Murphy then produced the band's third album called NO SAD GOODBYES (1990) which, just like the follow-up HATE AND LOVE REVISITED (1991), was recorded between Italy, New York City and Nashville, and featured contributions from gifted US musicians like Robert Gordon, Bobby Bandiera, Willie Nile, Chris Spedding, Kenny Greenberg and Ashley Cleveland.
After splitting the Rocking Chairs, Graziano debuted as a solo artist in 1993 with an album simply titled GRAZIANO ROMANI for the label WEA Italiana.
A long tour of Italy with his band Mescalero followed, then later in 1996 he formed the super-combo “Megajam 5” with other talented italian-rock musicians, offering a repertoire of classic-rock songs from the seventies era. Born only as a "just-for-fun" ensemble, the band got to record an album called "Megajam 5" and lasted way more than it was supposed to, even receiving a special endorsement from Jimi Hendrix's legendary drummer Buddy Miles, who guested on vocals in a video of the song "Gypsy Eyes", on rotation in the italian MTV those days. After this experience Graziano formed the band Souldrivers in 1998, (with virtuoso Megajam guitarist Max Cottafavi) playing a blend of rock-soul covers and some originals.
In 2001 Graziano felt the need to start his own independent label, Freedom Rain Records, and to produce his own music: this move was a kind of a career starting-point, so he decided it was time to pay homage to his long-time favourite artist releasing SOUL CRUSADER:THE SONGS OF BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, which contained 13 songs picked from Bruce's most rare and obscure songbook and received warm reviews from all over the world. Later that year, Graziano released his second album on Freedom Rain, called STORIE DALLA VIA EMILIA based on italian-sung songs written around 1994-97 that he did not have the chance to release before.
Year 2002 saw the completion of some '90-'91 studio recordings made with his first band The Rocking Chairs, released on the album LOST AND FOUND:SONGS FOR THE ROCKING CHAIRS which included 11 originals and cover versions of "Late For The Sky" (Jackson Browne) and "Love Reign O'Er Me" (The Who). The record was enthusiastically received by both public and critics and consequent touring led to the line-up of his current band of talented musicians.
Graziano also recorded a touching version of the rare ballad "The Promise" exclusively featured on the double-cd tribute album to the music of Bruce Springsteen, titled LIGHT OF DAY (2003), among such great international artists as Elvis Costello, Joe Ely, Nils Lofgren, Dion, Billy Bragg and many others.
A prolific songwriter, in 2004 Graziano Romani managed to release another record, UP IN DREAMLAND (mostly featuring original songs and a couple of rare ballads, written by Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen) which has been judged by his fans and the music-press as one of the most focused and beautiful of his entire career.
While playing live all over Italy supporting the album (playing some gigs in France, Spain and Holland as well) Graziano started recording new material in early 2004, and after six months of extensive studio work he released PAINTING OVER RUST, an album of self-penned songs like short movies about faith, loss, anger, hope, dreams and free spirits...The song "Get Together Soon" features an inspired and soulful vocal duet with longtime friend Elliott Murphy.
2006 saw the release of CONFESSIONS BOULEVARD, an album including only original songs, maybe his most inspired and mature record, featuring guest appearances by american songwriter Dirk Hamilton and the italian rocker Brando.
In 2007 the album called TRE COLORI is released, featuring 13 self-penned songs sung in italian, and duets and contributions by Modena City Ramblers, Elio, The Gang, and many other talented italian artists and musicians. The "TRE COLORI TOUR 2007-'08" premiered in Reggio Emilia on march 2007 and continued until september 2008, with dates in Italy, Switzerland and Austria.
The album BETWEEN TRAINS -released august 2008- features interpretations of rare and obscure songs by greats as Van Morrison , Dylan, Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell, Robbie Robertson and many others. A real labour of love, a personal tribute to all the great songwriters who influenced and inspired him from the very beginning of his career: Graziano put a lot of passion and soul into this work, and the sound is mature and rich, adding his personal touch to the selection of beautiful songs. The BETWEEN TRAINS TOUR started september 23, 2008 and continued on until October 2009, with shows in Italy, Switzerland, and Holland.
