Hootie & the Blowfish formed in 1986. The quartet met when they were freshmen at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Bryan heard Rucker singing in the showers of the dorm they shared and was impressed by his vocal ability. They began playing cover tunes as The Wolf Brothers; eventually they collaborated with Felber, a former high school bandmate of Bryan's, and Jim "Soni" Sonefeld as Hootie & the Blowfish.
Brantley Smith was the original drummer for the band. He left the group to pursue music ministry, but he has made scattered guest appearances with the band (he played cello on their MTV Unplugged performance in 1996, and played drums at Gruene Hall in Gruene, Texas, on June 27, 2008).
The group independently released two cassette demo EPs in 1991 and 1992. In 1993, they pressed 50,000 copies of a self-released EP, Kootchypop. Their mainstream debut album was Cracked Rear View (1994). It was an instant success, ultimately going platinum 16 times in the U.S. and becoming the best-selling album of 1995. The album was propelled by four hits, "Hold My Hand" (U.S. #10), "Let Her Cry" (U.S. #9), "Only Wanna Be with You" (U.S. #6), and "Time" (U.S. #14). Miami Dolphins' Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino appeared in the band's video for the song "Only Wanna Be with You", along with several other athletes.
The band won the "Best New Artist" award at the 1996 Grammy Awards. Hootie & the Blowfish appeared on MTV Unplugged on the eve of the release of their second album, 1996's Fairweather Johnson. Though sales began promisingly, and it contained the hit single "Old Man and Me" (U.S. #13), the album sold four million copies in the U.S.
In 1995, Hootie & the Blowfish contributed the song "Hey Hey What Can I Do" to the Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin. Their cover of Canadian group 54-40's "I Go Blind", originally released on the soundtrack to the TV series Friends in 1995, did not appear on Cracked Rear View or Fairweather Johnson, but nevertheless became a hit at radio in 1996 after three singles from Fairweather Johnson had been released. Both "Hey Hey What Can I Do" and "I Go Blind" were later released on the collection Scattered, Smothered and Covered.
Hootie and the Blowfish started their own record label, Breaking Records, in 1996 as a subsidiary of Atlantic. They had planned to focus on signing local Carolina acts. Edwin McCain and Cravin' Melon were both associated with the label at one point, but did not release any material on it. Meat Puppets, Jump, Little Children, Treadmill Trackstar and Treehouse released one album each on Breaking Records. The label folded in 2000.
In 1998, they performed on Frank Wildhorn's concept album of the musical The Civil War.
In 200, the band released a B-sides and rarities compilation in 2000 entitled Scattered, Smothered and Covered.
The band covered the 1968 Orpheus hit "Can't Find the Time" in 2001 for the soundtrack of the Jim Carrey movie, Me, Myself and Irene. Orpheus leader Bruce Arnold performed the song with the band during several concerts on the West Coast of the United States in 2001.
In 2009, Hootie and the Blowfish performed live in a ballet which chronicled their rise and success in the 1990s.
In 2008, Rucker announced in an AOL Sessions interview that Hootie and the Blowfish would be going on hiatus so Rucker could pursue his solo career as a country music performer. Although the band will no longer be recording or touring, Rucker confirmed that they will still perform their scheduled charity concerts, stating, "We have four charity gigs every year and we will still do them, but we will not do a record or tour." Rucker also said that the split will last "for five or six years, or until I record three or four country albums". He later amended his statement, saying, "To be honest with you, we're not even split up right now, and we're not really thinking about splitting up."
