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 Light and the Sound
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
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Did you catch the twilight on your way into work
You can live anything you can think
Man I'm not lying to you and yeah that's a threat
I don't want to have to bury you like this
Something's gotta get your attention
If I have to crack open your skull with my fist
I'll let the light and the sound escape
Listen now
You can hear the sound
Surrender and let the light come out
Don't be afraid
Let me hear your voice
What you will live is what you make
I know you've worked hard your whole life
And now your tired the money is never enough
It's never gonna be enough man that's not even the point
The only thing you can't afford is to keep buying the lines your fed
I know it's comfortable to go back to sleep
Take a look at what you've been lying in
Before you wake up in search of your paycheck death
The demons of regret are making your deathbed
Listen now
You can hear the sound
Surrender and let the light come out
Don't be afraid
Let me hear your voice
What you will live is what you make
Don't be afraid
Let me hear your voice
Let the light come out
Cause I'm ready now
Like I never was before
To see what this is all about
The chorus of "The Light and the Sound" urges the listener to embrace their creativity and express themselves honestly. The singer is frustrated with someone who is burying their "music" inside - this could be a metaphor for their true passions, dreams, or voice. The singer implores this person to take notice of the beauty around them and recognize their inner light. They encourage the listener to surrender to the creative process and not be afraid to share their artistic endeavors with the world. The singer warns that the only thing worse than not pursuing one's art is buying into societal expectations and living a life of regret. The song ends with a sense of hope and urgency, as the singer declares they are ready to see what life has in store.
The first verse of the song refers to the beauty of twilight and acknowledges that inspiration is all around. The singer insists that their encouragement is sincere and not just empty words. The threat the singer uses to try to motivate the listener to action is intense, but it underscores the importance of living a life of passion and purpose. The second verse speaks directly to the listener's struggles - they are exhausted and feel trapped in a cycle of work and money. The singer argues that chasing someone else's idea of success is futile and only leads to great disappointment. The references to death and demons of regret underline the severity of the situation and suggest that time is running out.
Line by Line Meaning
Are you gonna die with that music inside
Will you leave this world without ever sharing the beauty inside you?
Did you catch the twilight on your way into work
Have you taken a moment to appreciate the simple, yet breathtaking moments nature offers?
You can live anything you can think
The possibilities of your life are endless and only limited by your imagination.
Man I'm not lying to you and yeah that's a threat
I'm telling the truth, even if it's uncomfortable, because I care about you too much.
I don't want to have to bury you like this
I don't want to see you continue living a life that doesn't fulfill you and end up regretting it.
Something's gotta get your attention
You're stuck in a rut and it's going to take something drastic to snap you out of it.
If I have to crack open your skull with my fist
I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get you to see that life can be better and more fulfilling.
I'll let the light and the sound escape
Once you open yourself up to possibilities, you'll start to see the beauty and wonder of the world around you.
Listen now
Pay attention to what I'm about to say.
You can hear the sound
Beyond the noise of everyday life, there is a melody to be heard.
Surrender and let the light come out
You need to let go of your fears and insecurities to reveal the light inside you.
Don't be afraid
Don't let fear hold you back from living the life you want.
Let me hear your voice
Speak up about your hopes and dreams. Don't be silent any longer.
What you will live is what you make
Your life is a product of your choices and actions. So make them count.
I know you've worked hard your whole life
You've put in a lot of effort, but is it really leading you to where you want to be?
And now your tired the money is never enough
Even with all your hard work, you're left feeling drained and unfulfilled.
It's never gonna be enough man that's not even the point
Money and material possessions will never satisfy you in the way that fulfilling your dreams will.
The only thing you can't afford is to keep buying the lines your fed
You can't keep living a life based on what others expect of you. You need to forge your own path.
I know it's comfortable to go back to sleep
It's easy to slip back into old habits and patterns, but it won't lead to growth or change.
Take a look at what you've been lying in
Pay attention to the life you've built for yourself, is it really what you want?
Before you wake up in search of your paycheck death
Don't wait until it's too late to change your life and start pursuing your passions.
The demons of regret are making your deathbed
Don't allow regret to be the only thing you feel when you look back on your life.
Cause I'm ready now
I'm here for you and willing to support you on this journey.
Like I never was before
I'm more committed to helping you than I ever have been.
To see what this is all about
I want to see you realize your full potential and achieve your dreams.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind