In 1999, Rocky Votolato branched out from his work with Waxwing, having written a handful of songs which did not really fit in with their more aggressive, fast tempo syle. Along the way he has toured with the likes of Damien Jurado, Small Brown Bike, The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, Owen and The Casket Lottery, members of the latter having provided assistance as backing musicians on occasion. His studio albums have also been littered with appearances from some of Seattle's finest musicians (including players in the bands Red Stars Theory, Sharks Keep Moving, The Blood Brothers, Death Cab for Cutie, Pedro the Lion and Sub Pop solo artist Rosie Thomas). On the production side, Votolato has worked with Matt Bayles (Pearl Jam, Botch, Murder City Devils, Hayden), along with Chris Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie). It is a creative input which has helped see Rocky progress sylistically with every release, from his low key self-titled album released in 1999 - all pretty much recorded live, right through to his recent, alt-country, folk-esque offering, 'Makers'. A video was shot for the first track of Makers, "White Daisy Passing", a song which also appears on the soundtrack of the forthcoming Seattle indie feature film Cthulu.
Rocky also starred in the film 'The Edge of Quarrel', which he worked on with Dave Larson from Excursion Records. It also includes members of the Murder City Devils and Botch, and is about a gang war between straightedgers and punk rockers.
He is married with two children, and lives in Seattle.
Before You Were Born
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
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Drive down streets that no one else has ever seen
Red bucket seats with a stereo from 1953
I knew you before you were born
And I've seen an ending worth waiting for
Under blankets and maps to keep us warm
Lead me to black velvet dressed in silver rings
Just like you and me some things are meant to be
I knew you before you were born
And I've seen an ending worth waiting for
Under blankets and maps to keep us warm, keep us warm
The paper moon in the tree branch blue sky
Is cold and brittle on an October night
Dead weather vines that grew on concrete steam lamp lights
I knew you before you were born
And I've seen an ending worth waiting for
Under blankets and maps to keep us warm, keep us warm
Keep us warm, keep us warm
In the song "Before You Were Born" by Rocky Votolato, the lyrics seem to be about the deep and meaningful connection between two people. The singer starts the song by asking if the other person would like to go on a ride with them, through streets that are new and unexplored. This is a symbol of the future that is yet to come, and how the two people can embark on this journey together.
The lyrics then move on to talk about how the singer has known the other person even before they were born. This is a reference to the idea of soulmates, that two people are meant to be together and have a deep connection that transcends time. The singer then talks about how they have seen an ending worth waiting for, which is a hopeful message that suggests that even though life can be difficult, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
The final verse of "Before You Were Born" talks about the beauty of the world around them. The paper moon in the tree branch blue sky, the dead weather vines that grew on concrete lamp lights, and the mile markers made out of rows of white birch trees, are all symbols of the beauty that exists in everyday life. The blankets and maps mentioned in the chorus are a symbol of comfort and safety, and how the two people can rely on each other to always be there for one another.
Overall, "Before You Were Born" is a song about the deep and meaningful connection that exists between two people, and how this connection can help them navigate through the ups and downs of life. It is a song of hope and love that suggests that even though life can be difficult, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Line by Line Meaning
If I asked real sweet, would you take a ride with me?
Would you accompany me on an excursion if I asked really nicely?
Drive down streets that no one else has ever seen
Travel on unknown routes that nobody else has explored
Red bucket seats with a stereo from 1953
Seats painted in red shade with an audio system made in 1953
I knew you before you were born
I've known you from a time before you came into existence
And I've seen an ending worth waiting for
I have lived through events that were worth waiting for till the end
Under blankets and maps to keep us warm
We had covered ourselves with blankets and maps to stay warm
Mile markers made out of rows of white birch trees
Distance indicators constructed from lines of white birch trees
Lead me to black velvet dressed in silver rings
The path takes me to black velvet dressed with silver rings
Just like you and me some things are meant to be
As is the case with you and me, some things are destined to happen
The paper moon in the tree branch blue sky
The moon made of paper in the blue sky filled with tree branches
Is cold and brittle on an October night
On an October night, the paper moon is chilly and dry
Dead weather vines that grew on concrete steam lamp lights
Lifeless vines that had developed on the concrete steam lamp lights
Keep us warm, keep us warm
Help us stay warm, help us stay warm
I knew you before you were born
I've known you from a time before you came into existence
And I've seen an ending worth waiting for
I have lived through events that were worth waiting for till the end
Under blankets and maps to keep us warm, keep us warm
We had covered ourselves with blankets and maps to stay warm, stay warm
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Rocky Votolato
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind