Since the year 2000, FLATFOOT 56 have ste… Read Full Bio ↴http://www.flatfoot56.com/
Since the year 2000, FLATFOOT 56 have steadily unleashed a rollicking barrage of Celtic punk and folk-tinged hardcore from the South Side of Chicago to an international audience with intense and positive party-like energy. Coinciding with their 10-year anniversary, Flatfoot launched the release of their 3rd label-backed studio effort, Black Thorn, on March 30, 2010.
Led by spirited front man Tobin Bawinkel (Vocals/Guitar), along with brothers Justin (Drums), and Kyle (Bass), and multi-instrumentalists Eric McMahon (Bagpipes/Guitar) and Brandon Good (Mandolin/Guitar), the band is fueled by a sense of camaraderie that directly translates to their die-hard fans and highly energetic live shows. “We really try to create a positive environment every time we play so people feel comfortable and can let loose. It’s an experience that everyone is a part of,” explains Tobin.
Produced by the Street Dogs’ Johnny Rioux, Black Thorn tightly packs the quartet’s eclectic and driving musical charge into thirteen tracks that celebrate the pride of the working class and their Chicago roots. A collection of songs that delves into weighty thematic content, Tobin explains that the cohesive theme of Black Thorn is a fundamentally universal one. “Everyone goes through hardships, but you aren’t alone. Punk rock is about community and brotherhood. This record is our contribution to that.” As cathartic as it is ambitious, Black Thorn is an emphatic assault that remains vintage Flatfoot in its effortless combination of Celtic instrumentation and street corner punk rock. Bagpipes and mandolins remain just as vital as drums and guitars in defining Flatfoot’s sound.
While other bands run the risk of turning their message into overbearing banter from high on the soapbox, FLATFOOT 56 remain true to their ability to convey the profound all while allowing fans to get lost in the sheer energy of the music. The band’s multi-faceted approach to their craft, both in substance and in presentation, ensures that from the novice to the die-hard fan, everyone walks away with a reason to come back. After ten years of tour vans, dive bars, late nights, diverse crowds, broken bones, blood, sweat, and tears, FLATFOOT 56 offers sincere semblance of the tradition behind the music. When you have a reason to sing, you will sing louder. And when you have a reason to dance, you will bring the house down brick by brick.
The band’s sonic arsenal, which includes classic rough-and-tumble albums Knuckles Up and Jungle Of The Midwest Sea, captures both the nostalgia of brass tacks street punk and hardcore as well as inspiration taken from traditional Celtic folk. Within this musical fury, FLATFOOT 56 attacks dark and pressing subject matter—avarice, strength, faithlessness, courage, and cowardice—that speaks volumes of the values and principles on which the band was founded.
The band’s new album, Black Thorn, was released on Old Shoe Records in the United States, Stomp Records in Canada, People Like You Records in Europe, and Big Mouth Japan in Japan.
The Long Road
Flatfoot 56 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
longing for that place I call my home
and in the battlefield, in the sun, and in the sand
I will never forget my home land
It's a long road, and you're waiting at the gates for me
Standing on this battle ground, I see my Father before
carrying the cross I should have bore
so for him I will run the race marked out before me
The song "The Long Road" by Flatfoot 56 is a heartfelt tribute to the enduring resilience of the human spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity. The opening lines reflect on the profound sense of longing that is often experienced by those who have been away from their home for an extended period of time. The singer has been traveling for two years and is consumed by a deep desire to be reunited with the place they call home.
Despite the many challenges they face on their journey - including battles, intense heat, and endless expanses of sand - the singer never loses sight of the importance of their homeland. Indeed, it is this sense of connection to something greater than themselves that gives them the strength to persist through even the toughest times. As they approach the gates of their long-awaited destination, they are filled with a sense of awe and gratitude for all that they have overcome.
The closing lines of the song are a powerful affirmation of the singer's faith and commitment to their chosen path. They see their struggles as part of a larger spiritual journey, one that is guided by a higher power. By running the race marked out before them and embracing the scars that have made them who they are, the singer is able to find a sense of freedom and purpose.
Overall, "The Long Road" is a moving and inspiring tribute to the human spirit and the enduring power of faith and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been two long years since I started on this road
I have been traveling on this path for two years
longing for that place I call my home
Eagerly yearning for my place of belonging
and in the battlefield, in the sun, and in the sand
Amid the combat, under the scorching sun, and in the arid sand
I will never forget my home land
I will always remember my native soil
It's a long road, and you're waiting at the gates for me
This journey is lengthy, but you eagerly await my arrival at the gates
Standing on this battle ground, I see my Father before
As I stand on this battlefield, I envision my Father's presence
carrying the cross I should have bore
Shouldering the burden that I failed to carry
so for him I will run the race marked out before me
Therefore, I am determined to run the course set before me in His honor
because His stripes have set me free
For He has freed me through His afflictions
Contributed by London H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.