the band as a whole. Could you describe how they come together? Are the lyrics collaborative as well?
It’s always a new experience. Matt and Kelly write the lyrics with minor editing done by the band. Songs come as jams, ideas, almost complete chords, hummed notes, drum beats, etc.
Some of the songs have very infectious sing along melodies (like the ba ba ba’s in “People C’mon”). Do you envision your music as communal, for audiences to participate in as well as listen to?
Our music feels most at home when we play it with people as opposed to at people. There is a mystery to music played live. It brings us out of ourselves into something bigger, something beyond our individuality. Sometimes it happens, other times the songs are just songs.
You recorded Ode to Sunshine at a cabin in Julian, California, out in the desert east of San Diego. Did the isolation of the setting influence the vibe of the album (like say, Dylan and The Band’s Basement Tapes)?
It feels like sun, saunas, dogs, friends, Old Crow and Coke, Eli Thompson, beards, hot days, long star filled nights, good books, hikes, shorts, bbq and just the way we wanted to make our first record.
Your music has been compared to current indie rockers, ’80s punk roots bands, and sixties folk rockers. Was there any music you listened to growing up, or that you listen to now, that you hear seeping into your current sound?
We were born in the ’80s, grew up in the ’90s and have parents from the ’60s. We are proud of the bands that are making great music now. Maybe it’s like the Waterboys covering Harry Nilsson or maybe a song by the Weavers at a rally, but on tour next month with Richard Swift. We want to be found in the lineage of honest and true music that has found its way through every current of music history.
There seems to be a conscience in the music, a sense of taking responsibility for ourselves, each other, and the world. What do you feel is special about this moment in history, and this generation, and the place of music and art in society? Are you encouraged by the energy you feel coming back to you from your audiences?
There is a feeling of possibility in our age. We feel that same possibility with our band. There is a deep connection there. We don’t want to forget about the most important thing for us, which is simply making good music, but that does include being aware of what’s going on in the world as well as what’s going on in our own heads and souls. We aren’t self-aggrandizing cock rockers or activist idealist hippies. We just want to be honest about ourselves and how we see the world, not minimizing the darkness or the hope, because both are very real.
Your original DIY version of Ode to Sunshine featured austere black & white artwork, while the new cover is much warmer, with the smiling face of Dr. Thomas Payne (an uncle of one of the band members) raising a toast while at a scientific convention on bark beetles. The Rounder release also features an additional song, “Streetwalker,” which despite its somber subject features a Phil Spector / Brian Wilson groove. Do the new artwork and song show a new side to the band?
I think that before when we were looking at the album it felt kinda heavy to us and serious. About the big things in life. Like a dusty record of Kennedy speeches. But I think we realized that the true feeling of the album also included what we were feeling while making it and recording it and that those bits of summer and excitement and wonder break through every once in a while. It’s as if after listening to those sobering speeches we found the pics of the Kennedys on vacation and now it all really made sense. The light and the dark. Sometimes you have to laugh at the serious stuff to be able to do something about it.
From the opening Rubber Soul-esque acoustic guitars of “Tomorrow Goes Away” to the saloon piano-over-grunge chords of “Trashcan,” from the harmonica-driven protest waltz “People, Turn Around” to the insistent surf rock drums of “Children,” Ode to Sunshine perfectly captures the energy and hope of a new generation that’s rising like a phoenix to change the world. And with Delta Spirit providing the soundtrack, this is one revolution you can dance to.
Streetwalker
Delta Spirit Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She knows the truth
Bad boys walking through the corridor
God knows what they're gonna do.
Darkness paraded across the headlines,
Little girl stolen from her bedroom,
Homeless, beat to death, or put out
Oh why can't I feel for you?
My heart is so black to you
Her head was spinning like a hurricane
Tina was singing her name
Old men like to rape her in the red light
She's too young and numb to complain
Little boy bought at the age of six,
Down the street he's wearing a dress
Look at his face, you won't see no innocence
He's got so much experience
Oh why can't I feel for you?
They lie, what can I do?
Oh Love, set me free!
Set me free!
Come on and set me free!
Oh Lord, set me free!
Set me free!
Come on and set me free!
