Named after the small town of Riverdale from the Archie Comics, The Riverdales formed in 1994. The founding members, Foster (guitar), Dan Schafer (bass), and Dan Sullivan (drums), were all former members of Screeching Weasel, who had broken up earlier that year. Unlike Screeching Weasel, the members of The Riverdales would be credited under their real names. They released their self-titled debut album on July 7, 1995, on Lookout! Records. It was produced by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong and Squirtgun's Mass Giorgini. They toured extensively that year as the opening act for the Mr. T Experience, and then for Green Day. Playing off this synergy, the Riverdales supported Green Day's 1995 tour. Also that year, the bands song "Back To You" appeared in the movie Angus. Despite the reformation of Screeching Weasel in 1996, the Riverdales did not split until after recording a second album, Storm The Streets in 1997, and only reforming briefly in 2003 to record Phase 3.
In 2004, Ben Foster rescinded all of the Riverdales masters from Lookout! Records after being unable to resolve a breach of contract dispute over unpaid royalties with the label. All of these masters had then been licensed to Asian Man Records. Asian Man reissued the first Riverdales album in 2006 with re-mastered sound and a slew of bonus tracks including three unreleased tracks, "No Sense" from the Storm the Streets sessions, and live tracks from their tour with Green Day. The Label also re-issued Phase 3 on October 7th, 2008 with five bonus tracks.
On November 19th, 2008, on his ESPN radio show, Weasel Radio, Ben Weasel announced that he and Danny Vapid had been demoing songs for a new Riverdales album, and recording would begin in February of 2009. He also announced that The Riverdales will be playing live shows again and that Adam Cargin (of the Blueheels) would be the band's new drummer. The album, titled Invasion USA was released on July 14, 2009.
In September 2009, it was announced that Simon Lamb would be joining the band as second guitarist [5]. Prior to that, for live purposes, Dan Schafer was playing second guitar (with a notably louder amp) and singing while Justin Perkins, who had recorded Invasion U.S.A., played bass. A couple months later, in November, 2009, Mike Park of Asian Man Records announced that Ben had decided to sever his relationship with the label and that Recess Records would now be carrying the Screeching Weasel, Riverdales, and Ben Weasel solo back catalogs.
On December 13, 2009, Ben Weasel announced on his Twitter that the fifth Riverdales album would be called Tarantula. They began recording the next day. Ben has stated that if he had it his way, Invasion USA would have been a double LP and to consider Tarantula part 2 of Invasion USA. So the songs on this album will be similar to the songs on Invasion USA, having titles based on old, low budget sci fi and horror films, but with a sound closer to The Ramones album "Subterranean Jungle." Tarantula was released in July 2010.
In December 2010, the band announced they had signed to Fat Wreck Chords, and the label would be re-releasing some of their old material.
In March 2011, Ben Weasel was involved in an altercation with two female audience members at a Screeching Weasel show at the Austin, Texas SXSW Festival. This resulted in the other members of both Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales quitting the band. In the aftermath of this, former members Dan Vapid and Simon Lamb started a solo project called Dan Vapid and The Cheats with whom Vapid will be singing his Riverdales songs.
Discography
Studio Albums
* Riverdales (1995)
* Storm the Streets (1997)
* Phase 3 (2003)
* Invasion U.S.A. (2009)
* Tarantula (2010)
EPs
* Back To You/I Can't Pretend (1995)
* Fun Tonight/ I'm a Vegetable (1995)
* Blood On The Ice/No Sense (1997)
Homesick
Riverdales Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sittin' here, bored to tears
There's just not anything to do
Rather be back in Jekyll Park
Lying underneath the covers with you
I really wanna go home
There's something about being here
that made me Crazy, Crazy, Crazy, Yeah!
Homesick, baby I should love you
Homesick, I wanna be with you
Homesick, baby I should love you
Woah oh oh oh
Feeling kinda queasy
Eatin' macaroni and cheese
Fed up with everything I hear
Fed up with everybody I see
I really wanna go home
I'm losing any weight I may own
There's something about being here
that made me Crazy, Crazy, Crazy, Yeah!
Homesick, baby I should love you
Homesick, I wanna be with you
Homesick, baby I should love you
This life of Rock and Roll
Sometimes it gets me down
But when the lights come on
I always feel like I can do no wrong
Homesick, baby I should love you
Homesick, I wanna be with you
Homesick, baby I should love you
[x2]
In "Homesick," Riverdales express their longing to be back home while on tour. The lyrics indicate their boredom and frustration with life on the road, evidenced by lines like “Sittin' here, bored to tears” and “Fed up with everything I hear / Fed up with everybody I see.” Despite being in a glamorous lifestyle as rock musicians, they find themselves feeling queasy and unhappy. They yearn for the simplicity of being with their loved ones, as it is mentioned that they would rather be back in “Jekyll Park / Lying underneath the covers with you.”
The chorus is catchy and straightforward, repeating the phrase “Homesick, baby I should love you / Homesick, I wanna be with you / Homesick, baby I should love you.” The repetition emphasizes the pain of their homesickness, almost as if they are trying to convince themselves of their feelings. The bridge declares how they feel about their lives as rock musicians, admitting “This life of Rock and Roll / Sometimes it gets me down / But when the lights come on / I always feel like I can do no wrong.” This declaration is what makes the song honest and relatable – while they love playing music, they still crave the comforts of home.
Line by Line Meaning
Sittin' here, bored to tears
I am sitting here with nothing to do and feeling extremely bored
There's just not anything to do
There is absolutely nothing to do here
Rather be back in Jekyll Park
I would much rather be back in Jekyll Park
Lying underneath the covers with you
I want to be lying under the covers with you instead of being here
I really wanna go home
I want to go home very badly
I'm losing any weight I may own
I am losing weight rapidly
There's something about being here
There is something about being in this place
that made me Crazy, Crazy, Crazy, Yeah!
It is driving me absolutely insane, yeah!
Feeling kinda queasy
I am feeling a bit nauseous
Eatin' macaroni and cheese
I am eating macaroni and cheese
Fed up with everything I hear
I am very tired of everything I am hearing
Fed up with everybody I see
I am fed up with everyone I see
This life of Rock and Roll
This Rock and Roll lifestyle
Sometimes it gets me down
Sometimes it makes me feel depressed
But when the lights come on
But when the show starts
I always feel like I can do no wrong
I always feel like I can't make any mistakes
Homesick, baby I should love you
I am homesick and I should love you
Homesick, I wanna be with you
I am homesick and I want to be with you
Homesick, baby I should love you
I am homesick and I should love you
Woah oh oh oh
A vocalization
Homesick, baby I should love you
I am homesick and I should love you
Homesick, I wanna be with you
I am homesick and I want to be with you
Homesick, baby I should love you
I am homesick and I should love you
Contributed by Andrew S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Edward F. Pignataro IV
This song the best. Holds up so well!
Mikey James
Perfect
B Ramone
i sing this whenever iam away from home.
...eatin macaroni n cheese...i really wanna go home..
crazy crazy crazy
Dino Ramone
No comments, only six likes????
7eonardo2
One comment, only thirty six likes????