Under this five-piece lineup, Pirates of the Mississippi made its national debut in 1990 with a cover of Hank Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues"; a #26 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) chart, it was the debut single from their self-titled debut album. "Honky Tonk Blues" was followed by ten more singles, all of which charted between 1990 and 1995; in that same time span, the band would release four more studio albums and a compilation album. Severs was replaced by Greg Trostle in 1994; two years later, the five members parted ways.
In 2000, Rich and Bill reunited and began recording again as a duo, once again using the name Pirates of the Mississippi. The re-established lineup of Alves and McCorvey has produced one album to date -- 2006's Heaven and a Dixie Night, on the independent CBuJ Ent. label.
Pirates of the Mississippi was formed in 1987, when Nashville session musicians Bill McCorvey (lead vocals), Rich Alves (guitar), Dean Townson (bass guitar), Jimmy Lowe (drums), and Pat Severs (steel guitar) started performing together. Originally, they identified themselves as the We Don't Want a Freaking Record Deal Band; upon witnessing a group of fans wearing clogs, the group changed its name to The Cloggers. Eventually, they settled on the name Pirates of the Mississippi; this name was inspired by Lowe, whom the other members thought resembled a pirate.
Pirates of the Mississippi soon began playing various clubs around Nashville; eventually, they attracted the attention of an A&R representative at Capitol Records, who signed them to a recording contract in 1990. That year, they released their debut album (also titled Pirates of the Mississippi, with its first single being a cover of Hank Williams' "Honky Tonk Blues"; this cover peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. "Feed Jake", the third single from the album, became the group's highest-charting hit, peaking at #15. Its success helped the Pirates earn a Top New Vocal Group award from the Academy of Country Music.
1991's Walk the Plank, their second album for Capitol. produced two Top 40 hits and a #41. After a restructuring of Capitol Nashville, the band was shifted to Liberty Records, where they would release their third and fourth albums: A Street Man Named Desire (1992) and Dream You (1993). Each album produced only one chart single.
By 1994, a compilation album entitled The Best of Pirates of the Mississippi was issued. This compilation included several tracks from their first four albums, as well as newly recorded dance mixes. The same year, Severs was replaced with Greg Trostle on steel guitar. Not long afterward, they would exit Liberty's roster for Giant Records, where they would release the album Paradise. That album's only single failed to chart at all, and the band broke up in 1996, with Alves and McCorvey choosing to focus on their songwriting.
In 2000, Rich Alves and Bill McCorvey decided to reunite as a duo, again assuming the name Pirates of the Mississippi. They were signed to CBuJ Ent. Records in 2006, releasing the album Heaven and a Dixie Night that year. Former member Pat Severs has since joined the house band on Nashville Star, a talent show which airs on the USA Networks. McCorvey has also founded a second band named Buffalo Rome, although he and Alves continue to tour as Pirates of the Mississippi as well.
The Storm
Pirates Of The Mississippi Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our wounded souls end up crying
It's been getting light
Since we ended up trying
It's alright it's the life we have learned
And faced the point of no return
It's the grip found in time
I needed this for the rest of my life
Babe good things have happened to me
And now you're looking bloomy
Our love-worned lives go on
Storm blows itself out now
Comes a new day's morning
Storm blows itself out now
Skies are clearing up
Storm blows itself out now
Comes a harmless morning
Storm blows itself out
Storm blows itself out now
I loved you
You're my losses and gains
You made me feel
Ecstasy through the pains
The wall that we failed to break down
Can't let us find a common ground
It's the grip found in time
I needed this for the rest of my life
The song, "The Storm" by Pirates of the Mississippi is a sentimental ballad expressing the emotions of a couple who has endured the ups and downs of life together. The lyrics focus on the idea of weathering the storms of life through love and perseverance. The first verse is an acknowledgment of the pain and hardship they have gone through, "I'm feeling our wounded souls end up crying". However, they have learned from past experiences and are willing to face any challenges that come their way. The chorus conveys hope for new beginnings, "Storm blows itself out now, Comes a new day's morning, Skies are clearing up."
The second verse shows the strong bond the couple has shared despite their struggles. They have gone through pain but also experienced the joy of love. They have struggled to communicate but have found a way to come together in the end. The bridge, "It's the grip found in time, I needed this for the rest of my life", suggests that the couple has gained wisdom and strength from going through the storm and have come out stronger because of it.
Overall, the song is a poignant expression of the difficulties of life but also the beauty of love that can help to overcome them. It encourages us to endure through the struggles and challenges knowing that we have the capacity to learn, grow and move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm feeling
I am experiencing emotions that are currently affecting me.
Our wounded souls end up crying
We end up feeling distraught about our emotional pain.
It's been getting light
There has been hope and progress since we started trying to improve our situation.
Since we ended up trying
We have been putting forth effort to make our lives better.
It's alright it's the life we have learned
We have learned to accept and find peace with our life as it is.
And faced the point of no return
We have come to a turning point where we cannot turn back to how things were before.
It's the grip found in time
We have found a way to hold on and persevere through difficult times.
I needed this for the rest of my life
The strength and resilience I have gained will benefit me for the rest of my life.
Babe good things have happened to me
Positive events have occurred in my life.
And now you're looking bloomy
You are now flourishing and thriving.
Our love-worned lives go on
We continue to live our lives, despite experiencing challenges and difficulties in our relationship.
Storm blows itself out now
The intense and difficult time period is coming to an end.
Comes a new day's morning
A fresh start and new beginnings are on the horizon.
Skies are clearing up
Our view of the future is becoming more positive and hopeful.
Comes a harmless morning
The new day will bring peace and tranquility.
I loved you
I had strong feelings of affection towards you.
You're my losses and gains
I have both gained and lost things as a result of being with you.
You made me feel
You elicited an emotional response from me.
Ecstasy through the pains
Even in difficult times, there were moments of intense joy and happiness.
The wall that we failed to break down
We were unable to overcome the obstacles that prevented us from having a successful relationship.
Can't let us find a common ground
We were unable to reach a mutual understanding or agreement.
It's the grip found in time
Our ability to endure and persist through difficult times has helped us find a sense of stability.
I needed this for the rest of my life
The emotional strength and resilience I have gained from this experience will benefit me for the rest of my life.
Writer(s): Richard Alves, William H. Mccorvey Jr
Contributed by Katherine H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.