Right after the closing of the tour, Graziano started composing and recording songs for a new project, a whole album dedicated to Zagor, the famous italian comic-book hero. Months later, may 2009 saw the publishing of his first book, co-written with Moreno Burattini and titled “Gallieno Ferri: Una Vita con Zagor” (published by Coniglio Editore), a sharp and passionate biographical-critical essay about the great Italian artist and comic-book creator Gallieno Ferri.
Finally, after a year of studio work, in october 2009 the record ZAGOR KING OF DARKWOOD is released: a kind of concept-album about Zagor, the “Spirit With The Axe”, the classic comic-book hero loved by thousands aficionados around the world, and by Graziano too. Eleven new songs written for the album and four ‘traditionals’ from Ireland and northern-America, a work that features brilliant musicians and guests, songwriters Andy White and Matthew Ryan among them. An inspired and passionate record, showing the full maturity Graziano Romani achieved as songwriter and artist: always true and passionate, he loves to sing his songs and tell stories that seem suspended somewhere between “la Via Emilia” and the “old wild-west”, between Dreamland and Darkwood.
The Promise
Graziano Romani Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And Billy works downtown
Terry works in a rock 'n' roll band
Looking for that million dollar sound
Me, sometimes I don't do nothing
Spend a lot of time alone
Some nights I go to the drive-in
I followed that dream
Just like those guys do way up on the screen
And I drove a Challenger down Route 9
Through the dead ends and all the bad scenes
And when the promise was broken
I cashed in a few of my dreams
Well now, I built that Challenger by myself
But I needed money and so I sold it
I lived a secret I should've kept to myself
But I got drunk one night and I told it
All my life, I fought this fight
The one that no man can ever win
And every day just gets harder to live
The dream I'm believing in
Thunder Road, oh baby, you were so right
Thunder Road, there's something dying down on the highway tonight
Well now, I won big once and I hit the coast
Oh, but somehow I paid the big cost
Inside, I felt like I was carrying the broken spirits
Of all the other ones who lost
And when the promise is broken, you go on living
But man, it steals something from down in your soul
Like when the truth is spoken, and it don't make no difference
Something in your heart goes cold
Well, I followed that dream through the southwestern tracks
That dead ends in two-bit bars
And when the promise was broken, I was far away from home
Sleeping in the back seat of a borrowed car
Thunder Road, for the lost lovers and all the fixed games
Thunder Road, for the tires rushing by in the rain
Thunder Road, oh, Billy and me, we'd always sing
Thunder Road, we were gonna take it all and throw it all away
Graziano Romani’s “The Promise” is a lyrical masterpiece that explores the complexities of life. The song is about a group of friends who each have their own dreams and aspirations. Johnny works in a factory, Billy works downtown, Terry is in a rock ‘n’ roll band, and the singer sometimes does nothing and spends a lot of time alone. The singer reminisces about driving a Challenger down Route 9 and following his dream just like the guys he saw on the screen. However, the promise was broken, and he had to cash in a few of his dreams.
The lyrics describe a sense of loss and heartbreak, and how it’s not easy to move on when the promise of a dream is broken. It’s a song that speaks to the soul about the reality of life, and how sometimes it doesn’t work out the way we hope it would. The singer is fighting a fight that no man can ever win, and every day gets harder to live the dream he’s believing in. Thunder Road is a symbol of hope and a reminder of how things used to be.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny works in a factory
Johnny spends his days working hard for a living in a production line.
And Billy works downtown
Billy spends his days working in the urban area where most of the offices are located.
Terry works in a rock 'n' roll band
Terry plays music in a band that covers a genre characterized by electric guitars and lively rhythms.
Looking for that million dollar sound
The band is looking for a unique sound that might lead them to fame and fortune.
Me, sometimes I don't do nothing
Sometimes I do nothing and just waste my time.
Spend a lot of time alone
I prefer to spend time in solitude rather than being around people.
