At age 16, Doyle Bramhall II toured with Jimmie Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as second guitarist. In 1992 Doyle formed Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton and Stevie Ray Vaughan's rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton (also known as Double Trouble). Doyle became Eric Clapton's second guitarist in 2004 after Andy Fairweather-Low backed out of the tour. He left Clapton's band in 2009 to reform Arc Angels.
"Doyle Bramhall II was raised in a home filled with the blues and rock and roll sounds that are indigenous to his birthplace - Austin, Texas. His father, Doyle Bramhall Senior, was the drummer for blues legend Lightning Hopkins and a regular collaborator with Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
When Doyle was 16 years old, he toured as second guitarist with Jimmy Vaughan's band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Shortly thereafter he and fellow Texan, Charlie Sexton, co-founded the rock band Arc Angels. Doyle and Charlie enlisted the rhythm section from Stevie Ray Vaughan's backing band, Double Trouble, to complete the lineup. The group enjoyed critical acclaim and commercial success.
Following the release of "Jellycream," Doyle's 1999 RCA debut recording, he received phone calls from both Roger Waters and Eric Clapton. Doyle ended up joining Roger Waters for a summer tour while Clapton, along with fellow blues great B.B. King, chose two of Doyle's songs - "Marry You" and "I Wanna Be" - for their collaborative recording entitled "Riding With The King." Upon completion of the "Riding..." project, Doyle, his wife - Susannah Melvoin, and Clapton co-wrote and performed "Superman Inside" for Clapton's album, "Reptile." Doyle's playing is also heavily featured on the album.
The latest offering from Doyle Bramhall II, entitled - "Welcome" - is the purest sampling of Doyle's talents to date. Doyle entered the studio with Smokestack, the band he put together a couple of years ago, and co-producers Benmont Tench and Jim Scott to record the 12 - song set. Joining Doyle in Smokestack is J.J. Johnson on drums and bassist Chris Bruce. Susannah Melvoin contributed background vocals, Benmont Tench pulled keyboard duty and Craig Ross played second guitar.
The album, "Welcome" showcases the diversity of Bramhall's talent; from his songwriting to his intense, soulful vocals and virtuoso guitar playing. Doyle's gravity explosion can be readily heard on such tracks as the driving "Green Light Girl" and the uptempo "Soul Shaker." His dedication to the blues can be felt on tracks like "Life," "So You Want It To Rain" and "Send Some Love."
Doyle and his band are set to open for Eric Clapton on the first leg of a worldwide tour this year".
Official Site
Blame
Doyle Bramhall II Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
with the sun
You walked out the door
what have you done
Jagged cold stones
at your feet
Cold water over me
But I can't go on this way
I've wasted years just to hear you say
Blame
Say what you want to say
Blame
Who do you want me to be
We could write the book on sorrow and pain
Leopard skinned and lion willed
Outside eclipsed
Holding time
You had so much love to spare
I'm blind with with my head in the air
But I can't go on this way
I've wasted years just to hear you say
Blame
Say what you want to say
Blame
Who do you want me to be
Blame
Blame
Silver roots run through my veins
moon dance alone what a shame
And I don't want to go on this way
I've wasted years just to hear you say
Blame
Say what you want to say
Blame
Who do you want me to be
Blame
Blame
The lyrics to Doyle Bramhall II & Smokestack's song Blame explore the pain and heartbreak of a relationship that has come to an end. The singer recounts watching their partner leave with the sun and feeling the weight of their absence. The imagery of jagged cold stones and cold water over the singer conveys the sense of isolation and loss that they are experiencing. The chorus of the song is a plea for the singer's former partner to assign blame for the relationship's failure. The singer is willing to take responsibility for their own mistakes but craves closure and an acknowledgment of accountability from their partner. The final stanza of the song adds a layer of melancholy to the already somber theme, describing the singer as having "silver roots run through my veins" and feeling like they are stuck in place, unable to move on until they receive the closure they need.
Overall, Blame is a poignant and raw exploration of the complexities of love and loss, and the pain that can follow when a relationship ends.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw you go away
with the sun
I watched you leave while the sun set.
You walked out the door
what have you done
You left and created a negative situation.
Jagged cold stones
at your feet
You are surrounded by a harsh environment.
Cold water over me
I'm drunk on the memories
My past experiences have left me overwhelmed with emotions.
But I can't go on this way
I've wasted years just to hear you say
I can't continue living like this and I've lost a lot of time waiting for you.
Blame
Say what you want to say
Hold me responsible, speak your thoughts.
Blame
Who do you want me to be
What kind of person do you want me to be in your eyes?
We could write the book on sorrow and pain
Leopard skinned and lion willed
Outside eclipsed
Holding time
You had so much love to spare
I'm blind with with my head in the air
We have gone through so much pain together, and you have so much love to give while I am ignorant of it.
Silver roots run through my veins
moon dance alone what a shame
And I don't want to go on this way
I am old but still dancing alone in the moonlight, and I don't want to go on living this way.
I've wasted years just to hear you say
Blame
Say what you want to say
Blame
Who do you want me to be
Blame
Blame
I've spent so much time waiting for you to speak your mind and now you are holding me responsible for what went wrong.
Contributed by Mackenzie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.