And so the story goes: Randy Coleman almost never came to be. While his mother, Jean, was shooting a television show in Mexico, and coincidentally pregnant with Randy, she was accidentally injured during filming and began to lose her unborn child. Going against Mexican federal law, she refused to terminate the pregnancy. And with that, she saved Randy's life.
Growing up in the Coleman house the family bonded through an unbridled passion and love of music. Dad was a melody man and Mom, a lover of lyrics. On any given day, you would hear such great and diverse artists such as Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Willie Nelson, and John Denver. Thus began the education of Randy Coleman. In a home filled with an endless stream of amazing music Randy recognized, at a very young age, a great song when he heard it. It moved him; it breathed life into his soul, and before he even knew it was obvious where he was headed.
One of the many turning points in Randy's life came at the age of 13 when his parents divorced. His life being suddenly shaken, Randy sought and found an outlet in the drums, albeit briefly. Being true to his Aries nature, he quickly realized he needed to be out in front. So he picked up a guitar and his therapy began. Armed with nothing more than a second-hand acoustic guitar, a Beatles songbook, and unrelenting ambition, Randy practiced and learned every song in that book. As Randy states, "Looking back, it really helped me get through a very tough and confusing time in my life. Whenever I'm asked how I learned how to play, I tell them 2 guys from Liverpool, John and Paul, taught me."
Turning point number 2 came from the speakers of his sisters' stereo. While blasting Queen's epic "News of the World" record, Randy's ears were assaulted with the unheard of vocals of Freddie Mercury and virtuoso guitar playing of Brian May. The songs weren't bad either. From that point, it was game on! Randy immediately immersed himself in the music of Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, CCR, and Cheap Trick, ("Robin Zander, the most underrated singer in rock-n-roll", Randy has said.) With his interest in such diverse artists driving him forward, he happened upon the poetic lyrics and the hi-lonesome sound of Hank Williams. "Hank is one of the few artists I can listen to anytime, no matter what mood I'm in. His voice and lyrics were so pure; you could hear the heartbreak, the struggle, the resolve of his life in every word he sang."
One more step toward defining who Randy Coleman would eventually become. In school, Randy was the kid who was good at just about everything that had nothing to do with school itself. Randy got the bug to follow in his fathers', Dabney Coleman's, footsteps and study acting. True to form, Randy jumped in head first, quickly earning a MFA from Cal Arts. Ironically, this marked another turning point in his career as a singer/songwriter. "Cal Arts is where I found my voice". Immediately after graduation, Randy formed the critically acclaimed, Zoo Story, and shortly thereafter, signed a record deal with the independent label, Vagrant Records. From there, the record was picked up by a Universal Music Group offshoot label called 333. Sounds great, but here's the downside: as has happened countless times in the music business, 333 shuts its doors and Zoo Story is left without a home for their music. But the upside was he got his 1st taste of the big time, of signing a deal, making a record, blah, blah, blah. And, one of the songs on the record, "Star" was featured in the Kevin Costner film, Dragonfly. Soon after, the band went their separate ways. Discouraged yet driven, Randy decided to continue writing and gigging as a solo artist, enlisting Zoo Story guitar player, Carlos Rivera, to help him realize his destiny. He signed with legendary manager Doc McGhee, (Kiss-BonJovi-Motley Crue, Bob Schneider, etc.) and met Skid Row guitarist Snake Sabo. It was suggested that Randy and Snake should work together on some of Randy's music and see what happens. According to Snake, it wasn't work at all. "Working with Randy was the easiest project I have ever been a part of. Every song he played, I loved. When we got in the studio, my job was to basically just press the record button and stop buttons. That's pretty much all the work the songs needed". Together they recorded an acoustic CD titled "The Snake Sessions" which got the ball rolling for Randy.
From there, the CD fell in the hands of producer/songwriter Guy Erez who quickly came on board to produce Randy's first solo effort entitled, "Last Salutation". Utilizing all of his influences yet somehow making them his own, Randy manages to defy convention through sweeping melodies and soaring choruses, constantly avoiding the obvious, taking the listener down a road less traveled. "Last Salutation" is a statement from a unique and original artist who continually defines and redefines himself in the face of the cookie-cutter mentality that defines the present day music business. Last Salutation is the 1st in a long line of things to come. Randy Coleman was the opening act on the Bryan Adams/Def Leppard tour. The tour started June 1st in Portland, OR and continued throughout the summer visiting 26 major cities across the United States. Also, Hey God, a track from Randy's debut CD, was featured on the cd "Music Inspired by the film Crash" released on June 7th through Superb/Koch Records. "Crash" starring Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, and Sandra Bullock, remained in the top 5 highest-grossing films for many weeks following it’s release on May 6th.
Last Salutation
Randy Coleman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
another false alarm and so you say
we walked the mile and it was worth
the while write your name and put it on my cast make sure the ink is permanent
and will last if you think about it we can live without it sometimesI miss the simple lies when you're caught up in the compromise
but at least we never had to say goodbye another casualty is in my head you found another way to get it back instead you went around it
and then you finally found it so go and tell my high school friends I have no hold no deep regrets I just never thought that we'd ever say goodbye so let this be my last salutation and let this be my first vindication if I believe it then I can leave it and I will leave it.
The lyrics of Randy Coleman's song Last Salutation talks about bidding farewell to something that was once important to the lyricist. The song starts by talking about how sometimes one wants to make something go away and how it might just be another false alarm. It alludes to how sometimes one has to walk a mile to achieve something but in the end, it's all worth it. The phrase "Write your name and put it on my cast, make sure the ink is permanent and will last," signifies the permanence of a memory. Even though time may have passed, the memory will remain intact. The lyrics also portray how sometimes one might miss the simplicity of the past, but that doesn't mean that the present is any less enjoyable. The lyricist talks about how instead of saying goodbye, often times one can go around the problem or situation and solve it.
The lyrics talk about the lyricist's lack of any deep regret or hold on the past. The phrase "so go and tell my high school friends, I have no hold no deep regrets," shows how ultimately the lyricist has moved on from the past and doesn't harbor any negative feelings. The song ends on a positive note with the lyrics "let this be my last salutation and let this be my first vindication if I believe it then I can leave it and I will leave it." The lyricist has accepted the past, said their last goodbye, and moved on, leaving behind any past regrets, looking forward to the future with resilience and positivity.
Line by Line Meaning
another cause to make it go away
There is a reason to eliminate a certain situation
another false alarm and so you say
Another warning that turned out to be unimportant
we walked the mile and it was worth the while
We have completed a major undertaking and it was worth the effort
write your name and put it on my cast make sure the ink is permanent and will last
Inscribe your name on my plaster and ensure that the writing endures forever
if you think about it we can live without it sometimes
Upon reflection, we can survive without certain things on occasion
I miss the simple lies when you're caught up in the compromise
I long for the small dishonesties that come with making compromises
but at least we never had to say goodbye
We never had to bid farewell at least
another casualty is in my head
Another mental defeat has taken place
you found another way to get it back instead you went around it and then you finally found it
You discovered a different method to restore something, and after looking for it in various different ways, you eventually found it
so go and tell my high school friends I have no hold no deep regrets
Inform my old school classmates that I have no emotional attachment or regret with regards to the past
I just never thought that we'd ever say goodbye
I never anticipated that we would ever part ways
so let this be my last salutation and let this be my first vindication if I believe it then I can leave it and I will leave it
This will be my last farewell and my first justification, and if I trust in it, I have the ability to abandon it and I will abandon it
Writer(s): Randy Coleman Copyright: Randy Coleman Music, Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Contributed by Declan A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.