Some nights I go to the drive-in
Some nights, I visit a drive-in cinema for entertainment.
And some nights I stay home
Some nights, I prefer to stay at home and relax.
I followed that dream
I followed my passion and aspirations, just like other people do.
Just like those guys do way up on the screen
Just like the actors and heroes, I followed a dream that would hopefully come true one day.
And I drove a Challenger down Route 9
I fulfilled a childhood dream and drove a sporty and stylish Dodge Challenger car.
Through the dead ends and all the bad scenes
I journeyed through tough and challenging times, filled with obstacles and difficulties.
And when the promise was broken
When the hope of achieving my dream was shattered and unfulfilled.
I cashed in a few of my dreams
I had to give up some of my aspirations and passions due to lack of resources, support, or encouragement.
Well now, I built that Challenger by myself
I personally worked on and built the car, which brought me great pride.
But I needed money and so I sold it
However, due to financial struggles, I had to sell it, which was a difficult decision and a great loss for me.
I lived a secret I should've kept to myself
I kept a hidden and personal information that I should have kept confidential.
But I got drunk one night and I told it
One night, I revealed the secret after consuming alcohol and losing control over my tongue.
All my life, I fought this fight
I have been struggling with this lifelong battle that seems to have no end or victory.
The one that no man can ever win
It is a fight that seems impossible to conquer and overcome, like many other struggles in life.
And every day just gets harder to live
Each day, it becomes more and more challenging to cope with and handle the difficulties and hardships of life.
The dream I'm believing in
The dream that I am still holding on to and hoping to achieve, despite the obstacles and setbacks.
Thunder Road, oh baby, you were so right
Thunder Road, the road that leads to the fulfillment of my dreams and aspirations.
Thunder Road, there's something dying down on the highway tonight
Thunder Road, there is something fading and diminishing on the road to success and achievement.
Well now, I won big once and I hit the coast
Once, I achieved a significant and fortunate success and reached the coastline.
Oh, but somehow I paid the big cost
However, I was faced with the aftermath and the consequences of the success, which were challenging and costly.
Inside, I felt like I was carrying the broken spirits
Inside, I felt like I was carrying the pain and disappointment of all those who failed and lost their chances of success.
Of all the other ones who lost
Of all those who struggled and failed and did not win the fight of life.
And when the promise is broken, you go on living
When the hope and the promise of achieving your dreams and aspirations are broken, you still have to continue living despite the disappointment and despair.
But man, it steals something from down in your soul
However, it takes away a precious part of your soul and your spirit that may never be restored or regained.
Like when the truth is spoken, and it don't make no difference
Just like when you reveal the truth or speak out, but it does not result in any significant change or impact.
Something in your heart goes cold
Something in your heart and soul becomes frozen and numb, losing the warmth and passion that were once present.
Well, I followed that dream through the southwestern tracks
I pursued my dream of success and achievement through the challenging and rough terrain of the Southwestern part of the country.
That dead ends in two-bit bars
However, this dream only led me to a dead end, ending up in low-quality and unfulfilling bars.
And when the promise was broken, I was far away from home
When the hope and promise of achieving my dream were broken, I found myself in a distant place, far away from my hometown.
Sleeping in the back seat of a borrowed car
I had to sleep in the back seat of a car that was not mine, indicating my financial struggles and lack of resources.
Thunder Road, for the lost lovers and all the fixed games
Thunder Road, the road that symbolizes the loss and heartbreak of lovers and the unfairness and deception of life.
Thunder Road, for the tires rushing by in the rain
Thunder Road, where the tires sound like the sounds of rushing water in the rain.
Thunder Road, oh, Billy and me, we'd always sing
Thunder Road, the road where Billy and I always sang together, hoping to take on and conquer the challenge of life.
Thunder Road, we were gonna take it all and throw it all away
Thunder Road, we had the courage and determination to take all of our hopes and dreams and risk it all to achieve them, even if it meant throwing away our security and comfort.
Contributed by Sydney T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.