After Tod left his previous group, Cop Shoot Cop, he quickly regrouped and formed Firewater to explore the styles of music Cop Shoot Cop had only hinted at, including klezmer, cabaret, ska, jazz, and gypsy forms. More than one source described the original Firewater lineup as an "indie rock supergroup", based on members such as Duane Denison of the Jesus Lizard, Yuval Gabay of Soul Coughing, Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields, and Hahn Rowe. This original lineup proved unable to tour, and Tod recruited new musicians for the band's first tour. While the lineup has changed over the years, with many different musicians appearing on different albums and tours, Tod remains the singer, songwriter, and bassist of Firewater.
Firewater has released six albums, and has seen some success, especially in Europe and on United States college radio stations.
Their previous album, Songs We Should Have Written, is a collection of cover songs. It includes songs written by Robyn Hitchcock, The Rolling Stones ("Paint It Black" reinterpreted as a crawlingly slow raga which "shove(s) a few downers down the song's throat to counter the original version's adrenaline-fueled fire" ), and a "dark and sweet" take of Sonny and Cher's "The Beat Goes On", described as "10 times more ominous and 20 times more pleasurable" than the original. The album also includes a modern rendition of the Johnny Cash anthem "Folsom Prison Blues".
Their latest album, The Golden Hour, has been recorded with various local musicians and friends when Tod A went on sabbatical and travelled through Thailand, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Israel. The record was released May 6 in 2008. The band is currently (October, 2008) touring in support of the album.
Feeling No Pain
Firewater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I took my change off of the floor
Then I packed my suitcase with a brand new face
And threw myself out the door
Too many dues to pay
And it was raining rusty nails on a sunny day
So I wrote a postcard to the wrecking yard
Saying "I won't be coming in today"
Yeah, I'm okay
Well I roll into town on a tumbleweed, and I'll be blowing on the breeze tonight
Feeling no pain
No, I'll never be no billionaire
And you might not believe it, but I just don't care
I don't give a goddamn about the green I make
As long as nobody takes my cake
I gets a god-damn down sometime
I like to roll down the windows and I take a drive
Feel the breeze with a bottle up between my knees
Til it gets tough to see the lines
I'm alright
I said, I'm okay
So get off my back with your heart attacks, 'cause there ain't an ambulance in sight
And I'm feeling no pain
I hate every cop in this town
Always throwing their weight around
Sometimes it's like I got a sign taped to my back,
Saying "kick this poor boy around"
I live on beer and cigarettes
It hasn't seemed to kill me yet
But when that moment comes I won't be afraid
Just one less clown in this parade
I'm alright
Yeah, I'm okay
And I got my own personal philosophy
I won't mess with you if you don't mess with me
And I don't wanna fight, I got nothing to gain
And I've been all over this whole world, from the hurricane to the Tilt-A-Whirl
And I'm feeling no pain
Feeling no pain
I'm feeling no pain
The song Feeling No Pain by Firewater speaks directly to the struggles of the working-class person who is tired of constantly being kicked around and just wants to live life free from obligations and society's expectations. The opening verse sets the tone of the song with the singer waking up in the early hours of the morning, collecting whatever change they can find, and leaving town with a new face and identity- an act of escapism from their everyday life. They claim that they have "too many dues to pay," and "it was raining rusty nails on a sunny day," which could be interpreted as if their life is filled with hardships and struggles despite it appearing to be 'sunny' to the rest of society.
The second verse expresses the singer's carefree attitude towards money and material possessions. They claim to have no interest in becoming a billionaire and couldn't care less about how much money they make, as long as no one takes away what's theirs. They also claim to hate every cop in town and feel like they're always being targeted and kicked around. The singer, however, finds solace in the simple pleasures of life - beer, cigarettes, and driving with the windows down. They value their personal philosophy of not messing with others as long as they're not messed with themselves, and they don't want to fight anyone because they have nothing to gain.
Overall, the song is about a person who is fed up with their life and the system's expectations and chooses to live on their own terms, embracing the simple pleasures of life and not caring about money, material possessions, or societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Woke up at quarter to four
I woke up early in the morning at 3:45 AM
And I took my change off of the floor
I picked up my pocket change from the ground
Then I packed my suitcase with a brand new face
I packed my bags and prepared to leave with a new outlook on life
And threw myself out the door
I left my home with a sense of urgency
Too many dues to pay
I have a lot of debts that need to be paid
And it was raining rusty nails on a sunny day
Despite the weather being sunny, everything seems miserable and difficult
So I wrote a postcard to the wrecking yard
I sent a message to a place where things are destroyed and ruined
Saying "I won't be coming in today"
I informed them that I won't be able to show up
I'm alright
I am doing fine
Yeah, I'm okay
Yes, I am alright
Well I roll into town on a tumbleweed, and I'll be blowing on the breeze tonight
I arrived in town in a carefree and unconventional way and I will enjoy living freely
Feeling no pain
I am feeling no emotional or physical pain
No, I'll never be no billionaire
I will never become a billionaire
And you might not believe it, but I just don't care
You may not trust me, but it does not concern me
I don't give a goddamn about the green I make
I do not care about the money I earn
As long as nobody takes my cake
I care about keeping what is mine and not losing it to others
I gets a god-damn down sometime
I feel unhappy and depressed sometimes
I like to roll down the windows and I take a drive
I enjoy driving with the windows down
Feel the breeze with a bottle up between my knees
I feel the wind while holding a bottle between my legs
Til it gets tough to see the lines
Until driving becomes difficult due to blurry vision from the alcohol
I'm alright
I am doing fine
I said, I'm okay
I have already said that I am alright
So get off my back with your heart attacks, 'cause there ain't an ambulance in sight
Stop bothering me with your problems because there is no help nearby
And I'm feeling no pain
I am feeling no emotional or physical pain
I hate every cop in this town
I dislike every police officer in this area
Always throwing their weight around
They constantly act arrogantly and use their power to intimidate others
Sometimes it's like I got a sign taped to my back,
I feel like I am a target and that my life is hard
Saying "kick this poor boy around"
I feel like people are continuously attacking me
I live on beer and cigarettes
I consume primarily beer and cigarettes
It hasn't seemed to kill me yet
Despite the health risks, I have not died yet
But when that moment comes I won't be afraid
When the time comes for me to die, I will not be scared
Just one less clown in this parade
My death will be insignificant and will not make a difference
I'm alright
I am doing fine
Yeah, I'm okay
I'm alright.
And I got my own personal philosophy
I have my own way of thinking and living
I won't mess with you if you don't mess with me
I am not going to provoke or harm others, but I do not want to be disturbed either
And I don't wanna fight, I got nothing to gain
I do not want to fight anyone since it will not benefit me
And I've been all over this whole world, from the hurricane to the Tilt-A-Whirl
I have traveled around the globe and experienced both natural disasters and amusement park rides
And I'm feeling no pain
I am feeling no emotional or physical pain
Feeling no pain
I am feeling no emotional or physical pain
Contributed by Sydney R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.