With a PBS series soundtrack already to its credit along with three full-length albums, The Henhouse Prowlers have been barnstorming on to the red hot bluegrass scene since 2004. In 2007, the group of roughly thirty-somethings made the commitment to go the distance, to be a full-time touring bluegrass band. But not just another bluegrass band.
2010 marked a turning point for the band. The Prowlers began to see their hard work and relentless tour schedule pay off with a strong momentum and growing reputation for crisp, hard-driving bluegrass with intricate harmonies and electrifying stage energy. While balancing time on the road and in the studio in Colorado, HHP competed in the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition and took top honors in the 2010 Rockygrass Band Competition. Look for them on the festival main stage in Lyons, CO in July 2011.
During this time, the band entered the studio with visionary producer and dobro player extraordinaire, Sally Van Meter, completing its third album. The product, thirteen-track “Verses, Chapters and Rhymes,” documents the musical strides the band has taken since its 2009 release, “A Dark Rumor,” which was assisted by Chicago stalwarts Greg Cahill and Don Stiernberg. No small thanks goes to Sally for her guidance and inspiration throughout the recording process!
Dedicated equally to tradition and innovation, The Henhouse Prowlers center their sound on that of the early, formative years of bluegrass, while they keep their pulse on today by covering contemporary topics in a largely original repertoire. The bluegrass and acoustic music scenes are exploding with a new generation of young, invigorated fans across the nation, and the Prowlers embody the new breed of performers adding to the style of Flatt and Scruggs with a dynamic exuberance appreciated by all. The boys wear the Bill Monroe mantle with spit and polish. They perform -- and conduct media interviews -- in suit-and-tie and work in a tightly choreographed, one-mic stage setting, which adds an exciting dimension to their shows. Combining passion, confidence and flair with instrumental and vocal prowess, The Prowlers deliver bluegrass with an edge.
The group’s prolific songwriting provides entree to twenty-first century topics not typically tackled by traditional bluegrass groups. Former guitarist Ben Benedict describes what they are trying to achieve: “None of us in this band lives in a ’Little Cabin Home on the Hill.’ Most of our audience doesn't either. But there is a broad spectrum of life that we can all relate to, so those are the themes we try to hit on and tell stories about in our original material.”
Original members Ben Wright, five-string banjo, and Jon Goldfine on upright bass, are joined by Eric Lambert on guitar and Grant Ziolkowski on mandolin. All four bring to the table diverse musical palettes, having pursued music in a variety of settings, ensembles, and genres prior to jelling as The Henhouse Prowlers.
Along the collective road they have traveled, The Henhouse Prowlers have absorbed such diverse influences as Broadway, blues and barbershop, church music and shape note singing, opera and oldtime, classical and country, folk and funk. James Weigel explains what drew him ultimately to focus on bluegrass: “Bluegrass seemed to be an amalgamation of all the things I’d ever listened to: blues, country, folk, harmony, great songwriting, and the energy and drive of rock and roll.”
Their eclectic musical backgrounds were the perfect fit when called upon by NBC Today Show features correspondent Mike Leonard to compose the soundtrack for his PBS documentary series. Based on the best-selling book, “The Ride Of Our Lives” follows Leonard’s family on a cross-country motor home trip with the backdrop of tradition-inspired music composed and performed (off-camera) by The Henhouse Prowlers.
The Henhouse Prowlers are adeptly positioning themselves for nothing less than success. Each member does double duty within the group, holding a business as well as musical post, making it a total collaborative effort. Currently on the road at least two-thirds of the year, The Henhouse Prowlers like to stress that they make fun a top priority. As Eric points out, “We're doing what we love, and we feel this directly translates into our audiences having a great time, too.”
Ain't Too Proud To Beg
Henhouse Prowlers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I refuse to let you go
If I have to beg, plead for your sympathy
I don't mind 'cause you mean that much to me
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it
Please don't leave me girl (don't you go)
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby
Now I've heard a cryin' man
Is half a man with no sense of pride
But if I have to cry to keep you
I don't mind weepin' if it'll keep you by my side
Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darling
Please don't leave me girl (don't you go)
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me, girl (don't you go)
If I have to sleep on your doorstep all night and day
Just to keep you from walking away
Let your friends laugh, even this I can stand
'Cause I wanna keep you any way I can
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it
Please don't leave me girl (don't you go)
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me, girl (don't you go), ooh hoo
Now I've got a love so deep in the pit of my heart
And each day it grows more and more
I'm not ashamed to call and plead to you, baby
If pleading keeps you from walking out that door
Ain't too proud to beg, you know it
Please don't leave me girl (don't you go)
Ain't too proud to plead, baby, baby
Please don't leave me, girl (don't you go)
Baby, sweet darling (please don't go)
The lyrics to Henhouse Prowlers' song "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" describe a man who is desperately trying to keep his lover from leaving him. He acknowledges that begging and pleading may not be the most dignified way to keep her, but he is willing to do it because he loves her so much. He even goes as far as saying that if he has to sleep on her doorstep, he will do it just to keep her from walking away. The man is not ashamed to express his emotions and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his love alive.
The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. The singer knows that his lover wants to leave him, but he refuses to let her go. This creates a feeling of tension and desperation that is present throughout the song. The chorus emphasizes the fact that the singer is not too proud to beg or plead for his lover to stay. He is willing to put aside his pride and do whatever it takes to keep her.
The verse about crying to keep her is particularly poignant. It shows that the singer is not afraid to be vulnerable in front of his lover. He is willing to do something that society might view as weak, such as crying, if it means keeping her by his side. This highlights the depth of his love and the lengths he will go to keep it.
Overall, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a heartfelt plea from a man who is desperate to keep the love of his life. It showcases the power of love and the lengths people will go to keep it alive.
Line by Line Meaning
I know you wanna leave me
I am aware that you want to end our relationship
But I refuse to let you go
However, I am not willing to let you leave
If I have to beg, plead for your sympathy
If it requires me to plead for your compassion
I don't mind 'cause you mean that much to me
I am willing to do anything to keep our relationship going, as it is exceptionally important to me
Ain't too proud to beg and you know it
I am not hesitant or reluctant to request your forgiveness
Please don't leave me girl (don't you go)
Please, do not end our relationship, my love
Now I've heard a cryin' man
I know the general consensus is that a man who cries is not masculine
Is half a man with no sense of pride
If he cries, he is not proud or has no self-esteem
But if I have to cry to keep you
But, if crying is necessary to keep our relationship alive
I don't mind weepin' if it'll keep you by my side
I am fine with crying if it means having you close to me
Ain't too proud to beg, sweet darling
I am not ashamed to admit that I need and want you
If I have to sleep on your doorstep all night and day
If required, I am willing to sleep outside your house continuously
Just to keep you from walking away
This is to prevent you from leaving me forever
Let your friends laugh, even this I can stand
I can endure your friends laughing at me for being so devoted to you
'Cause I wanna keep you any way I can
I am determined to keep our relationship in any way possible
Now I've got a love so deep in the pit of my heart
My love for you goes beyond measure, it's profound
And each day it grows more and more
My love for you increases every single day
I'm not ashamed to call and plead to you, baby
I have no shame in begging you to stay with me, my love
If pleading keeps you from walking out that door
If this request for your compassion and love stops you from leaving, I will do it
Baby, sweet darling (please don't go)
Baby, my sweet love, please do not leave me
Contributed by Skyler C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.