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.
Too Much
Firewater Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In your brand new funeral clothes
You wish that you had a chance in hell
But you know that you don't
You tell yourself that you're gonna make a new start
But you lie like a dog
You can't believe the things you tell yourself anymore
Because its all too much
Too much is never enough
You fake your best impersonation
At the function of human being
She reads you like a broken clock
Whatever that means
You think you know your way around her
But you fuck it up every time
You wanna hate the things about her
That you love
And its all too much
Too much is never enough
Yeah its all too much
Too much is never enough
(Sing it)
Well you need her
Like a bullet in the temple
But you dig her just like a grave
You swear that you're never gonna do it again
But then you do it again
And its all too much
Too much is never enough
Yeah its all too much
Too much is never enough
Too much is never enough
And its all too much
Yeah its all too much
Its all too much
(Hahahaha!)
The song "Too Much" by Firewater reveals the struggles of the singer who is grappling with his innermost thoughts about himself and his love interest. The verses dismally depict how the singer is feeling lost and hopeless in life. The opening line “You fall across the street like a shadow” gives the impression that the singer is disconnected from his surroundings and is threatened by its presence. The feeling of despair is further deepened when he says “You wish that you had a chance in hell, but you know that you don't.” highlighting the lack of hope in his life.
The chorus, “Because it's all too much, too much is never enough” goes a step further in describing his predicament; it tells us that he feels overburdened by situations that demand his attention, and maybe he has lost touch with himself. The feeling of inadequacy grows in the next verse, “You fake your best impersonation at the function of human being.” The singer tries to be someone else to fit in and, in doing so, shows his insecurity and lack of clarity.
The song's final verse is addressed to the singer's love interest, and it suggests a subtle power dynamic in their relationship. He needs her, but he is not worthy of her, as shown in the line, “You swear that you're never gonna do it again, but then you do it again.” The song's powerful finale, “Too much is never enough, yeah it's all too much, it's all too much” depicts the singer's confusion, frustration, and sense of being trapped. In this song, Firewater brilliantly captures the emotions of someone who is dealing with issues of identity, love, and lack of direction in life.
Line by Line Meaning
You fall across the street like a shadow
You stumble through life aimlessly like a ghostly figure
In your brand new funeral clothes
Wearing an outfit that symbolizes death and mourning, wanting to start anew
You wish that you had a chance in hell
You desire to have another chance at life but know that it is unlikely to happen
But you know that you don't
You realize that the opportunity has gone forever
You tell yourself that you're gonna make a new start
You attempt to convince yourself that you're going to change your ways
But you lie like a dog
You lie to yourself as much as you lie to others
You can't believe the things you tell yourself anymore
You've told yourself so many lies that you no longer know what the truth is
Because its all too much
You're overwhelmed by everything
Too much is never enough
No matter how much you have, you always want more
You fake your best impersonation
You pretend to be someone you're not
At the function of human being
In social situations where people are expected to act normal
She reads you like a broken clock
She understands you're broken and dysfunctional
Whatever that means
You don't really comprehend how broken you are
You think you know your way around her
You believe you understand her well
But you fuck it up every time
You ruin any relationship you have with her
You wanna hate the things about her
You dislike certain aspects of her personality
That you love
But you can't help but be drawn to her
Yeah its all too much
You're overwhelmed by everything
Well you need her
You're dependent on her for stability
Like a bullet in the temple
But your dependence on her is as deadly as a bullet to the head
But you dig her just like a grave
Your feelings for her are consuming and destructive
You swear that you're never gonna do it again
You make promises to not hurt her again
But then you do it again
But you continuously break your promises and damage your relationship with her
Its all too much
You're overwhelmed by everything
Too much is never enough
No matter how much you have, you always want more
Its all too much
You're overwhelmed by everything
Its all too much
You're overwhelmed by everything
(Hahahaha!)
A mocking laughter to show disbelief and frustration
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARK STEPHEN CAWLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind