Wes Scantlin was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Raised in Kansas City, he attended Park Hill High School. After high school, he started the creation of Puddle of Mudd, now now famous for songs such as "Control", "She Hates Me", and "Blurry". Scantlin got his start in the music business after a copy of his demo was given to a friend producer by the name of Fred Durst. Durst enjoyed the demo, but Wes neglected to take any major steps forward with the band. Later, upon hearing that Scantlin's first attempt at a band had failed, Durst decided to bring Scatlin to California in an attempt to put a new band together.
In California Scantlin met Doug Ardito, an intern at Interscope Records. When Scantlin found out about Ardito's bass playing, they decided to work together. Still in pursuit of a guitarist, Fred Durst contacted a guitarist from his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, Paul Phillips. Phillips auditioned for the spot in Puddle of Mudd, and upon acceptance, left college to join the band full time. A drummer was also recruited from Jacksonville, however, via creative differences, left the band before it achieved any mainstream media attention.
The name of the band was inspired by the Missouri River flood, where the band in its early days performed and practiced. The large amount of pressure from the equipment left the floor a big "puddle of mud."
Puddle of Mudd is signed to Fred Durst's record label, Flawless Records.
In 2005 two members, Paul Phillips and Greg Upchurch, left the band. Greg currently drums for 3 Doors Down while Paul, now playing in Society Red, left citing creative and personal differences.
Their song "Control" was the official theme song of WWE's Survivor Series pay-per-view event in November 2001, and their song "Nothing Left to Lose" was the official theme song of WWE's Royal Rumble pay-per-view event in January 2004.
Their second album, "Come Clean" spawned 4 hits in 2003 and has sold 5 million albums to date. Their follow up, "Life on Display" spawned 1 hit single and sold 600,000 albums. In 2007, the band released "Famous", which takes a general rock as well as "nu-grunge" approach.
The band is currently working on a live album that is slated for release in 2008.
They have released their fourth album "Songs in the Key of Love and Hate"
Current members of the band include :
Wes Scantlin : Vocal, Rythmn.
Doug Ardito : Backing Vocals, Bass.
Paul Phillips: Lead Guitar
Ryan Yerdon: Drums
Shooting Star
Puddle of Mudd Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Love me do,' I think it was. From there it didn't take him long.
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night,
Now he's in a rock 'n' roll outfit,
And everything's all right, don't you know?
Johnny told his mama, hey, 'Mama, I'm goin' away. I'm gonna hit the big
Mama came to the door with a teardrop in her eye.
Johnny said, 'Don't cry, mama, smile and wave good-bye'.
Don't you know, yeah yeah, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, don't you know. Don't you know that you are
A shooting star, And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are.
Johnny made a record, Went straight up to number one,
Suddenly everyone loved to hear him sing the song.
Watching the world go by, surprising it goes so fast.
Johnny looked around him and said, 'Well, I made the big time at last'.
Don't you know, don't you know, Don't you know that you are
A shooting star,
Don't you know, oh, yeah, Don't you know that you are
A shooting star, yeah,
And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are, a shooting star.
Don't you know that you are a shooting star, Don't you know, yeah,
Don't you know that you are a shooting star, now,
And all the world will love you just as long, As long you are you.
Johnny died one night, died in his bed, Bottle of whiskey,
Sleeping tablets by his head. Johnny's life passed him by like a
Warm summer day, If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play
Oh oh oh, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, yeah, don't you know', Don't you know that
You are a shooting star,
Don't you know, yeah,
Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you, don't you,
Don't you, don't you,
Don't you know, don't you
Know, oh, yeah, you are,
Yeah, a shooting star, yeah, oh
Oh oh oh oh
Don't you, don't you know
That you are a shooting star,
Don't you don't you know
The song Shooting Star by Puddle of Mudd is a tribute to all the aspiring musicians and dreamers who strive for success in the music industry. The song seems to be about a young boy named Johnny who fell in love with music and learned to play the guitar. With his talent and hard work, he becomes a successful artist and gains the world's love and adoration. However, his success was temporary as he tragically died young, alone and unfulfilled. The lyrics convey a message of chasing dreams, persevering and embracing the love and admiration of others while one still can. It also stresses the importance of leaving a lasting impact through one's talent and passion even after death.
The line "Don't you know that you are a shooting star" is a recurring motif in the song, emphasizing the fleeting nature of success, recognition, and fame. The phrase "A shooting star" is usually associated with something that appears briefly, then vanishes quickly, emphasizing the message of making the most out of the time one has. The song can also be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the downside of fame and success, as Johnny ends up dying alone and unfulfilled despite his achievements.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatle song,
'Love me do,' I think it was. From there it didn't take him long.
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night,
Now he's in a rock 'n' roll outfit,
And everything's all right, don't you know?
Johnny was introduced to the music world when he heard the Beatles' song, 'Love me do'. It didn't take long for him to become enchanted with this music and took up the guitar, practising every night. Now he's a part of a rock and roll group, and he's content with his life.
Johnny told his mama, hey, 'Mama, I'm goin' away. I'm gonna hit the big
Time, gonna be a big star someday', Yeah.
Mama came to the door with a teardrop in her eye.
Johnny said, 'Don't cry, mama, smile and wave good-bye'.
Johnny tells his mother about his dreams to hit the big time and become a big star someday. His mother is sad, but Johnny says goodbye, encouraging her to smile and not cry.
Don't you know, yeah yeah, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, don't you know. Don't you know that you are
A shooting star, And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are.
The chorus repeats, affirming that Johnny is a shooting star, destined for greatness, and that the world will love him for as long as he is performing.
Johnny made a record, Went straight up to number one,
Suddenly everyone loved to hear him sing the song.
Watching the world go by, surprising it goes so fast.
Johnny looked around him and said, 'Well, I made the big time at last'.
Johnny's dreams came true when he made a hit record that went straight to number one. People love his music, and he's astonished by how quickly life is passing by. He looks around, and he's made it to the big time at last.
Johnny died one night, died in his bed, Bottle of whiskey,
Sleeping tablets by his head. Johnny's life passed him by like a
Warm summer day, If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play
The song ends with the tragic news that Johnny dies in bed with a bottle of whiskey and sleeping pills by his side. His life passed him by, and the phrase 'shooting star' takes on a new significance. But even after his death, his music lives on, and if you listen, you can still hear him play in the wind.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind