The band members, already accomplished musicians, first came together in early 2001. Originally comprised of guitarist/vocalist Todd Sheaffer, violinist/vocalist Tim Carbone, mandolinist/vocalist John Skehan, multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Andy Goessling, drummer/vocalist Carey Harmon, and bassist ]Dave Von Dollen, the group played both original compositions mostly written by Sheaffer, the former From Good Homes songwriter, as well as traditional songs. After just three weeks of rehearsals, they went into a local recording studio and tracked a five song demo. Recorded live with no overdubs except backing vocals, The Black Bear Sessions set Railroad Earth's career in motion. Within a week they had a manager on board who then sent their demo out to some of the country’s most prestigious festivals, quickly landing a slot at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. That was their tenth gig. The Black Bear Sessions was released to the public in June 2001, and following their appearance at Telluride Sugar Hill Records approached the band and offered them a record deal. The Black Bear Sessions contains some of the most popular songs in Railroad Earth's repertoire, including "Seven Story Mountain" and "Head."
In June 2002, one year from the release of their debut, Railroad Earth’s second album, Bird in a House, came out on Sugar Hill Records, featuring songs such as "Bird In A House," "Like A Buddha," and "Mighty River.". The band continued its steady touring schedule, playing theatres, folk-music festivals, jam-band festivals, and other venues, while gathering much praise for its unique sound and enjoyable live concerts. The band eventually built up a fanbase who call themselves Hobos.
In 2003 Dave Von Dollen was replaced by bassist Johnny Grubb. In 2004 the band released its third studio effort, The Good Life, featuring "Storms," Mourning Flies," and "Goat." The band continued to tour throughout the country, and its first live album, Elko, was issued in late January 2006. They performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 15, 2007.
The band's fourth studio album, entitled Amen Corner, was released on June 10, 2008. The new album features songs such as "Been Down This Road," "Hard Livin'," "Waggin' The Dog," and "Lovin' You".
On November 11, 2009, Grubb announced his departure from the band after Railroad Earth's New Year's Eve run of shows in Portland, OR. In February 2010, Andrew Altman of the Codetalkers and Blueground Undergrass was named as his successor.
The band's self-titled fifth album was released on Oct 12, 2010. The album features Andy Goessling playing electric guitar for the first time, plus an 11-minute instrumental written by John Skehan entitled "Spring-Heeled Jack" (SHJ is John Skehan's initials backwards); the latter is the longest studio track to date for the band.
Andy Goessling passed away in October 2018.
Bread & Water
Railroad Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cold cruelty on my plate
A faithful heart & years on the side
It's goin down with a bitter taste
[Chorus]
It's goin down . . it's goin down
Goin down like bread & water
Can you hear me when I cry?
No comfort in my bed last night
Old man trouble on my head
Same old singer . . brand new song
Same old story . . brand new friend
[Chorus]
Oh the lion . . oh the lion
Oh the lion . . help me lord!
Can't you hear me? can't you hear me?
Can't you hear me callin out?
Hard numbers were my bread last night
Hard travelin? on my slate
It's gettin? hard to send it off
Oh my friend take a look at my plate
[Chorus]
Oh the lion . . oh the lion
Oh the lion . . help me lord!
Can you hear me? can you hear me?
Can you hear me callin? out?
Oh the lion!
The lyrics of "Bread and Water" by Railroad Earth talk about a person going through difficult times and facing hardships in their life. The opening verse talks about how the person had a hard lesson for their meal last night, indicating that they either didn't have enough or didn't have something that was satisfying. The second line paints a picture of cold cruelty, suggesting that the person is experiencing something harsh and unpleasant. Despite being faithful and having put in years of hard work, they are left with a bitter taste. This could be interpreted as the person feeling unappreciated or neglected even after putting in so much effort.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "It's going down like bread and water." This line indicates that the person's situation is becoming increasingly difficult and that they are struggling to make ends meet. The line "Can you hear me when I cry?" emphasizes the person's loneliness and hopelessness, indicating that they are reaching out for someone to listen to them and help them through their tough times.
The verse that follows talks about the person's lack of comfort in their bed due to old man trouble on their head. This suggests that they are experiencing physical or mental health problems that are preventing them from getting restful sleep. The "same old singer, brand new song" line refers to the fact that the person is stuck in the same cycle of issues, even though they may have new people in their life. The repetition of the "oh the lion" line at the end suggests that they are calling out to a higher power for help and guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Hard lessons for my meal last night
I faced some tough experiences recently
Cold cruelty on my plate
Those experiences were not easy to swallow
A faithful heart & years on the side
I have been trying to stay true to myself for a long time
It's goin down with a bitter taste
It's hard to accept what's happening
It's goin down . . it's goin down
The situation is getting worse
Goin down like bread & water
It feels like basic survival
Can you hear? can you hear?
I am asking for help
Can you hear me when I cry?
I need someone to listen to me
No comfort in my bed last night
I couldn't find peace even in my sleep
Old man trouble on my head
I'm dealing with a lot of problems
Same old singer . . brand new song
The same issues keep repeating themselves
Same old story . . brand new friend
Even new people in my life are bringing the same problems
Oh the lion . . oh the lion
I feel like I'm facing a great danger
Oh the lion . . help me lord!
I am asking for divine intervention
Can't you hear me? can't you hear me?
I feel like my cries are not being heard
Can't you hear me callin out?
I am calling for help
Hard numbers were my bread last night
I am dealing with financial struggles
Hard travelin’ on my slate
I have a difficult journey ahead of me
It's gettin’ hard to send it off
I'm having a hard time letting go of my problems
Oh my friend take a look at my plate
I am asking for help and support
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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