Generationals is an American new wave duo formed in New Orleans, Louisiana,… Read Full Bio ↴Generationals is an American new wave duo formed in New Orleans, Louisiana, by Grant Widmer (vocals/guitars) and Ted Joyner (vocals/guitars). The duo released their debut album, Con Law, in July 2009. An EP, Trust, followed in November 2010. Their second full-length album, Actor-Caster was released on March 29, 2011. The duo's third album, Heza, was released April 2, 2013 (their debut for Polyvinyl Records).

Joyner and Widmer were formerly of the band The Eames Era, which took its name from the furniture designed by Charles and Ray Eames.

Subsequent albums are Alix (released September 16, 2014), Reader as Detective (released July 19, 2019)

Catahoula Man
Generationals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When all the while I thought we were
The last of the last ones
And I know you're not afraid to
Make somebody pray to you
Twenty-five days and a broken back for the hell of it
So I'll never deny you and I
Get nothing by you when I do

Hold on now, just a little bit to go
Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

I offered to talk about credibility
The way you stick it to your neighbors
The way they give it back to you?
Ever wonder why the ones you had got too real for you
That don't mean nothin' if
There's nothin' you can do

Hold on now, just a little bit to go
Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

Hold on now, just a little bit to go
Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

Hold on now, just a little bit to go
Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

Hold on now, just a little bit to go
Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

Hold on now, just a little bit to go

Catahoula Man
Get a little bit better before you know

Overall Meaning

The Generationals' song Catahoula Man is a reflection on the consequences of ignoring one's own limitations and the importance of self-awareness. The opening lines "I spent a long time holding out for a miracle, Open my eyes, now it's too late to play the long game" paint a picture of someone who was naive and idealistic, waiting for something miraculous to occur rather than being proactive and practical about their situation. However, now that they have realized the futility of such beliefs, it's too late for them to change their circumstances.

The song goes on to discuss the singer's relationship with another person, possibly a friend or family member. They reflect on how this person tried to help them in the past, but it wasn't enough to overcome the difficulties they faced. The lines "I remember all the ways you tried to make me feel, But that don't mean nothin' if There's nothin' you can do" highlight the singer's realization that good intentions don't necessarily equate to practical solutions.

The repeated refrain of "Hold on now, just a little bit to go, Catahoula Man, Get a little bit better before you know" serves as both a reminder to the person the singer is addressing and a never-ending mantra for themselves to keep going, even if it's just a little bit at a time.

Overall, the song is a cautionary tale of the dangers of waiting for miracles, the importance of being mindful of one's limitations, and the need to be practical and proactive in solving problems.

Line by Line Meaning

I spent a long time holding out for a miracle
I waited for a long time hoping for a miracle to happen.

Open my eyes, now it's too late to play the long game
Now it's too late to take a cautious approach to achieve my goal.

I thought you knew of the remote possibility
I believed you were aware of the unlikely chance of this happening.

Get around your problems before they get around to you
Solve your problems before they become unmanageable.

I remember all the ways you tried to make me feel
I recall all the things you did to affect my emotions.

But that don't mean nothin' if There's nothin' you can do
However, those actions don't matter if you can't do anything about it.

When all the while I thought we were The last of the last ones
I believed we were the only ones left like this for a long time.

And I know you're not afraid to Make somebody pray to you
I'm aware that you're not hesitant to exert your power over someone.

Twenty-five days and a broken back for the hell of it
I endured pain and discomfort for no apparent reason.

So I'll never deny you and I Get nothing by you when I do
Therefore, I won't reject you, but I still won't benefit from agreeing with you.

Hold on now, just a little bit to go Catahoula Man
Wait and persevere, Catahoula Man.

Get a little bit better before you know
You'll improve without even realizing it.

I offered to talk about credibility
I suggested discussing the trustworthiness of something or someone.

The way you stick it to your neighbors
How you treat and interact with your neighbors.

The way they give it back to you?
How they respond to you in return.

Ever wonder why the ones you had got too real for you
Have you thought about why you couldn't handle the ones you had before?

That don't mean nothin' if There's nothin' you can do
It doesn't matter if you can't do anything about it.