Old 97's have been heralded as a great live band. They included five live songs as a bonus disc on Satellite Rides, and released a live double CD set recorded at historic Gruene Hall in 2005, Alive and Wired. Singer/guitarist Rhett Miller has released three solo albums and singer/bassist Murry Hammond released his first solo effort in April 2008. Ken Bethea plays lead guitar for the band and playing the drums/singing is Philip Peeples.
For photographs and additional information see the official website, www.Old97s.com.
Busted Afternoon
Old 97's Lyrics
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There was a red wine.
There was a long whistle;
It was a good sign.
There was a band playin'
Somewhere off-screen.
There was a girl sayin',
In a dream,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a haze,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a bad way,
On a busted afternoon.
There was a sad truth.
There was a punch line.
There was a long whistle;
It was a good sign.
There was a long goodbye.
There was a long goodbye.
In a dream,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a haze,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a bad way,
On a busted afternoon.
In a dream,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a haze,
On a bus,
On a busted afternoon.
In a bad way,
On a busted afternoon.
The lyrics to Old 97's's "Busted Afternoon" paint a picture of an aimless, melancholic afternoon, perhaps the aftermath of a wild night before. The first verse sets the scene with the fine rain and red wine, and the long whistle being a good sign could be explained as a train or a bus whistle signaling the possibility of a new adventure. The second verse introduces the idea of a band playing somewhere off-screen, and a girl calling for honesty and transparency. This could reflect the themes of growth and change, even if it comes with some discomfort or sadness.
The repeated chorus emphasizes the feeling of being stuck in a haze, both physically and emotionally. The bus becomes a symbol of being lost in one's own thoughts, unable to escape from the "busted afternoon" that is weighing on the singer. The sadness and confusion are palpable throughout the song, especially in the last verse where the long goodbye is mentioned twice, indicating that something or someone important has been lost.
Overall, "Busted Afternoon" captures the desperation and longing that often comes after a moment of recklessness, while also showing that there is the potential for redemption and growth through honesty and facing the truth.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a fine rain.
It was raining lightly.
There was a red wine.
Someone was drinking red wine.
There was a long whistle;
A whistle was blown for a long time.
It was a good sign.
The long whistle indicated a positive outcome.
There was a band playin'
A band was performing music in the distance.
Somewhere off-screen.
The location of the band was not visible.
There was a girl sayin'
A female was speaking.
"Come clean."
She demanded honesty.
In a dream,
The artist is describing a dream-like state.
On a bus,
The artist is on a bus.
On a busted afternoon.
The afternoon is ruined or flawed in some way.
In a haze,
The artist is feeling disoriented or confused.
There was a sad truth.
Something unfortunate or unpleasant was revealed.
There was a punch line.
A humorous or unexpected conclusion was delivered.
There was a long goodbye.
A farewell or departure took a long time.
In a bad way,
The artist is feeling negative emotions.
In a dream,
The artist is describing a dream-like state.
On a bus,
The singer is on a bus.
On a busted afternoon.
The afternoon is ruined or flawed in some way.
In a haze,
The artist is feeling disoriented or confused.
In a bad way,
The artist is feeling negative emotions.
In a dream,
The artist is describing a dream-like state.
On a bus,
The singer is on a bus.
On a busted afternoon.
The afternoon is ruined or flawed in some way.
In a haze,
The singer is feeling disoriented or confused.
In a bad way,
The singer is feeling negative emotions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RHETT MILLER, MURRY HAMMOND, PHILIP WAYNE PEEPLES, KENDALL DEWAYNE BETHEA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind