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.
Right In Tune
Railroad Earth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got no doubts,
'cause I know, you got it all worked out,
You know your part
I know mine
We're right in tune, me and you
We got a straight line
To eachother's hearts
We took a song and we made it sing,
And we're right in tune
Yes its true
We're right in tune
Oh yeah
We've been up and down
We've been through it all
Came through the summer to the fall
Came through the winter
Came to spring again
And we're right in tune
Yes it's true
Right in tune
Me and you
The lyrics to Railroad Earth's song Right In Tune speak about a deep and stable connection between two people who have weathered through various ups and downs in their journey together. The first verse establishes a sense of security and confidence in the relationship, as there are no worries or doubts since both parties know that everything has been worked out. The line "We're right in tune, me and you," emphasizes the idea that these people are perfectly in sync with each other, both literally and figuratively.
The second verse leans towards the creative aspect of their relationship, as they have taken a song and their individual pieces to create something beautiful that resonates with them. This could serve as a metaphor for how they've worked through their personal struggles to build a healthy and functional relationship. The chorus serves as a constant reminder that despite all the difficulties, they are still right in tune with each other no matter what season they're in.
Overall, the lyrics of Right In Tune echo a sense of reassurance, support, and understanding between two people who have a deep connection with each other.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got no worries,
I am free from all concerns,
I've got no doubts,
I have no uncertainty,
'cause I know, you got it all worked out,
Because I trust that you have everything sorted,
You know your part
You understand your role,
I know mine
I know my purpose,
We're right in tune, me and you
We are in perfect harmony and alignment,
We got a straight line
We have a clear path,
To eachother's hearts
Connecting to each other emotionally,
We took the pieces, and we made a part
We assembled the fragments and created something meaningful,
We took a song and we made it sing,
We added our own touch to a melody and made it beautiful,
And we're right in tune
We are still closely synced,
Yes its true
That statement is accurate,
We're right in tune
Our rhythm is still synchronized,
Oh yeah
Without a doubt,
We've been up and down
We have experienced highs and lows,
We've been through it all
We have faced everything together,
Came through the summer to the fall
We have endured every season,
Came through the winter
Even during the harsh times,
Came to spring again
We emerged through the difficult phase to a better period,
And we're right in tune
Our rhythm is still synchronized,
Yes it's true
That statement is accurate,
Right in tune
Our rhythm is still synchronized,
Me and you
The two of us are still in harmony,
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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Lee Diamond
I love this band
Bob Barrett
Seen this band 3 or 4 times at Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg Pa for their annual Thanksgiving shows. Always a great time to be had with them on stage.