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In 2004, Ben Foster rescinded all of the Riverdales masters from Lookout!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)
Wanna Be Alright
Riverdales Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wanna figure out what this all means
Wanna sit here, wanna just relax
Wanna, wanna get you off my back
Wanna, wanna, wanna be alright [x2]
I can't stand you yellin' in my ear
Time to take the pill that calms me down
Time to get my feet back on the ground
Wanna, wanna, wanna be alright [x2]
Let's go!
Wanna, wanna, wanna be alright [x4]
Riverdales' song "Wanna Be Alright" expresses the desire to be a normal human being and to figure out the meaning behind everything. The song touches upon the desire to sit back, relax and enjoy oneself while trying to get someone off their back. The repetition of "wanna" denotes a yearning for the state of happiness, normalcy and calmness. The lyrics deal with a sense of anxiety and the pressure to conform to societal norms. The line "I can't stand you yellin' in my ear" conveys the troubling situation one is in, trying to deal with someone getting on their nerves. The prescription of a pill to calm down speaks to the use of medication for handling mental health issues. The main theme of the song is overall touching on the topic of hope and the desire to be okay.
Line by Line Meaning
Wanna be a normal human being
The singer longs to be like everyone else and not have any additional struggles or issues, wishing for a sense of normality.
Wanna figure out what this all means
The singer is searching for meaning in their life and seeking to understand the greater purpose of everything.
Wanna sit here, wanna just relax
The singer desires a moment of peace and calm, wanting to unwind and take a break from the stress of life.
Wanna, wanna get you off my back
The artist wishes to remove the pressure or expectations placed on them by someone else, seeking independence and freedom from external control.
Wanna, wanna, wanna be alright [x2]
The main message of the song is the repeated desire to be okay or at peace, and the repetition signifies the strong desire to feel this way.
I can't stand you yellin' in my ear
The singer is frustrated by someone shouting at them, potentially causing them stress or anxiety.
Turn the music up so I can hear
The singer seeks to drown out the negative noise around them by amplifying something more enjoyable, such as music.
Time to take the pill that calms me down
The artist potentially struggles with anxiety or a disorder, and must take medication to regulate their emotions and stabilize themselves.
Time to get my feet back on the ground
The artist recognizes the importance of staying grounded and returning to a state of stability after a period of emotional turmoil.
Let's go!
This phrase is likely used to signify a shift in tone or action, catalyzing the artist to move forward from their emotions and take action.
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
noias
on The Beginning of the End
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOWipWh-PAE
Most of their songs are inspired by MST3K's riffs
Linda Viencek
on Riverdale Stomp
These lyrics are just wrong!