Rockapella is an American a … Read Full Bio ↴Download "A-Punk" from Rockapella HERE.
Rockapella is an American a cappella musical group best known for their series of Folgers Coffee commercials and the Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? theme song. "Rockapella" is a portmanteau of "rock" and "a cappella". In addition to original vocal music, the group also perform a cappella covers of pop songs.
The original group members consisted of Brown University alumni Elliott Kerman, David Stix, Sean Altman, and Steve Keyes, who started performing together sheerly out of their love for music. Stix left the group early on and was replaced with Charlie Evett. After having performed on New York City street corners for passers-by the group met a producer who found them a spot on the television show Spike & Co.: Do It A Cappella, hosted by Spike Lee. It was this show that put them in the national spotlight.
The text "All sounds provided by the voices and appendages of Rockapella," the central idea of the group, appears on the group's label debut, Don't Tell Me You Do.
None of the original members of Rockapella currently remain in the group. Founding members Sean Altman and Steve Keyes, Rockapella alum Charlie Evett, and non-Rockapella-related baritone Kevin Weist now comprise an a cappella group called The GrooveBarbers. They can be seen on a current nationwide television ad for Astelin nasal spray as 'The Astelins'. Founding member Elliott Kerman, is working independently on jazz music compilations.
Frequently, songs downloaded on file-sharing programs are mis-tagged as Rockapella, when they are instead by other a cappella artists, including collegiate groups, Moxy Früvous, The Nylons, and Da Vinci's Notebook, as well as for other, less similar acts, such as Eddie From Ohio, or They Might Be Giants.
On December 11th, 2009 Rockapella made a free version of "White Christmas" available for download on Rockapella.com.
Members:
Current
* Charles S. ("Scott") Leonard (high tenor, joined 1991)
* Jeff T. Thacher (vocal percussion, joined 1993)
* George W. Baldi (bass, joined 2002)
* John K. Brown (baritone, joined 2004)
* Steven Dorian (tenor, joined 2010)
Former
* David Stix (bass, member 1986-1987)
* Charlie Evett (bass, member 1987-1988)
* Steve Keyes (high tenor, member 1986-1991)
* Sean D. Altman (tenor, member 1986-1997)
* Barry S. Carl (bass, member 1989-2002)
* Elliott S. Kerman (baritone, member 1986-2004)
* Kevin R. Wright (tenor, joined 1997)
Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Rockapella Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ro-o, he was a ro-o-olling, ro-o, he was a rolling stone
It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
'Cause that was the day that my daddy died
I never got a chance to see him
Never heard nothing but bad things about him
And Mama just hung her head and said
"Son, Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan"
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was a loan
Ro-o, he was a ro-o-olling, ro-o, he was a rolling stone
Ro-o, he was a ro-o-olling, ro-o, he was a rolling stone
Hey, Mama, is it true what they say
Papa never worked a day in his life?
Mama, bad talk going around town
Saying Papa had three outside children from another wife
And that ain't right
Hey, talk about Papa doing some store front preaching
Talked about saving souls, all the time leeching
Dealing in debt, stealing in the name of the Lord
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan, oh, yeah, yeah
Hey, Mama, heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills
Hey Mama, folks say Papa wasn't much on thinking
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
Hey, Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan, no no
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was a loan
Papa was a rolling stone
Papa was a rolling stone
Papa was a rolling stone
Papa was a rolling stone
The lyrics to Rockapella's "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" tells the story of a son coming to terms with the truth about his absentee father, who had recently passed away. The singer never had a chance to meet his father and had only heard negative things about him from other people. Seeking the truth from his mother, she reveals that his father was a "rolling stone," a man who never stayed in one place for long and lived a reckless lifestyle. He moved from place to place and had no permanent home but always wore a hat. He lived his life preaching and stealing in the name of the Lord and had three children from a different woman. The song implies that the father was unable to hold down a job, frequently in debt, and spent his time chasing women and drinking.
The lyrics reflect the pain and confusion the son feels after learning the truth about his father. He realizes that he never truly knew the man, who was always on the move and never settled down. The song suggests that the father's reckless lifestyle and immoral behavior caused problems for his family.
The lyrics of the song were written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and first recorded by The Temptations in 1972. The song was later covered by numerous artists, including Rockapella in 1992.
Line by Line Meaning
Ro-o, he was a ro-o-olling, ro-o, he was a rolling stone
The persona emphasizes his late father's lifestyle; a nomadic and unpredictable one.
It was the third of September
The persona acknowledges a date of significance, a day his father died
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
The persona dwells over the memories that the third day of September has left him with
'Cause that was the day that my daddy died
The persona explicitly states that the third day of September was his father's death
I never got a chance to see him
The persona has regrets since he never got a chance to meet his late father
Never heard nothing but bad things about him
The persona had a negative impression of his father due to the negative views projected onto him by others
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
The persona seeks the truth, which he believes his mother can provide
And Mama just hung her head and said
The mother has an unpleasant response to her son's request since she cannot provide the truth her son sought
"Son, Papa was a rolling stone
The mother's response indicates that the father was a nomad, leading a life without any fixed abode
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
The father had a spark of adventure and contentment in traveling around, making every place he was home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan"
When he passed on, the father left his family with nothing but a burden of debt
Hey, Mama, is it true what they say
The persona has heard rumors about his father and enquires if they are true
Papa never worked a day in his life?
The father's work ethic is in question as it is believed he never worked
Mama, bad talk going around town
There's word spreading around town that paints the father in a bad light
Saying Papa had three outside children from another wife
Rumors about the father's extramarital affairs result in accusations that he had sired three children outside the family
And that ain't right
The persona doesn't condone his father's infidelity and resultant betrayal of his family
Hey, talk about Papa doing some store front preaching
Rumors can't seem to stop trailing the father, and it's now believed he preached in storefronts
Talked about saving souls, all the time leeching
The father's preaching was just a cover for his ill intentions; he took advantage of people by conning or extorting them
Dealing in debt, stealing in the name of the Lord
The father used religion to deceive people; he dealt in debt and subsequently stole using religious deception
Hey, Papa was a rolling stone
Despite all his wrongdoings, the persona's father was still a nomad that traveled from place to place without a fixed residence.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
As earlier, the father's adventurous spirit and attitude indicated that wherever he rested his head was his temporary home
And when he died, all he left us was a loan, oh, yeah, yeah
The father left the family with nothing but debt, despite his adventures or affairs
Hey, Mama, heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
The father was a self-proclaimed expert in multiple areas according to the rumors that were spreading around town
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
The persona ties the father's death to his intrusive and audacious expertise
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills
The father would do whatever it took to smooth his financial needs, and many times, he resorted to dishonest means
Hey Mama, folks say Papa wasn't much on thinking
The father was not known for his intellectual ability, according to rumors
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
The father was a womanizer and a heavy drinker, according to gossip
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
The persona, once again, requests the truth from his mother
Papa was a rolling stone
The father was still a nomad even in death, and his affairs in life didn't change that
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
As ever, the father's temporary resting place was his fitting residence
And when he died, all he left us was a loan, no no
The father's death left his family with nothing but an unpleasant debt
Papa was a rolling stone
A repetitious reminder of the father's lifestyle, with no fixed residence and always on the move
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
The father was pleased and satisfied with any resting place he came across, no matter how temporary
And when he died all he left us was a loan
The father's departure left the family with more problems than solutions, with all the financial burdens he had built up
Contributed by Emma B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Gordon Guzevicius
Nice song!