After gaining a following as a popular live act on college campuses, the band has gained popular success since signing to Lava Records in 2005, with their singles "Love and Memories" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" gaining mainstream radio airplay. Speaking with Songfacts in an interview, Roberge explained "Love and Memories" was inspired by the Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet movie, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The members of O.A.R. first came together in Rockville, Maryland in the basement of drummer Chris Culos' childhood home in 1996. As a young group of musicians, they were the prototype of the modern, self-starting band--taking charge of their fate by working the internet and building an identifiable sound. The band’s music, a rock/reggae fusion, consisted of songs that were fully accessible, yet teasingly elusive. Attracting fans all across the country, the band members toured relentlessly, pushing their album sales through boundless dedication and word-of-mouth appeal, never waiting for the industry to catch up. O.A.R. owes much of their success to piracy and Napster, the mp3 sharing engine. Around 2000, O.A.R.'s popularity greatly increased among college students because their song "Crazy Game of Poker" was a huge hit on Napster.
By the time the band had reached their 10 year anniversary together, they had sold over 1.2 million albums and performed in front of over 1 million people. Their studio record, Stories of a Stranger, produced radio favorites “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World” as well as mtvU’s Most Downloaded Video of 2006, “Lay Down.” The band followed up the successful release with a live double disc CD and DVD set, Live From Madison Square Garden, recorded during the band’s second sold-out performance at the prestigious arena.
Early in 2008, the band members holed themselves up in a studio in Los Angeles to work on their next project, All Sides. The album was released on July 15th.
The Heaven Songfacts reports that the first single from O.A.R.'s seventh studio album, King was released on June 7, 2011 on Wind-Up Records.
. For more information about O.A.R., go to www.ofarevolution.com.
The Wanderer
O.A.R. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bettin' days, it's a dangerous game that we play
We all get tired of the stories that come with our names
We're all still tryin' to figure it out anyway, mh
Do you look outside the window
When the sun goes down?
Do you hide yourself in the shadows
Do you still dream of tomorrow
Bein' so much more?
Did you lose yourself in the universe
Wanderer?
Wanderer, oh
Silhouettes in the headlights on the street
Extras in a movie that we'll never see
Oh, we're all so scared of the things that we might never be
Ooh, spend our lives with our eyes wide open, asleep, oh
Do you look outside the window
When the sun goes down?
Do you hide yourself in the shadows
Of a lonely town?
Do you still dream of tomorrow
Bein' so much more?
Did you lose yourself in the universe
Wanderer?
Wanderer, oh
Wanderer, oh
The lyrics of O.A.R.’s “The Wanderer” are about a man who is an eternal wanderer. The first two lines describe him walking down the road with a knapsack on his back and listening to the radio. The man's blue suede shoes are covered in mud, but it doesn't matter to him because he's always on the move. The lyrics go on to describe the man's look, black sunglasses, and bald head. The man hitchhiked to New Mexico to try his luck with a new opportunity, but sadly it didn't work out.
The chorus is where the meaning of the song really shines through. The wanderer is searching for a place to call home, but has only one place to go. He's been walking for a thousand years, trying to run away from his fears, but he's not alone. The wanderer's goal is to find his home and to make sure he's not alone anymore. The second verse describes his parents' disapproval of his lifestyle and his desire to use his touch to heal others in need of love. The wanderer met others like himself who were wandering around the town, searching for their purpose.
Overall, “The Wanderer” is a song about the journey of life and the search for meaning and purpose. The Wanderer is representative of all of us who feel lost and want to find their way home. The lyrics suggest that home isn't necessarily a place, but a feeling of being loved and understood. The song encourages others to keep wandering until they find their true purpose and place in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the road there was a man walking, walking
Along the street, there was a man taking a stroll
Knapsack round his back radio talking, talking
He had a backpack on his back and was listening to the radio
And his blue suede shoes are covered in mud, but it no matter cause the boys on the run
Although his blue suede shoes are muddy, he's not bothered because he is on the move
Black sunglasses and a bald head too, boy never had nowhere to run when it was cold, so cold
He wore black sunglasses and had a bald head, and never had a warm place to go during the cold
So he hitched a ride to New Mexico, wanted to try for the big brass show
He took a ride to New Mexico to attempt to make it big
He's the wanderer looking for his long lost home
He is the wanderer searching for his home, which he has been away from for a long time
He's only got one place to go
There's only one place he can call home
He's wandering and wondering when to go home
He's still wandering and can't decide when to go home
He's not alone, not alone, not alone
He's not the only one wandering; there are others like him
Feet been walking for a thousand years, trying to drive away those fears, but no
He's been walking for a long time, attempting to overcome his fears but has made no progress
Well then he picked up and then he went down south
Then, he decided to travel down south
Dad said nothing and mom shut her mouth
His parents didn't object to his decision to travel
Well, he never thought too much, just thought he could heal with his touch
He didn't overthink, instead believing he could help others through his actions
For those who need help and more love
He wanted to help those in need, giving them love and support
And when love came around I heard the sound
When he found love, I heard it happening
Wanderers wandering all round the town
There are other wanderers taking strolls around the town
We wan wan wandered along, grabbed our friends and we move along
We took a walk together, bringing our friends with us as we went
We won won won the war, grabbed our friends and we ran for the door
We were victorious in our struggles, taking our friends and fleeing through the door
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: David Labuguen, Nathan Esquite, PJ Bianco, Zachary Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind