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.
Work Hard
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
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You work hard enough to be a man
It's a real climb into your desk, man
Day off, shut off when you can
Tell me to be quiet, 'cause there's nothing as golden as silence
And work as hard as you can
And I won't shut off till I'm dead
The lyrics "You work hard, till your work is done, man, You work hard enough to be a man" in Rocky Votolato's song "Work Hard" speaks to the strong work ethic embedded in American culture. The idea that a man isn't a man until he has worked hard enough to prove himself is evident in this phrase. It shows that hard work is something that people in the US values and is considered a rite of passage to becoming a fully-fledged adult. The line "It's a real climb into your desk, man" plays into this idea of hard work being challenging, and it not always being easy to get started on tasks, but once you are in the 'zone', it becomes easier to see the task through to completion.
The lyrics also touch on the importance of balance when it comes to work and personal life, "Day off, shut off when you can." Even when someone is a hard worker, it is essential to take a break and step away from work when possible. The song also recognizes the value of silence and taking a moment to step back from the constant noise and busyness of the world. Both of these things are key to staying motivated and productive.
Line by Line Meaning
You work hard, till your work is done, man
You put in an immense amount of effort until your work is complete, my friend.
You work hard enough to be a man
You work diligently until you become a strong and capable adult.
It's a real climb into your desk, man
The process of achieving success through hard work is challenging, my friend.
Day off, shut off when you can
It's important to take breaks from work and relax as much as possible.
Tell me to be quiet, 'cause there's nothing as golden as silence
Advising others to be silent, as there is nothing more precious than the power of silence.
And work as hard as you can
At all times, give your maximum effort in everything you do.
Tell me I'm the new kind of American hero
Let me know that I am a revolutionary new kind of American hero.
And I won't shut off till I'm dead
I will continue to work tirelessly until my life has ended.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: Rocky Votolato
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind