Many of the Lost Dogs albums include at least one or two cover songs. Songs covered by the Lost Dogs include Bob Dylan's "Lord, Protect My Child," Leonard Cohen's "If It Be Your Will," The Beatles' "I'm A Loser," and Stephen Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More." They have also recorded a number of Traditional or Gospel standards such as "Dust On The Bible," and "Farther Along."
In March, 2000, shortly after the release of their Gift Horse album, Gene Eugene died in his sleep at The Green Room, his recording studio in Huntington Beach, California.
2003 saw the release of the band's first DVD, Via Chicago, a black and white concert film released by Lo-Fidelity Records. A follow-up DVD, Via Chicago (All We Left Unsaid), containing additional songs from the concert, was released in 2006.
Although the loss of Eugene is noticeable, the remaining three Lost Dogs members continue to tour and record new albums. In 2004, the band got together with longtime friend Steve Hindalong to produce a special album for their summer tour. The result was entitled Mutt, and included new acoustic versions of nine songs originally written and recorded for each band member's regular rock bands, with one new song. The following year, the band would release one of their most unusual recordings to date, the almost entirely instrumental Island Dreams.
The band's most recent project, Old Angel, was released May 2010. The band — including the newest official "dog," drummer Steve Hindalong — once again hit the road for a national tour in support of their new album.
Sweet Work Of Love
Lost Dogs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hurled to ruin
The fabric of the earth just ripped in two
You were famous and beautiful
Commanding the nations
But you were bloodied and battered
Before the day was through
Scarred by rifts ruts and cracks
From all the mighty collisions and the
Knives in your back
Still there's ambrosia on your surface
And manna for the hungry
Food for the beggar, the poor for your money
Still you will be brilliant
You will be brilliant
A reflection of the sun above
You will be brilliant, you will be brilliant
Predestined for the sweet work of love
Your light has been extinguished
War has scorched your earth
There's frozen death the equator
And some beast is giving birth
There is argon and neon, and fire in your hair
Your blood is methane and ammonia
Your soul is tumult and despair
You're like some great dying planet. . .
Maybe not today but you will find a way
And shine like the light of the world
You're thinkin' that you're through
But I believe that you
Will shine like the light of the world
Who told you Jesus was rich man
That he stayed in the best hotels
Who sold you living water then put poison in your well
No, your wealth could never save you
Can't fill a river that's run dry
You can't bribe a camel to go through
A needle's eye
The song "Sweet Work of Love" by Lost Dogs describes the downfall of a once-great person, who experiences ruin and devastation. The lyrics refer to the ground opening up and the fabric of the earth ripping in two. The person was once famous and beautiful, commanding nations, but is now bloodied and battered. Despite the scars and the knives in the person's back, there is still something beautiful about them. There is ambrosia on the surface and manna for the hungry, meaning that even in the person's seemingly hopeless situation, there is still something good and nourishing. The person is predestined for the sweet work of love.
The song likens the person to a dying planet, which is scarred and broken by collisions and knives in its back. Yet, even in its damaged state, there is still ambrosia on its surface and manna for the hungry. The person's light has been extinguished and their earth has been scorched by war, with frozen death at the equator and some beast giving birth. The person's blood is methane and ammonia, and their soul is tumult and despair. Despite this, the chorus repeats that the person will still be brilliant and predestined for the sweet work of love.
The song can be interpreted as a message of hope and encouragement to anyone who has experienced ruin or downfall. It acknowledges the pain and devastation of such experiences, but also emphasizes that there is still beauty and goodness to be found, and that one can still be destined for the sweet work of love. The song seems to suggest that, no matter how broken or damaged we may feel, we still have value and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
The ground opened up and you were
You experienced a traumatic event where the ground underneath you was destroyed and you fell to ruin.
Hurled to ruin
You experienced a violent and devastating fall from grace.
The fabric of the earth just ripped in two
The very foundation of your world was torn apart and destroyed.
You were famous and beautiful
You were once a widely known and admired individual, well-regarded for your beauty.
Commanding the nations
You held great power and authority over entire nations.
But you were bloodied and battered
You were physically and emotionally hurt, visibly displaying damage and injury.
Before the day was through
This harm and injury occurred over the course of a short period of time, ending by the end of the day.
You're like some great dying planet
You are similar to a progressively decaying planet, suffering from both internal and external harm.
Scarred by rifts ruts and cracks
You have been marked and broken by deep cuts and inconsistent patterns.
From all the mighty collisions and the
Your injuries and damage stem from numerous great encounters and blows.
Knives in your back
Some of the harm caused to you may have been malicious and unexpected.
Still there's ambrosia on your surface
Despite all of the damage, there remains elements of beauty and inspiration in you.
And manna for the hungry
You have something to offer that is beneficial, and can sustain the needy and hungry.
Food for the beggar, the poor for your money
You have something to offer that can help both those who lack resources, and those who have become impoverished through neglect or abuse.
Still you will be brilliant
Despite all of the previous suffering, you will still shine and be a beacon of radiance.
You will be brilliant
You will regain your former brightness and shine again.
A reflection of the sun above
You will shine like the sun, radiating light and warmth.
You will be brilliant, you will be brilliant
You will overcome adversity and overcome challenges to once again shine brilliantly.
Predestined for the sweet work of love
You are destined for the rewarding work of love and compassion for others.
Your light has been extinguished
Your light and brightness has been removed or taken away, leaving you in darkness.
War has scorched your earth
You have been damaged, destroyed and hurt by warfare, resulting in environmental destruction.
There's frozen death the equator
Death and lifelessness has spread and frozen over parts of the earth that were once fertile and rich in life.
And some beast is giving birth
As new life springs forth, you are reminded that there is hope for new beginnings and renewal, despite the expectation of sorrow and pain.
There is argon and neon, and fire in your hair
You possess unusual or unexpected traits, such as glowing hair, that may be viewed as strange or out of place.
Your blood is methane and ammonia
Your internal composition is unorthodox and contains substances that are not usually found in human blood.
Your soul is tumult and despair
On the inside, you are overwhelmed with chaos and struggle, experiencing deep sadness and hopelessness.
Maybe not today but you will find a way
You will someday find the path that they need to take, even if it is not immediately clear.
And shine like the light of the world
You will once again shine brightly and become an example of hope and possibility.
You're thinkin' that you're through
You have come to believe that you have reached the end of the road and there is no way out or through.
But I believe that you
The singer believes that you do have a way through the darkness and turmoil.
Will shine like the light of the world
You will eventually become a shining example and embodiment of hope and renewal, just like a light shines in the darkness.
Who told you Jesus was rich man
You may have been led to believe that Jesus was a wealthy individual.
That he stayed in the best hotels
You may have also been given the impression that he had access to the best accommodations and luxuries available.
Who sold you living water then put poison in your well
You have been deceived, promised salvation and relief, then ultimately betrayed or hurt by those same entities.
No, your wealth could never save you
No matter how much material wealth you may amass, it will not be sufficient to save you from internal struggles or the pain that life brings.
Can't fill a river that's run dry
You cannot fill something with what it lacks or is missing entirely, like trying to fill a dry riverbed with water.
You can't bribe a camel to go through
Just as it is difficult to make a camel perform unnatural actions that are contrary to its nature or abilities, it is similarly difficult to manipulate or control certain situations and outcomes.
A needle's eye
This quote is referencing a bible verse, stating that it is easier to thread a needle with a camel than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
Contributed by Carter K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.