The song "Colony of Birchmen" from the band's third album (released in 2006), Blood Mountain, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2007. Blood Mountain was followed in 2009 by Crack the Skye, and in 2011 by The Hunter, which debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and achieved major commercial success in the United States. The Hunter features the song "Curl of the Burl", which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 2012. Mastodon's 2014 album, Once More 'Round the Sun, peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and features the band's third Grammy-nominated song, "High Road". The band's seventh album, Emperor of Sand, was released on March 31, 2017, and features the band's most commercially successful song to date, "Show Yourself", which peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in June 2017. The followup single, "Steambreather", peaked at number 18 on the same chart in October 2017. The album's opening track, "Sultan's Curse", earned the band their first Grammy award. Emperor of Sand was the band's first album to receive a Grammy nomination; it was nominated for Best Rock Album.
Mastodon was formed on January 13, 2000, after drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher moved to Atlanta from Victor, New York, and met bassist/singer Troy Sanders and guitarist/singer Brent Hinds at a High on Fire show. They discovered they had a mutual appreciation of sludge metal bands Melvins and Neurosis, heavy metal legends Iron Maiden, and 1970s hard rockers Thin Lizzy, and shortly thereafter formed Mastodon. In an interview in 2009, Kelliher revealed that the first time Hinds attended a practice with the band, he "showed up so wasted he couldn't play".
The band recorded a demo in 2000, which featured Eric Saner on vocals. Saner left the band for personal reasons after just a couple of months. After recording a four-song demo and a 7-inch picture disc through Reptilian Records, Mastodon landed a record deal with Relapse Records in 2001. Mastodon released the EP Lifesblood in 2001, and its first full-length album, Remission, in 2002, with the singles "March of the Fire Ants" and "Crusher/Destroyer" (which was also featured on Tony Hawk's Underground). On each of Mastodon's first three full-length albums, the last track was an instrumental composition with a title that related to the Elephant Man.
Artist Paul Romano was responsible for all of the band's album art and backdrops up to 2011. The artwork for the band's fifth studio album The Hunter was made by AJ Fosik, a woodcarver who was also responsible for the backdrop the band used live at the time. Oakland-based artist Skinner, who, in his own words, specializes in "psychedelic nightmare paintings", has taken the reins on Once More 'Round the Sun. "It's going to be a work of art for sure. It's going to be very eye-opening", said bassist Troy Sanders before the album's release. "Very striking. It's from another dimension, and a lot of our music is geared toward that idea—taking you to another planet on songs. It's out there, and I think it's incredible."
Studio albums
Remission (2002)
Leviathan (2004)
Blood Mountain (2006)
Crack the Skye (2009)
The Hunter (2011)
Once More 'Round the Sun (2014)
Emperor of Sand (2017)
Hushed and Grim (2021)
EPs
Lifesblood (2001)
Cold Dark Place (2017)
Just Got Paid
Mastodon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got me a pocket full of change
I said, I just got paid today
I got me a pocket full of change
If you believe like workin' hard all day
Just step in my shoes and take my pay
When I hit the ground I was on the run
I had one glad hand and the other behind
You can have yours, just give me mine
When the hound dog barkin' in the black of the night
Stick my hand in my pocket, everything's all right
I just got paid today
I got me a pocket full of change, yes, I do
I said, black sheep, black, do you got some wool?
I said yes I do, man, my bag is full
It's the root of evil and you know the rest
But it's way ahead of what's second best
I want to suck your blood
The Mastodon song "Just Got Paid" is a cover of the classic blues song originally recorded by ZZ Top. The lyrics are about the joy of getting paid and having money to spend. The singer expresses excitement about his newfound wealth, boasting about his pocket full of change. He invites anyone who wants to experience the satisfaction of hard work to step in his shoes and take his pay.
The second stanza speaks to the singer's humble beginnings. He was born into a life of constant motion and had to learn to fend for himself from a young age. He has always had a preference for what is rightfully his, saying "You can have yours, just give me mine." The third stanza refers to the feeling of safety that money can bring, even in the face of danger. The singer feels secure even when a hound dog barks in the dark, knowing his money is in his pocket.
The fourth and final stanza includes a reference to a black sheep with full wool, which seems to be a metaphor for the accumulation of wealth. The singer acknowledges the corrupting power of money, calling it the root of all evil. However, he still recognizes the importance of money, believing it to be better than whatever is in second place.
Overall, the lyrics of "Just Got Paid" capture the thrill of financial security and the satisfaction of a well-earned paycheck. It is a timeless celebration of the value of hard work and the tangible rewards it can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
I just got paid today
I received my paycheck for my work today and have money to spend.
I got me a pocket full of change
I have cash in my pocket.
I said, I just got paid today
I reiterated that I received my paycheck and have money to spend.
I got me a pocket full of change
I still have cash in my pocket.
If you believe like workin' hard all day
If you agree that working hard is important,
Just step in my shoes and take my pay
you can take my job and receive my paycheck instead.
I was born my papa's son
I am my father's child.
When I hit the ground I was on the run
I was active and on-the-go from a young age.
I had one glad hand and the other behind
I had one friendly greeting hand and the other hidden behind my back.
You can have yours, just give me mine
You can keep what you have, I just want what's mine.
When the hound dog barkin' in the black of the night
When the hound dog was howling late at night,
Stick my hand in my pocket, everything's all right
I found comfort by putting my hand in my pocket and feeling my money, which made me feel secure.
I got me a pocket full of change, yes, I do
I am still emphasizing that I have cash in my pocket.
I said, black sheep, black, do you got some wool?
I asked a black sheep if it had any wool, as it is known for producing wool.
I said yes I do, man, my bag is full
The black sheep responded affirmatively and indicated that its bag is full of wool.
It's the root of evil and you know the rest
Money is commonly considered the source of many problems, and I don't need to explain why.
But it's way ahead of what's second best
Despite its faults, having money is still better than not having it.
I want to suck your blood
This line is not present in the original lyrics and is not valid.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Bill Ham, Billy F Gibbons
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@loulabird9332
Raised on zz top, but this rendition does it for me. Mastodon is criminally underrated considering their level of talent, both individually and as a whole.
@Snake_hips
Underrated? They've been nominated for 5 Grammys lmao
@fredriksvard2603
@@Snake_hips yeah theyre pretty widely recognized lol
@danutd94
Brent's voice is perfect for a cover like this
@somewhereonyoutube909
danutd94 I was about to say that.
@stratocaster1986able
I feel that Brent's voice is more suited to blues than metal.
@travisf202
He's more of a blues/country rock kinda guy than metal. The other dudes are mainly influenced by metal and other forms of rock.
@darrenwastestime
And that's what makes him so interesting in Mastodon. I love it when his southern style finds its way into their tunes
@tool6913ca
Megalodon... that moment when he rolls out a crazy hillbilly lick right before that thundering riff in the middle of the song. Goosebumps every time.
@RShack13ford
Brent's voice is suited for everything. 🤘