Gallardo's 2009 release, "Sweetheart Radio Revolution, Etc.", garnered a following from alt-country and Triple A radio stations nationwide with its collection of folk-tinged songs.
Born in Fairfax, CA, Gallardo is the product of wide-ranging taste in artistic influences, absorbing healthy doses of the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Merle Haggard, Bob Dylan, The Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as contemporary acts like Wilco, The Jayhawks, Whiskeytown, The Mother Hips, Tom Petty & Ray LaMontagne. Gallardo moved around California for years being an active member of the music scenes in cities such as Chico, San Francisco and Los Angeles. He relocated to Nashville, Tennessee in 2007.
Gallardo released, "When The Daylight Whispers Darling...", was released in February 2011. It can be found at all digital outlets (iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic). Produced by Neilson Hubbard (Kim Richey, Glen Phillips, Jill Andrews, The Apache Relay, The Farewell Drifters, Garrison Starr). The album has received high praise from Americana review sites in Europe and the U.S. such as No Depression, AltCountryForum.nl, Common Folk Music, and The Nashville Scene, who called it "his strongest effort yet: country-rock with brains, charm and experimental impulses that are perfectly integrated into a familiar context.” It also received airplay on BBC Radio in the UK.
Don Gallardo just completed production of his third full-length album, with backing band How Far West, tentatively titled "The Art Of Troublesome Times" and their 2nd with producer Neilson Hubbard (see credentials above). The new album has Jen Gunderman (ex-The Jayhawks) on Organ, Piano, and Accordion. Eamon McLoughlin (ex-The Greencards) on Fiddle and Jill Andrews singing a duet. It is slated for release in May/June 2012.
Gallardo has appeared with artists such as Roseanne Cash, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Jim Lauderdale, Delbert McClinton, Rogue Wave, The Mother Hips, Molly Hatchet, Peter Rowan, Webb Wilder, Hot Buttered Rum, Yonder Mountain String Band and Jolie Holland.
PRESS & REVIEWS
Reviews/Quotes:
“Don Gallardo is one of those rare gems… Don’s writing style harkens back to a time when Nashville was overflowing with great storytellers.”
- No Depression Magazine
“The music is great. Lovely tracks, if you are a fan of the Ryan Adams style of alt-country.”
- Ralph McLean BBC Ireland Ulster
“Gallardo is a careful singer who writes intelligently about the boredom and charm of small-town life. His new full-length When the Daylight Whispers Darling ... is his strongest effort yet: country-rock with brains, charm and experimental impulses that are perfectly integrated into a familiar context.”
- Nashville Scene
“When the Daylight Whispers Darling is a charming and melodic album overflowing with wonderful country-influenced tunes. This may be Don Gallardo's best effort so far, proving he's a great songwriter with a great future ahead of him. “
- Common Folk Music.com
“A San Francisco to Nashville transplant who’s impressing the best in Americana”
- Music City Roots
“Don Gallardo then served up rock solid Americana in the vein of Greg Trooper and other songwriters with big dreams and small hats. In an easy voice he sang warnings of forgetting your home and taking time for granted. All good words set to fine tunes.”
- Craig Havighurst of Music City Roots
“Don Gallardo, does not just so much deliver a song, he shakes it loose and smacks its back until it screams with life. Gallardo works words into flesh forms with a clear eye to make the heart beat both fast and slow.”
-The Alternate Root
"Nicely played and sung – a sort of sip of Californian wine instead of a slug of Jack Daniels. Wholesome, heartfelt."
- Americana UK
Nowhere Man
Don Gallardo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he′s going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
You don't know what you′re missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command
He′s as blind as he can be
Just sees what he wants to see
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?
Nowhere Man, don't worry
Take your time, don′t hurry
Leave it all till somebody else lends you a hand
Doesn't have a point of view
Knows not where he′s going to
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere Man, please listen
You don′t know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command
He's a real Nowhere Man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
The song "Nowhere Man" by Don Gallardo is a commentary on those who seem to be going nowhere in life, and the ways in which they limit themselves by blinders and a lack of vision. The singer, known as the "Nowhere Man," is a person who has no real plans or goals, and who spends his time in a state of idleness or aimlessness. While this lack of direction and ambition may seem relatable to some listeners, the song ultimately challenges its audience to break out of this cycle and take charge of their lives.
The first verse sets the stage for the song's theme of aimlessness, as the "Nowhere Man" is described as "Making all his nowhere plans for nobody." This line suggests that the singer has ideas and thoughts about what he wants to do with his life, but lacks the will or ambition to put these ideas into action. The second verse further emphasizes this point, portraying the "Nowhere Man" as someone who is "As blind as he can be" and "Just sees what he wants to see." This suggests that his lack of direction is not merely a result of external circumstances, but is also a product of his own narrow mindset and lack of curiosity.
Despite painting a bleak picture of aimlessness, the song ultimately offers hope to its listeners in its chorus. The line "Nowhere Man, the world is at your command" suggests that, with the right attitude and a bit of effort, anyone can take control of their life and achieve their goals. The repeated plea to "please listen" and the assurance that "the world is at your command" suggest that the song is ultimately a call to action, asking listeners to break out of their own cycles of indecision and inaction and take charge of their future.
Line by Line Meaning
He's a real nowhere man
He is a person who has no direction or purpose in his life
Sitting in his nowhere land
He is stuck in a place that has no meaning or significance
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
He keeps making plans that have no meaning, and he does not have anyone to share them with or care about them
Doesn't have a point of view
He lacks an understanding or opinion about the world around him
Knows not where he's going to
He is directionless, and he has no idea what his future holds
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
He is similar to many people who lack direction and purpose in their lives
Nowhere Man, please listen
He is being called out, and someone is trying to get his attention
You don't know what you're missing
He is not making the most of his life and could be missing out on many experiences and opportunities
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command
He has the power to take control of his life and make something out of it
He's as blind as he can be
He is completely oblivious to the world and its possibilities
Just sees what he wants to see
He only focuses on things that he desires, rather than looking at the bigger picture of life
Nowhere Man, can you see me at all?
Even though he is not aware of the world around him, someone is still trying to reach out to him
Nowhere Man, don't worry
He should not be concerned about his lack of direction because there is still time to make something of his life
Take your time, don't hurry
He should not rush into making decisions or plans, and should take his time to find his direction
Leave it all till somebody else lends you a hand
He should not worry about finding his direction because someone else will come along to help him
He's a real Nowhere Man
He truly has no direction or purpose in his life
Sitting in his nowhere land
He is still stuck in a place that has no meaning or significance
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody
He is still making plans that have no meaning, and he still has no one to share them with or care about them
Writer(s): Lennon John Winston, Mccartney Paul James
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.