After a solo tour in the fall of 2003, Alexakis decided to continue with Everclear, organizing a new band that made its debut in March of 2004. The new lineup consisted of bass player Sam Hudson, guitarist Dave French, and drummer Eric Bretl. In the summer of 2004, the band added keyboard player Josh Crawley, and swapped Bretl for former Everclear drum tech Brett Snyder. The new lineup released its first recording, a cover of Woody Guthrie's This Land Is Your Land, that summer. A self-released EP of performances recorded for XM Satellite Radio called Closure was given out at shows in the fall of 2004.
Free of a major label, Alexakis spent the ensuing year and half slowly recording material for a new Everclear release. He admitted that the time after the breakup of the original lineup served as a "wake up call", during which he suffered his third divorce and a filing for bankruptcy. Alexakis announced the completion of the album in early 2006,titled Welcome To The Drama Club. The new band is now on Eleven Seven Music.
In August of 2008, drummer Brett Snyder left the band after four years. He was then replaced by Tommy Stewart, who previously played in bands Fuel and Godsmack.
The Joker
Everclear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me maurice
'cause I speak of the pompitous of love
People keep talking about me, baby
Said I'm doin' you wrong
Well, don't worry, don't worry
Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner
I'm a lover, and I'm a sinner
I play my music in the sun
I'm a joker, I'm a smoker
I'm a midnight toker
I sure don't want to hurt no one
You're the cutest thing that I ever did see
I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree
Lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey all the time
Ooo-eee baby, I'll sure show you a good time
Chorus 2x
The lyrics of Everclear's song "The Joker" are full of playful and humorous references to the different names people have given to the singer. The first stanza introduces the different nicknames: "Some people call me the space cowboy / Some call me the gangster of love / Some people call me Maurice / 'cause I speak of the pompitous of love." The nicknames could be a reflection of the different personas the singer adopts, depending on how he wants to be perceived or how he wants to interact with others.
The second stanza seems to be a response to rumors or gossip about the singer's behavior towards a specific person: "People keep talking about me, baby / Said I'm doin' you wrong / Well, don't worry, don't worry / 'cause I'm right here at home." It could be interpreted as an attempt to reassure the person that everything's okay and that they shouldn't pay attention to what others say.
The chorus highlights the singer's diversity: "Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner / I'm a lover, and I'm a sinner / I play my music in the sun / I'm a joker, I'm a smoker / I'm a midnight toker / I sure don't want to hurt no one." The singer is a multifaceted individual who enjoys playing music, enjoying life, and indulging in some vices, but ultimately, he doesn't want to harm anyone.
Line by Line Meaning
Some people call me the space cowboy
There are individuals who refer to me as a cowboy who travels in space
Some call me the gangster of love
Others recognize me as a notorious person of love who can do anything for it
Some people call me maurice
Some named me Maurice
'cause I speak of the pompitous of love
This is because I talk about the intricate and often misunderstood aspects of love
People keep talking about me, baby
People keep conversing about me, oh dear
Said I'm doin' you wrong
They say I'm mistreating you
Well, don't worry, don't worry
Well, there's no need to worry, no need to worry
'cause I'm right here at home
Because I'm at home and I'm not doing anything wrong
Cause I'm a picker, I'm a grinner
It's because I'm a musician who plays guitar and smiles a lot during performances
I'm a lover, and I'm a sinner
I'm a person who both loves and does wrong things
I play my music in the sun
I play my type of music on a sunny day
I'm a joker, I'm a smoker
I'm a person who cracks jokes and smokes cigarettes
I'm a midnight toker
I tend to smoke weed during the night
I sure don't want to hurt no one
I genuinely do not want to harm anyone
You're the cutest thing that I ever did see
You're the most adorable person I have ever laid my eyes on
I really love your peaches, want to shake your tree
I genuinely love your physical attributes, and I would like to flirt with you
Lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey all the time
Being affectionate and loving all the time
Ooo-eee baby, I'll sure show you a good time
I can guarantee that I will provide you with an excellent experience, dear
Contributed by Parker S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.