Not Even The Trees
Hootie & The Blowfish Lyrics
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Won't you tell me if I scream
Will they bend down and listen to me
And it makes me wonder
If I know the words will you come
Or will you laugh at me or will I run
Little boy says to me
I said, I don't know where I'm goin' boy
I only know where I'm from
And it makes me wonder
If the stars shine when my eyes close
Or does my brothers heart cry
I don't know
I'm a stranger in my home
Now that everybody's gone
Someone please talk to me
'Cause I feel you cry
And you're sitting with him
And I know I'll never see you again
Lying down in Charleston under the Carolina sky
You see I'm tired of feeling this pain
I'm tired of living my own little lie
And it makes me wonder
When I see you in my dreams
Does it mean anything
Are you trying to talk to me
I'm a stranger in my home
Tell me are you feeling alone
Someone tell me what to do
'Cause I'm feeling strong
And I wonder how you feel
Do you realize my pain is for real
I see you in my dreams
And I wonder if you're looking down at me
And smiling right now
I wanna know if it's true
When he looks at me
Won't you tell me
Does he realize he came down here
He took you too soon
And now my days are short and my nights are long
I lay down with memories of you
That keep me going on, going on
And it makes me wonder as I sit and stare
Will I see your face again, tell me, do you care
I'm a stranger in my home
Living life on my own
Right now I just can't see
'Cause I'm feeling weak
And my soul begins to bleed
And no one is listening to me, not even the trees
Oh no no no no no no no
The lyrics of Hootie & The Blowfish's song "Not Even The Trees" seem to explore feelings of loneliness, desperation, and confusion. The singer seems to be sitting alone, asking the trees if they will listen to them if they scream. They wonder if anyone will hear them if they speak, and if they will be met with ridicule or support. The singer is lost and unsure of where they are headed, and a little boy asks where they are going. The singer replies that they don't know where they are going, but only know where they came from. They then wonder if their pain and the suffering they feel is real and if anyone understands. They feel like a stranger in their own home, longing for someone to talk to them and not even the trees seem to be listening.
The song seems to explore themes of isolation, grief, and a search for meaning in life. The singer feels disconnected from the world around them and is searching for someone to validate their pain. They are questioning the purpose of life, wondering if their loved ones who have passed on are still watching over them. They are struggling to come to terms with their own mortality and the fragility of life. The lyrics paint a melancholic picture of a person searching for answers and comfort in a world that seems indifferent to their struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone as I sit and watch the trees
I am sitting by myself staring at the trees
Won't you tell me if I scream
If I scream, will someone hear me?
Will they bend down and listen to me
Will anyone pay attention to me?
And it makes me wonder
This situation is causing me to ponder
If I know the words will you come
If I express myself, will someone come to help me?
Or will you laugh at me or will I run
Will someone ridicule me, causing me to flee?
Little boy says to me
A young child asks me
Where you goin' now son
Where are you headed?
I said, I don't know where I'm goin' boy
I replied that I am uncertain of my destination
I only know where I'm from
I am only aware of my origins
If the stars shine when my eyes close
When I sleep, do the stars continue to twinkle?
Or does my brothers heart cry
Is my sibling experiencing sadness?
I don't know
I am unsure
Now that everybody's gone
Since everyone has left
Someone please talk to me
Can someone please converse with me?
'Cause I feel you cry
I sense your sorrow
And you're sitting with him
You are together with another person
And I know I'll never see you again
I acknowledge that I will not encounter you once more
Lying down in Charleston under the Carolina sky
Reclining in Charleston, gazing towards the sky
You see I'm tired of feeling this pain
I am fed up with this agony
I'm tired of living my own little lie
I am weary of my own deception
When I see you in my dreams
When I perceive you in my slumber
Does it mean anything
Does it hold any significance?
Are you trying to talk to me
Are you attempting to communicate with me?
Tell me are you feeling alone
Are you experiencing loneliness?
Someone tell me what to do
Can someone provide guidance?
'Cause I'm feeling strong
I am currently experiencing strong emotions
And my soul begins to bleed
My spirit is suffering
I see you in my dreams
I perceive you when I slumber
And I wonder if you're looking down at me
I ponder if you are observing me from above
And smiling right now
And perhaps even grinning
I wanna know if it's true
I wish to know if this is accurate
When he looks at me
When another individual glances my direction
Does he realize he came down here
Is he aware that he descended to this location?
He took you too soon
He removed you from this world prematurely
And now my days are short and my nights are long
Now my days are brief and my nights are extensive
I lay down with memories of you
I rest with recollections of you
That keep me going on, going on
That assist me in continuing forward
And it makes me wonder as I sit and stare
This situation causes me to contemplate as I sit and gaze
Will I see your face again, tell me, do you care
Will I ever encounter your countenance once more, please inform me, do you have any concern?
Living life on my own
Residing in isolation
Right now I just can't see
Currently, I am unable to perceive
'Cause I'm feeling weak
As I am currently experiencing weakness
And no one is listening to me, not even the trees
No one is heeding me, not even the trees
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DARIUS RUCKER, DEAN FELBER, JIM SONEFELD, MARK BRYAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind