In between Foo's tours, winning a Grammy, other band commitments and babies being born, Jackson United enlisted the help of producer Chad Blinman (Face to Face, Viva Death, Get Up Kids) and recorded 21 "a little bit rock, a little bit punk" tracks from the thousands Chris had written that he couldn't convince anyone else to sing. Fourteen of those are on "Western Ballads".
Confessing a love for "way down in kokomo" era Beach Boys ahead of the often cited and trendier "Pet Sounds", Shiflett says "... it's guitar pop. Not as heavy as Foo Fighters stuff. And there's some stuff that's pretty mellow and vibey". We prefer to think of it as flawless.
Six months later the release of "Western Ballads" marked not only a new name, but new band mates too! Cary Lascala (also of Vue) took over the drumsticks and Doug Sangalang (ex Screw 32/Limp) became the new guitarist. Both of them had toured a bunch with Chris' old band No Use For A Name). Also Omen Starr was added to the line-up, replacing Scott on bass.
In 2006 Scott was called back in after Omen's departure, and along with Jose Mendeles on drums, they began work on their second record. Unfortunately Jose didn't stay with the band, and 'guest drummers' were drafted in for recording.
Jackson United's second album Harmony and Dissidence was released in Australia and Japan on April 14th 2008, and set to be available on itunes. This album sees the return of Scott Shiflett to the band, and 'guest drummers' were revealed to be Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins of Chris' "day band" Foo Fighters, Harmony and Dissidence also features Rami Jaffee (of The Wallflowers, and currently a touring member of Foo Fighters) on keyboards and Drew Hester (also a touring member of Foo Fighters, and also produced and mixed the 2006 debut self-titled album from Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders) on percussion.
The video for "21st Century Fight Song" can be seen here
Undertow
Jackson United Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
some things never change
lonely and deranged
some things stay the same
what would you say? what would you do?
yesterday these lies were true
what fades away for me and you
i'll just, wait til you're asleep
to spill my secrets to me
wait til you're asleep
spill my secrets
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
pretend, you're gone
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
pretend, you're wrong
i misunderstood the power of a guilty conscience
and would you like to know what really haunts us?
and could you let the big things go?
the power of the undertow
wait til you're asleep
to spill my secrets to me
wait til you're asleep
spill my secrets
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
pretend, you're gone
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
pretend, you're wrong
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
pretend, you're gone
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
pretend, you're wrong
it's a peace i never knew
i'll battle til i'm blue
alone forever true
only to me
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
pretend, you're gone
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
pretend, you're wrong
well everybody loves rock and roll
but they never stick around for long
they get tired of the same old song
all the gold just turns to stone
well everybody loves rock and roll
but they never stick around for long
they get tired of the same old song
all the gold just turns to stone
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
pretend, you're gone
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
pretend, you're wrong
The song Undertow by Jackson United seems to be about an individual who feels lonely, deranged, and burdened with the weight of their guilty conscience. The lyrics suggest that certain things in life never change, and that some things will continue to stay the same regardless of personal efforts to change them. The repetition of certain phrases throughout the song, such as "what would you say? what would you do?" and "wait til you're asleep to spill my secrets," indicate a sense of inner turmoil and uncertainty.
The singer seems to be grappling with their sense of identity and their own personal demons, often pretending not to care or see others as a way of avoiding confrontation or self-reflection. The reference to the "undertow" in the last stanza brings to mind the idea of a powerful and unseen force that can pull individuals down and drown them. This idea is utilized as a metaphor for the singer's own inner struggles, hinting that their guilt and fear might ultimately lead to their undoing.
The song seems to touch upon themes such as personal responsibility, emotional repression, and the challenges of facing one's own flaws and wrongdoings. It conveys a sense of loneliness and desperation that is underscored by the music's somewhat melancholic tone. Overall, the lyrics paint a poignant picture of someone struggling to navigate their own emotional landscape and come to terms with their own sense of identity.
Line by Line Meaning
some things never change
There are some things that remain constant and unchanging.
some things never change
This line repeats to emphasize the idea of things that never change.
lonely and deranged
Feeling alone and mentally unstable.
some things stay the same
This repeats to further reiterate the concept of sameness.
what would you say? what would you do?
Asking a rhetorical question about how one would react in a certain situation.
yesterday these lies were true
Referring to a time when something false was believed to be true.
what fades away for me and you
Something that is disappearing or becoming less important for both parties involved.
a harder way i'm coming too
The artist is taking a more difficult path.
i'll just, wait til you're asleep to spill my secrets to me
The artist plans to confess their secrets to themselves when they are alone.
wait til you're asleep, spill my secrets
Rephrasing the previous line in a more concise manner, emphasizing the desire for privacy.
i'll pretend, that i don't see you there
The singer will act as if they don't notice someone's presence.
pretend, you're gone
Continuation of the previous line; pretending that the other person isn't there.
i'll pretend, that i don't really care
The singer will act as if they are indifferent to the situation.
pretend, you're wrong
Continuation of the previous line; pretending that the other person is in the wrong.
i misunderstood the power of a guilty conscience
The singer did not fully comprehend how much a guilty conscience can impact one's life.
and would you like to know what really haunts us?
Asking a rhetorical question about the things that cause fear or distress in people.
and could you let the big things go?
Asking if it's possible to let go of important things or issues.
the power of the undertow
The strength of a powerful force that pulls things down or under, metaphorically representing the impact of negative thoughts and emotions.
it's a peace i never knew
Achieving a sense of calm or acceptance that was previously unknown to the singer.
i'll battle til i'm blue
The artist will keep fighting until they feel defeated or exhausted.
alone forever true, only to me
The artist is only true to themselves and feels permanently alone.
well everybody loves rock and roll
A generalization about people's love for a certain genre of music.
but they never stick around for long
Despite people's initial love for the music, they eventually lose interest and move on.
they get tired of the same old song
People grow tired of hearing the same thing repeatedly.
all the gold just turns to stone
Over time, something valuable loses its worth or importance and becomes meaningless.
Contributed by Annabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pipandrew
its great to hear chris singing for once
@EdwoodCA
Thanks for posting the lyrics!
@NYRAPPERFULL
chris is awesome!
@BozzasBilge
thanks
@rodrigocollins6851
the girls Love this song
@NYRAPPERFULL
This reminds a little of the vocals of polly by nirvana
@km9OOO
This might be favorite on the album, the way it's all over the map. The songs in general are more poppy and less raw than I was expecting, and similar to the last one. Still good though.
@victoralves9682
why this dont play in the rádio?
@LittleHarborViews
Did you make this video?