Underground, the German Casanova
Underground, The Panamanian Queen
He whispers, "Down here, the law will never find you.
Down here I am your God and King"
It's a sin to sit and just do nothing,
There's a special place in hell for me
Oh God I just gotta do something
I swear to God this is happening
Oh Love, set me free!
Set me free!
Come on and set me free!
Oh Lord, set me free!
Set me free!
Oh, it could have been me.
Oh Lord, set them free!
Set them free!
It could have been me.
The Delta Spirit's song Streetwalker is a lamenting song about the harsh realities of life on the streets. The lyrics talk about a girl who knows how to strut right and is aware of the truth. She is witnessed by bad boys walking down the corridor, and nobody knows what they are going to do. The song seems to be a commentary on the humans who are lost on the streets, living in the shadows of our society, and struggling to exist.
The song talks about the darkness that surrounds the streets and how it is displayed in the headlines. There is a little girl who is stolen from her bedroom and either beaten to death or put out; it is hopeless, greedy, and cruel. The lines "Oh, why can't I feel for you? My heart is so black for you," may suggest that the singer is guilty of being too caught up in their own life to take real notice and action towards these issues.
The lyrics also delve into the life of a young girl named Tina who is numb to her surroundings. She is so used to being raped by older men in the red light district that she cannot complain. The song continues to talk about a little boy who was bought at the age of six and made to wear a dress down the street. There is no innocence in his eyes as he has experienced too much already. The song ends with a plea for love and the desire to be set free.
Line by Line Meaning
Streetwalker knows how to strut right
The streetwalker is confident and knows how to walk with grace.
She knows the truth
The streetwalker is aware of the harshness of her reality.
Bad boys walking through the corridor
Dangerous people exist in the same area as the streetwalker.
God knows what they're gonna do.
The streetwalker is uncertain about the intentions of those around her.
Darkness paraded across the headlines,
News of terrible events constantly surround the streetwalker.
Little girl stolen from her bedroom,
An innocent child was taken from their home.
Homeless, beat to death, or put out
Life on the streets could result in violence or death.
Hopeless, greedy and cruel.
The streetwalker sees some of the worst parts of human nature on display.
Oh why can't I feel for you?
The streetwalker struggles to connect emotionally with others due to her circumstances.
My heart is so black to you
The streetwalker feels like her heart has been darkened by her experiences.
Her head was spinning like a hurricane
The streetwalker is dizzy and overwhelmed by her life.
Tina was singing her name
The streetwalker feels a connection to the singer and the song being played.
Old men like to rape her in the red light
The streetwalker is forced to endure sexual abuse from those who pay for her services.
She's too young and numb to complain
The streetwalker has become desensitized to the horrors of her life and can't even express her pain anymore.
Little boy bought at the age of six,
The streetwalker knows of child trafficking and how some children are sold into sexual slavery.
Down the street he's wearing a dress
The streetwalker sees the effects of gender stereotypes and how they can be forced upon innocent children.
Look at his face, you won't see no innocence
The streetwalker sees how experiences can rob a child of their innocence at such a young age.
He's got so much experience
The streetwalker knows that the boy has already been through things that no child should have to.
They lie, what can I do?
The streetwalker is jaded towards authorities and the justice system, feeling powerless to change anything.
Underground, the German Casanova
The streetwalker knows of a dangerous man who operates out of sight.
Underground, The Panamanian Queen
The streetwalker knows of a powerful woman who also operates in secrecy.
He whispers, 'Down here, the law will never find you.
The streetwalker overhears the man telling someone that they are safe from the law in this underground world.
Down here I am your God and King'
The German Casanova asserts his power and control over individuals in the underground world.
It's a sin to sit and just do nothing,
The streetwalker feels a moral obligation to take action and help others in bad situations.
There's a special place in hell for me
The streetwalker is aware of the societal judgment towards her and feels guilty about her actions.
Oh God I just gotta do something
The streetwalker feels compelled to make a change in her life and in the world around her.
I swear to God this is happening
The streetwalker wants others to know that the atrocities going on in the world are real and need to be addressed.
Oh Love, set me free!
The streetwalker longs for liberation from her current circumstances and a chance at a better life.
