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.
secret
Firewater Lyrics
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I know how your mind works.
I know what you're doing okay.
I am so sick of waiting for you
You've got 5 seconds and I'm hanging up.
Well everybody talks
But nobody understands
Just as much as they can
But at the top of the stairs
There's a room with a key
'Cause I've got a secret inside of me
'Cause everybody's lost
And nobody's found
The path we should walk
Across this treacherous ground
But I go where I like
And I do what I please
'Cause I got a secret inside of me
And no one can take that away
And everybody comes
And everybody goes
When your number comes up nobody ever really knows
My eyes are wide open
And my conscience is clean
'Cause I got a secret inside of me
And no one can take that away
Seems like everything I do
Everything I play
Everything I try every single day
Always seems to come out backwards for me
Meanwhile
Everybody laughs,
Everybody lies
Everybody lives
Everybody tries just to make it feel like another day
If everybody shut up
Maybe I could hear myself scream
'Cause I got a secret inside of me
And no one can take that away
Seems like everything I do
Everything I play
Everything I try every single day
Always seems to come out backwards for me
Meanwhile
Everybody laughs,
Everybody lies
Everybody lives
Everybody tries just to get through another day
And everybody cooks
And everybody bleeds
And everyone dies
When no body sees
But I'm never gonna give up
I'm never giving in to your whim
Because I got a secret inside of me
And I'm gonna lock it away
Yeah I got a secret inside of me
And no one can take that away
Hello...
Please would you just pick up the phone
What the hell is wrong with you?
Well is this what you wanted?
Well congratulations
You're such a child.
Goodbye.
The song "Secret" by Firewater is a poignant reflection on the human experience of secrecy and the importance of holding onto that which is deeply personal and known only to oneself. The lyrics express frustration with the world and the way that people take from each other without truly understanding one another. The singer's anger is directed towards a specific person who they are waiting for, but who seems to be taking their time. The singer's impatience reveals the urgency of the trial that everyone must face, but often delay - the discovery of personal secrets.
The song's composition is layered, with the singer reflecting on how everybody talks and takes without actually understanding the nature of the person they are taking from. This search for understanding is identified with an image of stairs at the top of which is a secret room with a key. This suggests that a pathway to deeper knowledge exists, but it only opens to those who have the courage to confront their own unknowns. The singer has taken this journey and is now more comfortable with their own secrets. The singer does not offer the secret but instead acknowledges the power and autonomy that comes with possessing one. The song ends with the singer's firm conviction that they will never relinquish their secret, no matter what.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello?
The beginning of a conversation, trying to get someone's attention
I know how your mind works.
Confidently stating that you understand someone's thought process
I know what you're doing okay.
Authority figure dictating what the other person is doing
I am so sick of waiting for you
Impatient and frustrated with waiting for someone else
You've got 5 seconds and I'm hanging up.
Putting a time limit on the conversation and threatening to end it
Well everybody talks
Acknowledging that people speak a lot
But nobody understands
No one really comprehends what's happening
And everybody takes
Everyone requires something from others
Just as much as they can
Taking up to or beyond one's limit
But at the top of the stairs
Metaphorical imagery of a location
There's a room with a key
Symbolic description of a locked place with access given to select people
'Cause I've got a secret inside of me
Personal knowledge or important information being held back
'Cause everybody's lost
Indicating that people are confused or misguided
And nobody's found
No one has found the right answers
The path we should walk
Figurative description for the trajectory of one's life
Across this treacherous ground
Describing life as a dangerous journey
But I go where I like
Stating that you make your own decisions
And I do what I please
Doing what you want without regard for others
'Cause I got a secret inside of me
Having personal knowledge that others do not have access to
And no one can take that away
Feeling confident that your secret is secure
And everybody comes
People are always around
And everybody goes
People come and go from your life
When your number comes up nobody ever really knows
Reference to death and how no one knows when it will happen
My eyes are wide open
Being aware of one's surroundings
And my conscience is clean
Feeling guilt-free
'Cause I got a secret inside of me
Secret knowledge giving you peace of mind
Seems like everything I do
Expressing frustration that everything goes wrong
Always seems to come out backwards for me
Nothing goes as planned
Meanwhile
At the same time
Everybody laughs,
People find joy
Everybody lies
People are dishonest
Everybody lives
People are alive
Everybody tries just to get through another day
The daily struggle of life
And everybody cooks
People prepare meals
And everybody bleeds
Everyone is blood-related and people get hurt
And everyone dies
Death is inevitable
When no body sees
An unobserved or private death
But I'm never gonna give up
Determined to keep persevering
I'm never giving in to your whim
Not letting others dictate your actions
Because I got a secret inside of me
Holding onto knowledge that makes you feel powerful
And I'm gonna lock it away
Keeping knowledge to yourself and not sharing it with others
Yeah I got a secret inside of me
Emphasizing that the knowledge is personal and exclusive
And no one can take that away
Feeling confident that your secret will always be your own
Goodbye.
Ending the conversation
Lyrics © Freibank Musikverlags und vermarktungs GmbH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind