I. In the summer of 1999 Leonardo Silva and Peter Hollens met in a University of Oregon writing class. Their common passion for singing inspired them to start a vocal group. That winter, Pete and Leo gathered a small and talented group of 6 music lovers for their very first rehearsal. On the Rocks was born.
Known as the first official collegiate a cappella group in Oregon, On The Rocks began a tradition of excellence in a genre that was previously unheard of in the Northwest. Since 1999, several other groups, including University of Oregon’s Divisi and Oregon State’s Outspoken have followed their lead and joined the fast-growing A cappella community.
OtR has established itself as one of the top a cappella groups in the nation. Their current repertoire ranges from contemporary pop to doo-wop classics to holiday standards and the occasional original piece. OtR is comprised of mostly undergraduate students and usually consisting of 9 – 12 members. Every fall and spring, an extensive audition process is held to find quality replacements for graduating members in 4 different vocal categories-, tenor, baritone, bass and vocal percussion. Auditioning students are evaluated on tonal memory, solo talent, blending ability and, of course, personality. Once the new members are chosen, OTR can be heard singing every Friday @ the EMU amphitheater and around campus at various events throughout the year. Aside from hosting quarterly concerts, they have toured the West Coast and have visited the east coast often, and Canada. They have performed with the professional quartet the Coats and at various a cappella festivals all over the west coast.
In 2002 OtR placed 3rd at the International Competition of Collegiate a cappella and returned the next year in 2003 to place 2nd out of hundreds of groups. During the competitions they took in more than a dozen awards including, Best Soloist, Best Vocal Percussion, Best Arrangement and Best Hair. They have appeared live on the NBC Today show, along with other various semi-national news stations such as WB news @ 10 on “Toni Time”.
Every year in the winter since their inception OtR has been invited to sing the National Anthem at the UO Basketball Games in Mac Court. Their performance has been broadcast on UO radio to several thousand listeners and was received with uproaring praise from the appreciative 7,000 fans and radio commentators alike.
OTR has also reached viral status with their YouTube videos of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," and is probably best known for their version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," which reached 7.5 million views on YouTube. OTR has toured all over the US and Canada. The group travels to Berkeley, CA for the West Coast A Cappella Showcase every year. OTR has toured San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York, New Haven, and Boston, and hope to tour more in the future. In 2010, OTR was featured on the second season of the hit NBC show "The Sing-Off".
Since it’s inception, On the Rocks has released two albums:The self titled OTR – 2002 and Backgammon Sessions – 2003. They are finishing up their latest CD, soon to be released in fall of 2005. Awards for their recordings include a selection on the 2004 BOCA compilation album (Best of Collegiate A Cappella). The selected track was Yellow off the Backgammon Sessions album and it was also chosen as the runner-up best male song of the year by CARA (Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards) Their most recent CD, Full Coverage includes tracks from such artists as Mr. Mister, Justin Timberlake, Rufus Wainwritght, and more. On the Rocks A cappella can be contacted via email at uoontherocks@hotmail.com.
II. On The Rocks
Colorado rock has a distinctive sound, identified by a blending of acoustic and electric guitars and an emphasis on tight vocal harmonies. No band around present this as powerfully as 'On the Rocks'. Add to the mix, dynamic rhythms and emotional originals, and you have the recipe for a band on the rise. Frontman Shawn Wright's gravely voice and passionate performances move audiences to frenzied levels, then gently brings the house down with love songs, such as 'til the end' or a power ballad like 'something more than this'. His sense of humor shines through with songs such as 'nailed your best friend'. Nn lead guitar is Ohio born Mike Princehorn. He cut his rock and roll teeth in the northern Colorado area. His versatile styles keep up with the bands ever-changing moods through each set. His strong vocals are heard on front as well as in harmonies. He's no shrinking violet, evident when harmonizing with Shawn's powerhouse vocals. Also a song writer, original material seems limitless. Arriving all the way from Detroit is bassist Sonny Lentz. He brings a streetwise edge and Motown influences to the music. Combining blues, rock, soul, country and reggae, his rhythms keep the songs, and the audience, moving. He contributes original material that is provocative and somewhat unpredictable. Rounding out the quartet is Colorado's own Norris Jones on drums. Norris has played with northern Colorado favorites 'canebrake run', Walt Jenkins, Liz Barnez, and 'harmony road'. His jazz and infusion roots add a cool and diverse bottom to the passionate original material. He is dynamite on the rockin' tunes as well. As word spreads, the band's calender is filling up. They are playing regularly up and down the front range, and extending into Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana.
Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks - Intoxicated
Collectors Choice Music: On The Rocks
Discogs: On The Rocks - Mamonama
The Final Countdown
On the Rocks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But still it's farewell
And maybe we'll come back,
To earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
We're leaving ground (leaving ground)
Will things ever be the same again?
The final countdown.
Oh, We're heading for Venus
And still we stand tall
Cause maybe they've seen us
And welcome us all
With so many light years to go
And things to be found (to be found)
I'm sure that we'll all miss her so
It's the final countdown.
The final countdown.
The final countdown (final countdown).
Oh oh
The final countdown.
Oh oh
It's the final countdown.
The final countdown.
The final countdown. (final countdown)
It's the final countdown
We're leaving together
The final countdown
We'll all miss her so
It's the final countdown (final countdown)
Oh, it's the final countdown.
The lyrics to On the Rocks's song The Final Countdown depict the emotions felt by someone leaving Earth, unsure if they will ever return. The opening lines "We're leaving together, but still it's farewell" suggest that this journey is not one-way, but definitely has an element of goodbyes and leave-taking. The next line "Maybe we'll come back, to earth, who can tell?" emphasizes the deceitfulness of space travel, in that even if one does leave, they really aren't sure of ever making it back. There is a sense of loss in these lines, showing that despite the excitement of departure, sadness still lingers.
The lines "I guess there is no one to blame, we're leaving ground" suggest a sense of inevitability, where no one is to blame for the departure. The line "Will things ever be the same again?" amplifies the possible risks and dangers of space travel, where the danger of getting lost in space is highlighted. These risks make it unlikely that things will ever be the same again. The repetition of "It's the final countdown" brings the focus back to the imminence of this departure and the fact that this is an irreversible decision.
The verses "Oh, we're heading for Venus, and still we stand tall/ Cause maybe they've seen us and welcome us all/ With so many light years to go/ And things to be found/ I'm sure that we'll all miss her so" state the destination is Venus, portraying this as a hopeful journey. The use of “we” indicates a collective mission, while “them” represents the inhabitants on Venus. The last line, “I’m sure that we’ll all miss her so” is filled with melancholy and suggests that the people who are embarking on this mission are already missing Earth even though they haven’t left yet.
Line by Line Meaning
We're leaving together
We, as a group, are leaving as one
But still it's farewell
However, it is a goodbye to what we are leaving behind
And maybe we'll come back,
There is a possibility of returning
To earth, who can tell?
But only the future knows if we'll return to Earth
I guess there is no one to blame
We cannot find fault in anyone or anything for our departure
We're leaving ground (leaving ground)
Our departure is from the ground, which is significant
Will things ever be the same again?
Uncertainty exists about the future and what we are leaving behind
It's the final countdown.
This moment is the final countdown
Oh, We're heading for Venus
Our journey is towards Venus
And still we stand tall
We remain resolute and determined despite the uncertainty
Cause maybe they've seen us
Perhaps they have noticed us already
And welcome us all
And will welcome us when we arrive
With so many light years to go
A great distance lies ahead of us
And things to be found (to be found)
Things that are yet to be discovered exist out there
I'm sure that we'll all miss her so
We will all surely miss Earth
It's the final countdown.
Again, this moment is the final countdown
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joey Tempest
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind