Their music was alt-country long before such a thing existed, and it bore more in common with Neil Young or Cali-country rock than any of their contempories. Dan Stuart was like an Arizona version of Frank Black with a touch of Merle Haggard and the Eagles. The earlier records sound like lo-fi country-rock, with themes of low-life Americana and hard times among the underclass. They wrote amazing lyrics with Stuart (and also keyboardist Chris Cacavas) narrating it all. As the years went on the music becomes more and more polished with a subtler blend of blues, rock, and a little country. They worked with some heavy production teams.
"The band issued a self-released red vinyl EP, sometimes called Two Bibles, though its first widely available record was an EP issued in 1982 by Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn on his own Down There label. Original drummer Van Christian left shortly before this (he later was in Naked Prey). They picked up Alex MacNicol from Lydia Lunch to fill out the ranks. Green on Red followed the Dream Syndicate onto Slash Records, which released the album Gravity Talks in the fall of 1983. Another label change happened shortly after this.
1985- Before "Gas Food Lodging" guitarist Chuck Prophet joined, barely out of his teens, and added blistering guitar that mixed Keith Richards and California sound with a touch of Willie Nelson. The duo of Stuart and Prophet would enhance their sound and prove a lasting relationship. Drummer Alex MacNicol was replaced by Keith Mitchell around '86. That same year, Stuart collaborated with Steve Wynn (as "Danny and Dusty") on the album "The Lost Weekend" (which also included Cacavas on some tracks).
Touring and critical acclaim helped them gain a following in (especially) UK and Europe. A major record deal with Phonogram/Mercury in the mid-80s set them for launch. They put out two good albums, "No Free Lunch"(1985) and "The Killer Inside Me"(1987), but the tides had changed, and they failed to break through. Right before their last show at the Astoria in London,UK, Dan Stuart has a mental breakdown and the show is cancelled. By early 1988 Green on Red was Dan Stuart and Chuck Prophet. Cacavas went on to fairly successful solo career both solo and with his band, Junkyard Love. He is still very popular in Europe where he has quite a following. Bassist Jack Waterston put out one release,"Whose Dog?"(1990), before opening a guitar store in LA. The other members drifted apart. Mid-80's drummer Keith Mitchell was later in Mazzy Star in the 1990s.
They made "Here Comes the Snakes"(1989) in Memphis with producer Jim Dickinson. "This Time Around" (1990) was their last one for Mercury Records. Then "Scapegoats" (1991) which garnered them critical acclaim again in Europe. After "Too Much Fun"(1992) they continued sporadically through the next year before calling it quits.
Dan Stuart made one solo "Can O' Worms" in 1995 before leaving the business to become a writer.
Chuck Prophet has had the greatest success as a solo artist and put out a number of good releases as of 2006. He tours regularly and is in a band with his wife, Stephanie Finch, called Go Go Market.
Their heyday drummer Alex MacNicol died in 2004.
The remaining original members of Green On Red reunited in Sept 2005 to play a memorable show at the Hotel Congress in Tucson. Later, that winter, a reunion show took place at the Astoria in London, England to make good on the promise to finish an aborted 1987 tour! More shows are promised for later. The new Danny and Dusty release, "Cast Iron Soul", came out in April 2007. A subsequent tour in Europe followed.
Hold The Line
Green on Red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've put in a hundred dimes, just to hear your voice say
Honey I'm missing you, I'm coming down with the flu
But I'm coming home good this time
So baby hold the line
Your girlfriend called and your bookie friend dropped by
They both need cash, ole Louis said gonna dash
But I won't be there for you this time
Oh baby hold the line
Yeah baby hold the line
No matter how hard we try
Some things we lose we need find
But baby you gotta hold the line
Baby don't you hang up, you know I hate to hear you cry
& I just gotta get some sleep, I don't want nightmares tonight
And you'll feel better in the morning, and not so ragged and torn
Between your heart and your mind
Oh baby hold the line
The lyrics of Green on Red's song Hold the Line depict the desperation and longing of someone who is far away from their loved one. The first verse talks about how the singer has spent a lot of money just to hear their partner's voice, and even though they are feeling sick, they promise to come home soon. The second verse describes how the singer is stuck home alone, with people asking for cash, but they won't be able to help this time. The chorus repeatedly urges the partner to hold the line, promising that things will get better soon.
The song's message is to hold on to love, even in difficult times when one might be far away or going through tough times. The singer acknowledges that some things are lost, but it is important to keep trying and to keep the love alive. The line "No matter how hard we try, some things we lose we need find" may be interpreted as a plea to keep fighting for love, even when it seems like it might be lost.
The song's structure is simple, with a repetitive chorus that acts like a mantra. The verses are structured like a conversation between the singer and their partner, painting a vivid picture of the singer's loneliness and sense of detachment.
Overall, Hold the Line is a poignant and emotional song about staying connected to the people we love, even when life's obstacles seem insurmountable.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby hold the line, I'm so far away
I'm away from you, but please don't hang up the phone.
I've put in a hundred dimes, just to hear your voice say
I've spent a lot of money just to hear your voice because I miss you.
Honey I'm missing you, I'm coming down with the flu
I miss you so much that I'm getting sick with the flu.
But I'm coming home good this time
But I'm going to come back to you, and everything will be great.
So baby hold the line
So please, don't hang up, and wait for me.
Your girlfriend called and your bookie friend dropped by
Your girlfriend and bookie friend are asking for money.
They both need cash, ole Louis said gonna dash
Louis is going to run away with the money I gave him.
But honey I'm so alone stuck here with this damn phone
I'm alone with just this phone, dealing with these problems.
But I won't be there for you this time
I won't be able to be there to help this time.
Oh baby hold the line
So please, don't hang up on me.
Yeah baby hold the line
Please hold the line, don't hang up.
No matter how hard we try
Even if we try our hardest.
Some things we lose we need find
We might lose something, but we need to find it again.
But baby you gotta hold the line
So please, you need to hold the line for me.
Baby don't you hang up, you know I hate to hear you cry
Please don't hang up, I don't want to hear you cry and feel even worse.
& I just gotta get some sleep, I don't want nightmares tonight
I need to sleep, but I don't want to have nightmares because I'm worried about you.
And you'll feel better in the morning, and not so ragged and torn
You'll feel better tomorrow, and not as upset and worn down.
Between your heart and your mind
You're feeling torn between what your heart wants and what your mind thinks is right.
Oh baby hold the line
So please, don't hang up on me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHUCK PROPHET, DANIEL GORDON STUART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind