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.
The City Is Calling
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
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Everybody is searching for the keys
To all the prisons that the cruel and kind intention can create
The boys and girls of winter gather at the end of November
To drink the drops of joys and sorrows from each others dripping trees
all of life's secrets are in your branches
Make sure it's the truth before you write it down kids
Waxy sweetness, to explore every degree of your mental health
much better to pass into that other world
In the full glory of the passions that you found here
Than to fade and wither with age
From watching the flickering light dim in the eyes of the living.
all of life's secrets are in your branches
Make sure it's the truth before you write it down kids
Stare at the kiss-marks on a spiderman notebook
To explore every degree of your mental health
Save up all of your innocence and grow the ripe fruit
To explore every degree of your mental health
In Rocky Votolato's song "The City Is Calling," the artist reflects on life, longing, and the search for meaning in a crowded urban landscape. The repeated motif of "everybody is searching for the keys to all the prisons that the cruel and kind intention can create" speaks to the difficulty of navigating the modern world and the ways in which we are all bound up in our own struggles, both internal and external. The boys and girls of winter gathering at the end of November is a poignant image of people coming together in spite of the cold and the darkness, seeking comfort and community as the year draws to a close. Votolato encourages listeners to "drink the drops of joys and sorrows from each other's dripping trees," as if to say that we all have something to offer and something to gain from each other's experiences.
The chorus is a simple yet powerful reminder that "all of life's secrets are in your branches," meaning that we hold the power to create our own truth and find our own way in life. Votolato urges us to make sure that our truth is just that - true - and to explore our mental health in all its complexities. The reference to a Spiderman notebook with "kiss-marks" is a nostalgic and relatable touch, suggesting that even the most mundane objects can hold significance in our memories and emotional lives. Finally, Votolato suggests that it is better to live fully and passionately than to fade away with age, watching the world around us lose its vibrancy and vitality.
Overall, "The City Is Calling" is a song about hope, community, and the struggle to find meaning in a world that can be both beautiful and harsh. It is a call to seek truth, connection, and personal growth in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
The city is calling
The allure of urban life is tempting
Everybody is searching for the keys
Everyone is looking for the answers to their problems
To all the prisons that the cruel and kind intention can create
To escape from the emotional traps created by good and bad people
The boys and girls of winter gather at the end of November
People come together during bleak times
To drink the drops of joys and sorrows from each others dripping trees
To share their joys and sorrows with each other
All of life's secrets are in your branches
You hold the key to all of life's mysteries
Make sure it's the truth before you write it down kids
Be truthful in all that you do
Stare at the kiss-marks on a spiderman notebook
Reflect on the small things in life
Waxy sweetness, to explore every degree of your mental health
To fully explore your mental state
Much better to pass into that other world
It's better to die living life to the fullest
In the full glory of the passions that you found here
Being true to oneself and their passions
Than to fade and wither with age
To live a dull, unfulfilling life
From watching the flickering light dim in the eyes of the living.
Watching others lose their passion and drive
Save up all of your innocence and grow the ripe fruit
Hold onto your innocence and let it grow
To explore every degree of your mental health
To fully explore all aspects of one's mental state
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Rocky Votolato
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind