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.
Fragments
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You’re losing all acquaintances, losing your balance
Over spikes, over trip wires, you’ve got such obvious style
Put limits on thoughts – limit all thinking
Ego is running wild – a monster is hiding behind
Your smoke ring eyes
The harder you fight the tide
There’s a constant farewell
Into a new dream full of unpolluted sorrows
Document a scattered mind
Where the waves fall, like the soldiers that die on the shore
Seaside ghosts now
Ego is running wild – a monster is hiding behind
Your smoke ring eyes
The harder you fight the tide
The less likely you’ll survive
Ego is running wild – a monster is hiding behind
Your smoke ring eyes
The harder you fight the tide
Ego is running wild – look at your rattlesnake skin
Your smoke ring eyes
The harder you fight the tide
The less likely you’ll survive
The lyrics of Rocky Votolato's song "Fragments" appear to be a commentary on the strain of contemporary life, particularly as it relates to mental health. The singer appears to be grappling with feelings of anxiety and depression, as evidenced by the lines "you're losing all acquaintances, losing your balance" and "document a scattered mind." The use of the phrase "fragments" suggests the singer's mind is filled with disjointed thoughts and fragmented memories, further contributing to feelings of confusion and disorientation.
Throughout the song, the singer seems to be suggesting that these mental health issues are closely linked to ego and pride, as evidenced by lines like "the monster is hiding behind your smoke ring eyes" and "look at your rattlesnake skin." The lyrics suggest that trying to fight against these feelings, or against the "tide," only exacerbates the problem, seemingly underscoring the importance of self-care and self-acceptance as a means of coping with mental health challenges.
Overall, "Fragments" is a moving and poignant commentary on the challenges of mental health in contemporary society, set to a beautiful and haunting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Got a folder full of fragments
I have a collection of disjointed thoughts and ideas.
You’re losing all acquaintances, losing your balance
You are distancing yourself from others and feeling unsteady.
Over spikes, over trip wires, you’ve got such obvious style
You navigate through obstacles with ease and a unique approach.
Put limits on thoughts – limit all thinking
Restrict your thoughts and clear your mind to regain focus.
Ego is running wild – a monster is hiding behind
Your smoke ring eyes
Your confidence is causing you to overlook a deeper, darker part of yourself.
The harder you fight the tide
The less likely you’ll survive
Resisting change will make it harder for you to adapt and overcome obstacles.
There’s a constant farewell
Into a new dream full of unpolluted sorrows
You often say goodbye to old ideas and embrace new ones, even if they may bring pain.
Document a scattered mind
Where the waves fall, like the soldiers that die on the shore
Seaside ghosts now
Capture the chaos of your thoughts and remember the people or ideas that have been lost along the way.
Ego is running wild – look at your rattlesnake skin
Your smoke ring eyes
You are showing off your tough exterior, but not acknowledging the venom inside.
Contributed by Anna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.