The band are best known for their singles "5 O'Clock" and "Saturday", and for their covers of Spirit of the West's "Home For a Rest" and AC/DC's "Long Way to the Top". In addition, the band recently hit it big with the single "Lost," which was featured in the promos for the NBC television show The Black Donnelly's. Their single Animal was featured on the soundtrack of the hit video games Burnout 3: Takedown and MX vs. ATV Unleashed.
The band's name comes from the occupation of the Campbell brothers prior to forming the band; they were mixing mortar and carrying bricks for bricklayers. The band was influenced by traditional Scottish music as well as hard rock groups like AC/DC. The Mudmen have opened for many bands, including ZZ Top, Tool, Dropkick Murphys and Bowling for Soup as well as fellow Canadians Nickelback, Sum 41 and The Guess Who.
The Mudmen have toured in Canada, the United States and Great Britain. The band has three albums, Mudmen (2000), Overrated (2003) and Defending the Kingdom (2005). Six Mudmen videos have been produced and shown on MuchMusic. As of 2005, the band is touring throughout Canada and are have released their third (October 11th) album Defending the Kingdom and are working on a live DVD.
Stand Alone
Mudmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And there's nothing wrong with me
I′ve talked to people torn apart
So blind they couldn't see
And I've stood alone with nothing left
With knives stuck in my back
I′ve paid my dues but no to loose
And I won′t fall through the cracks
I want you to know, I was never proud of you
I wanna say, did you ever waste a thought on me
I want you to know, the hell you put me through
You dragged my name all through the mud
But I withstood the test
And sat back laughing drinking Bud
You where just like all the rest
My friends where few and far between
But I know that I was blessed
And I know there's lot′s you haven't seen
And I plan to laugh the best
I wanna say, father are you proud of me
I want you to know, I was never proud of you
I wanna say, did you ever waste a thought on me
I want you to know, all the hell you put me through
All the little mistakes, we all make
Are nothing compared to what I′ve seen
And now it's too late, you′ll never change what you mean to me
I wanna say, father are you proud of me
I want you to know, I was never proud of you
I wanna say, that it never even bothered me
I want you to know, the hell you put me through
I wanna say, I'm exactly what I want to be
I want you to know, there was nothing wrong with me
The Mudmen's song Stand Alone appears to be a message to the singer's father. The lyrics begin with the singer bravely facing challenges and looking the wicked in the face. The singer has talked to people who were blind and torn apart but somehow still managed to stand alone with nothing left. Knives were stuck in the singer's back, but they still managed to pay their dues without falling through the cracks. Then, the singer addresses their father by asking if he is proud of them, indicating feelings of inadequacy and seeking approval from their parent. However, the singer doesn't show any remorse in their lyrics as they declare that they were never proud of their father. They go on to say that the father never wasted a thought on them, but still managed to put them through hell. The singer claims to have withstood it all and sat back laughing while drinking Bud.
The next verse reveals that the singer's name was dragged through the mud, but they were able to withstand the test. The singer had few friends, but they know they were blessed. The singer plans to laugh the best and live their life the way they want to. The song's chorus repeats three times, solidifying the message that the father was never proud of the singer, and that there was nothing wrong with them. The song ends with a realization that all the little mistakes that people make are insignificant compared to what the singer has experienced. They state that it's too late to change what the father means to them.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve looked the wicked in the face
I have faced evil directly.
And there’s nothing wrong with me
I am not broken or damaged in any way.
I’ve talked to people torn apart
I have had conversations with those who have been emotionally shattered.
So blind they couldn't see
These people were so overwhelmed that they were unable to recognize what they needed.
And I’ve stood alone with nothing left
I have been abandoned with no resources left to help me.
With knives stuck in my back
I have experienced betrayal and backstabbing from individuals I had trusted.
I’ve paid my dues but no to loose
I have worked hard and earned what I have, and I will not let it slip away easily.
And I won’t fall through the cracks
I will persevere and not let adversity defeat me.
I want to say, father are you proud of me
I want to know if my father is proud of who I have become.
I want you to know, I was never proud of you
I did not admire my father's actions or behavior toward me.
I want to say, did you ever waste a thought on me
I want to know if my father ever gave me any consideration.
I want you to know, the hell you put me through
I want my father to understand the pain and suffering he caused me.
You dragged my name all through the mud
You tarnished my reputation and made me look bad.
But I withstood the test
I remained resilient and did not let the situation defeat me.
And sat back laughing drinking Bud
I was able to find some humor in the situation and enjoy a moment of relaxation.
You were just like all the rest
You were not unique in your hurtful actions towards me, as others have similarly hurt me.
My friends were few and far between
I did not have many close friends in my life.
But I know that I was blessed
However, I still recognize that I have been fortunate in other ways.
And I know there’s lots you haven’t seen
There are aspects of my life that my father was not privy to.
And I plan to laugh the best
Despite the challenges I have faced, I intend to find joy and laughter in life.
All the little mistakes, we all make
Mistakes are a normal part of the human experience.
Are nothing compared to what I’ve seen
The hardships I have witnessed and experienced put small mistakes in perspective.
And now it’s too late, you’ll never change what you mean to me
My father's actions have irreparably damaged our relationship, and he cannot alter the harm he has caused me.
I want to say, that it never even bothered me
I want to convey that the pain my father inflicted upon me did not break me.
I want you to know, the hell you put me through
I want my father to understand the suffering he caused me.
I want to say, I’m exactly what I want to be
I am content with who I am.
I want you to know, there was nothing wrong with me
My father's actions did not change the fact that there was never anything wrong with me as a person.
Contributed by Reagan R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.