Oh Lord, set me free!
The streetwalker looks towards a higher being for salvation and a way out of her struggles.
It could have been me.
The streetwalker is humbled and recognizes that with different circumstances, she could have been in the same position as those she sees struggling around her.
Oh Lord, set them free!
The streetwalker prays for the liberation of others who are trapped in similar circumstances.
Set them free!
The streetwalker desires for others to also be able to experience liberation and freedom from their struggles.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRANDON YOUNG, JONATHAN JAMESON, KELLY WINRICH, MATTHEW VASQUEZ, SEAN WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Salamander676
Streetwalker knows how to strut right
She knows the truth
Bad boys walking through the corridor
God knows what they're gonna do
Darkness paraded across the headlines
"Little girl stolen from her bedroom"
Homeless, beat to death, or put out
Hopeless, greedy and cruel
Oh why can't I feel for you?
My heart is so black to you, oh
Her head is spinning like a hurricane
Tina was singing her name
Old men like to rape her in the red light
She's too young and numb to complain
Little boy bought at the age of six
Down the street he's wearing a dress
Look at his face, you won't see no innocence
He's got so much experience
Oh why can't I feel?
The lie, what can I not do?
Oh Love, set me free, set me free
Come on and set me free
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
Yeah, it could have been me
Underground, the German Casanova
Underground, The Panamanian Queen
He whispers, "Down here, the law will never find you
Down here I am your God and King"
It's a sin to sit and just do nothing
There's a special place in hell for me
Oh God, I just gotta do something
I swear to God this is happening
Oh Love, set me free, set me free
Come on and set me free
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
Yeah, it could have been me
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
It could have been me
@fontunetheteller410
@RedVirKnight "old men like to rape her in the corridor"
Wtf?
"Little boy bought at the age of six, blah blah he's wearing a dress"
There's no mention of a cat our mouse anywhere. Oddly enough the song seems to take place from the narrative perspective of someone who simultaneously wants to free the trafficked people if he could only break his own lust for them....
Wtf is tom in jerry a part of this?
@beta-lactamase
Found this song a while ago while searching for new music. I've known Delta Spirit for a while but this is by far their best song. Not only is this an amazingly catchy song it also is deep in it's meaning. It addresses a real problem and it's music helps tell the story as much as the lyrics. Fantastic song, Delta Spirit.
@Salamander676
Streetwalker knows how to strut right
She knows the truth
Bad boys walking through the corridor
God knows what they're gonna do
Darkness paraded across the headlines
"Little girl stolen from her bedroom"
Homeless, beat to death, or put out
Hopeless, greedy and cruel
Oh why can't I feel for you?
My heart is so black to you, oh
Her head is spinning like a hurricane
Tina was singing her name
Old men like to rape her in the red light
She's too young and numb to complain
Little boy bought at the age of six
Down the street he's wearing a dress
Look at his face, you won't see no innocence
He's got so much experience
Oh why can't I feel?
The lie, what can I not do?
Oh Love, set me free, set me free
Come on and set me free
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
Yeah, it could have been me
Underground, the German Casanova
Underground, The Panamanian Queen
He whispers, "Down here, the law will never find you
Down here I am your God and King"
It's a sin to sit and just do nothing
There's a special place in hell for me
Oh God, I just gotta do something
I swear to God this is happening
Oh Love, set me free, set me free
Come on and set me free
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
Yeah, it could have been me
Oh Lord, set them free, set them free
It could have been me
@kevinchang415
This is a good song addressing a social issue that we should be aware of.
@Xlanilune
I haven’t loved a song like this in a long time
@IvonneHS39
I have heard this song 5 times today and I love this band.
@TheKetsup
This song kicks me right in the feelings.
@structureOG
Streetwalker solo never dies
@Waldorfdarling
so glad to have found this band
@paulestrada961
both versions are great. the original sounds more rockey, and this one is just as creative. no matter what they both sound like delta spirit and I can understand why people would enjoy one or either. so they're both great versions :)
@sarahp2707
This one is more emotionally powerful, I feel. It's the one I prefer. The other version isn't bad, but I just don't get those emotional goosebumps with it like I do this version.