The band originated in the early 1990s as One Fell Swoop, but changed their name to Dispatch in 1996. Chad Urmston, Braddigan, and Pete (Francis) Heimbold, who were all attending Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont comprised the band's lineup throughout their entire career. Their music has drawn on several influences, such as acoustic folk-rock, reggae, and funk.
Dispatch gained much recognition outside of New England, without any help from a label, and stuck together long enough to release seven albums, three of which were live performances. During concerts, the band had been known to improvise upon their album releases, often resulting in a song ending in twice the length of the original. The group was also fond of switching instruments and vocal duties when playing live.
Upon the announcement of its break-up in 2002, the band scheduled one final concert. The free show was performed at the Hatch Shell in Boston on July 31, 2004. "The Last Dispatch," as it was referred, is said to be the largest concert in independent music history; roughly 110,000 fans from over 20 different countries attended the show. Parts of the performance were released as a CD/DVD two-disc set later that year, entitled All Points Bulletin, along with an earlier show in Somerville, Massachusetts.
All three of the band's members are currently still in the music industry. Urmston is now the frontman of State Radio, while Corrigan (now credited as Braddigan, a nickname by which he was known since his time with Dispatch) and Heimbold (now credited as Pete Francis, his middle name) are succesfully pursuing solo efforts.
After the song Elias, written by Urmston after his experience living and teaching in Zimbabwe, the "Elias Fund" was formed to send children from the ravaged country to college.
Dispatch came out with a movie entitled "Last Dispatch" in July 2005, which documents their final 12 days together as a band and tells the story of how they became "the band that redefined independent music history". The film was released and previewed in Boston. Chad, Brad, and Pete attended the showing and celebrated throughout the weekend with their fans.
On December 22, 2005, Corrigan helped to organize a benefit concert, known as the Relief Project, at Irving Plaza in New York, New York. Along with several other performers, Corrigan invited Heimbold and State Radio to play. The three reunited very briefly, playing the song Here We Go as an encore. Corrigan stated there that he plans further Relief Project concerts featuring all three and perhaps sometime in 2007, a major Dispatch reunion concert.
Entitled "Dispatch: Zimbabwe", Dispatch arranged for one show in Madison Square Garden, with all the money sent towards relief efforts in Zimbabwe. Originally billed as a one show deal on July 14, Dispatch was surprised how quickly this first show sold out and set two more shows for the 13 and 15. After all three shows sold out, Dispatch announced another smaller show on July 11th at Webster Hall in New York, where they made their comeback debut to great success.
Dispatch had a second set of reunion concerts beginning at Red Rocks amphitheater in Denver, Colorado on June 3, 4, and 5th, 2011. These performances launched a reunion tour around the US and the release of their Dispatch EP on May 17th.
In 2017, the band released the song, "Only The Wild Ones" from their album, America, Location 12.
Elias
Dispatch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Coz e wah he, coz e wah he, mah ka simba
Airay, da ka simba kanamah ka simba oh
Da kah simba, da kah simba
Da ka simba kanamah ka simba oh
You raise your head, beat the sun
But your boys they lie, so close to you
Do you dare get up? And wake the two
Oh Elias, I see you there, at work in the daytime do you think you could,
answer all the questions of the world
In just one word, I think you could.
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Honest and Manuel well you know, they're at school now
Getting the chance that, their father's never seen
See what's beyond, section 17
And in 10 years, when you look back at your boys
well you know they've grown, way taller than the tallest sugar cane in the field
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time
Hold my hand just one more time
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet meee.
And I see your wife, she stands, stooped over by the fire outside
And I see your boys, and when they look up, you know i think they've got their mother's eyes
Cause she looks so proud, she looks so happy, she looks so proud, she looks so happy, yeaahhh
If you die will i get word that you're gone
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more tiiiime (Aya, Aya, Ayaahah)
Hold my hand ,one more time (Aya, Aya, Ayaahah)
Dayah ya ya, yah yah yah, yah yah yah (Aya, Aya, Ayaahaha)
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
The song "Elias" by Dispatch tells the story of Elias, a hardworking man who supports his family by working during the day. The repetitive verse in a Ghanaian language, Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay, seems to represent the monotonous routine of Elias' life. However, despite the hardships, Elias is determined to provide for his family and wakes up early to work while his sons are still sleeping. The song makes reference to the fact that Elias' hard work and sacrifices may go unnoticed in the grand scheme of things but are crucial for his family's survival.
The chorus of the song poses the question of what happens if Elias were to pass away. Will his family receive word of his death, or will they only hear about it through passing conversation? These questions emphasize the fragility of life and the importance of appreciating loved ones while they are still alive. The final scene of Elias' wife and children shows that although his hard work may go unnoticed, his family is still proud and loves him. The song ends with a plea for Elias to hold the singer's hand just one more time, hinting at the possibility that Elias may not be around forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Nah jay su atwanei kwa, tie asu fahdah dah hay
You feel the weight, but still you move forward
Tie asu fahdah dah hay, fahdah dah hay
Take a deep breath and continue
Coz e wah he, coz e wah he, mah ka simba
You are brave, you are brave, like a lion
Airay, da ka simba kanamah ka simba oh
Roar like a lion, because you are a lion
You raise your head, beat the sun
You wake up early and work hard
But your boys they lie, so close to you
Your loved ones are close to you but they may not understand your struggles
Do you dare get up? And wake the two
Do you have the courage to wake them and show them your work ethic
Oh Elias, I see you there, at work in the daytime do you think you could,
I see you working hard during the day, Elias, and I wonder if you could
answer all the questions of the world
Answer the deep existential questions that we all have
In just one word, I think you could.
With your wisdom, you could enlighten the world in just a single word
If you die will i get word that you're gone
If something happens to you, will I know right away?
Or will i hear it in passing conversation
Will I find out through rumor or gossip?
Will i stop short and, fall to the ground
Will the news be so impactful that I am physically affected?
Distance is short when your hand carries what your eye found
News travels quickly when it is something you discover with your own eyes
Honest and Manuel well you know, they're at school now
Your sons, Honest and Manuel, are currently in school
Getting the chance that, their father's never seen
They are getting an opportunity that perhaps you never had
See what's beyond, section 17
They are learning about things beyond what is in their immediate surroundings
And in 10 years, when you look back at your boys
When you reflect on your life ten years from now and see how your sons have grown
well you know they've grown, way taller than the tallest sugar cane in the field
You will see how much they have accomplished and how they have surpassed your expectations
And I see your wife, she stands, stooped over by the fire outside
I see your wife standing outside by the fire, probably working hard as well
And I see your boys, and when they look up, you know i think they've got their mother's eyes
When your sons look up, they have their mother's features and seem to be proud of her
Cause she looks so proud, she looks so happy, she looks so proud, she looks so happy, yeaahhh
Your wife looks happy and proud of the family she has built with you
Hold my hand just one more time, to see if you're really gonna meet me
Please hold my hand one more time, so I can feel our connection and know that we will see each other again
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind