Roger Clyne's lyrics frequently showcase his Southwestern roots, and frequently imply images of cowboys, Federales, and references to Mexico and places in Arizona, amongst other Southwestern references.
After the demise of The Refreshments, a semi-successful rock band of the 1990s whose top radio hit was "Banditos," former frontman Roger Clyne and drummer P.H. Naffah formed a new band that would be called Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers.
The two were joined by former Gin Blossom, Scott Johnson; Steve Larson, former guitarist for another Tempe band, Dead Hot Workshop; and bass player Danny White. They released their first album, Honky Tonk Union in 1999.Honky Tonk Union was released in limited quantities with a bonus live CD, Real to Reel. The next year, they released an extended version of Real to Reel as a stand-alone album.
The musical feel of Honky Tonk Union was a noticeable change from Clyne's previous works with The Refreshments. Whereas The Refreshments had a prominent lead guitar and edgy southwestern rock feel, Honky Tonk Union displayed a heavier country influence along with focusing more on the singer-songwriter aspect of the band.
The Peacemakers' next studio effort, 2002's Sonoran Hope and Madness, explored the deeper themes of returning to the basics of life, of loss and of resurgence. Sonoran Hope and Madness was a tale of the demise of a much-loved way of life.
In 2002, Scott Johnson left the band to rejoin with the Gin Blossoms, leaving the part of lead guitar to Steve Larson.
2004 saw the release of Americano, the band's third, and most streamlined, studio effort. ¡Americano! is a story set not in the dusty Mexican borderlands, like the previous albums, but on a Mexican beach, miles away from the daily grind. This album was conceived and written in a third-world cantina, and canvasses the spectrum of human emotion.
In early 2004, shortly after the release of ¡Americano!, Danny White left the Peacemakers to start his own recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee. He was replaced by Nick Scropos, who was the bassist for another Tempe band, Gloritone. Scropos was slated to join the band when it formed in 1998, but was unable to do so due to his obligation to Gloritone. His playing can be heard on track nine of Honky Tonk Union, Green & Dumb.
In March of 2005, the Peacemakers were asked to play at Billy Bob's Texas, a famous honky-tonk joint that has hosted the likes of Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Pat Green. They quickly turned around and sold a live CD featuring songs from that performance entitled Live at Billy Bob's Texas, which sold well enough to make them the only independent band to have five consecutive top-10 albums on the Billboard Internet Sales Chart.
In April of 2006, the Peacemakers released a four song EP, Four Unlike Before, which is currently available only through iTunes.
The band's fourth studio album, No More Beautiful World, was released on March 20, 2007.
The Peacemakers tour heavily, both as a headlining band and opening for national acts such as Sammy Hagar and John Fogerty.
Twice a year, an ever-increasing following of fans from around the globe descend on the Mexican beach town of Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco) for their "Circus Mexicus" bash. Circus Mexicus features a four-hour long concert at the Sunset Cantina. The weekend culminates with a "hangover bash" at JJ's Cantina in nearby Cholla Bay on Sunday at which band members mingle with the fans and sign autographs.
The warm waters and ever increasing recreational opportunities motivate many participants to make "Circus Mexicus" a semi-annual pilgrimage of several days.
http://www.azpeacemakers.com/
City Girls
Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and it don't look like she's falling for me.
Well, city girls and me ain't meant to be.
I got caught sippin' moonshine, from a mayonnaise jar,
and now, moonlight hits a squad car.
I got a head full of bootleg, a gut full of butterflies,
A ringing in my ears, and a sting in my eye.
Well the city took away my girl today,
She said "Well that's the showbiz honey."
But now, Hollywood ain't calling for me,
and it don't look like she's falling for me.
Well, city girls and me ain't meant to be.
So now she's leaving for California,
riding them silver wings, all perfumed up.
And saying pretty things.
So live and learn, let me burn, and I'll admit when I'm beat.
If I'm an angry young man, Well lord weren't you sweet.
I was working on my looks, Reading all her books
And doing the best I can, to be her biggest fan
But now, Hollywood ain't calling for me,
and it don't look like she's falling for me
Well, city girls and me...
Red rover, red rover,
Won't you send her on back over
I think I know what drove her away
So come on whiskey sour
Come around and lay me low
She's spending her nights under city lights,
and I'm sure she ain't alone
But now, Hollywood ain't calling for me,
and it don't look like she's falling for me.
Well, city girls and me...(Repeat)
The song "City Girls" by Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers is a ballad about the singer's failed attempts to make it in Hollywood, and the resulting departure of his love interest to pursue her dreams. The lyrics convey feelings of rejection, disillusionment, and a sense of being left behind.
The song begins with the singer admitting defeat, remarking that Hollywood "ain't calling" for him, and that city girls "ain't meant to be" with him. He reflects on an incident where he was caught drinking moonshine and ended up being detained by the police, further solidifying his sense of being an outsider in the big city. Meanwhile, his girlfriend leaves him for California, chasing the allure of fame and fortune.
The chorus repeats the sentiment that Hollywood is not interested in the singer, and that his relationship with city girls is doomed to fail. The song ends with a plea to his lost love to come back to him, but also a sense of resignation that she may never return.
Overall, "City Girls" is a poignant reflection on the struggle to make it in Hollywood and the harsh realities of life in the city, as well as a statement on the cost of pursuing one's dreams at the expense of personal relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Hollywood ain't calling for me,
I have not been contacted by Hollywood to be part of their entertainment industry.
and it don't look like she's falling for me.
It seems like Hollywood is not interested in having me, so I won't let it get to me.
Well, city girls and me ain't meant to be.
I cannot have a relationship with city girls, as we are just not meant to be together.
I got caught sippin' moonshine, from a mayonnaise jar,
I was caught drinking moonshine from a mayonnaise jar.
and now, moonlight hits a squad car.
I got in trouble with law enforcement, and now, every time I see a squad car, it reminds me of that night.
I got a head full of bootleg, a gut full of butterflies,
I have a lot of bootleg alcohol in my system, and with this, I have an uneasy feeling inside of me.
A ringing in my ears, and a sting in my eye.
I experience a constant ringing in my ears and my eye hurts, which signifies my internal struggle with life.
Well the city took away my girl today,
The city took away my girlfriend from me today because of the temptations it provided.
for the lights and the money.
She left me because she was attracted to the glitz and glam of the city, and the money that came with it.
She said "Well that's the showbiz, honey."
She explained her motivations for leaving and simply exclaimed that it was a part of show business.
But now, Hollywood ain't calling for me,
Despite my girlfriend leaving me for Hollywood, I still have not been contacted by the industry.
and it don't look like she's falling for me
No matter what I do, Hollywood still does not seem interested in having me join, and my ex-girlfriend is not showing any signs of interest in coming back.
So now she's leaving for California, riding them silver wings, all perfumed up.
She has decided to go to California, flying on a plane with the pleasant scent of perfume around her.
And saying pretty things.
She's probably saying some sappy words to someone new that's better than I am.
So live and learn, let me burn, and I'll admit when I'm beat.
I will move on from this experience and accept my mistakes and losses for what they are.
If I'm an angry young man, Well lord weren't you sweet.
If I am angry about my current predicament, God is sweet for allowing me to experience it and learn from it.
I was working on my looks, Reading all her books
I was trying to improve myself in hopes of regaining my ex-girlfriend's interest by reading the books she loved and working on my appearance.
And doing the best I can, to be her biggest fan
I was trying my best to show my support for her interests, even if it involved doing things I wasn't the most thrilled about.
Red rover, red rover, Won't you send her on back over
I am requesting Fate or destiny to bring my ex-girlfriend back to me.
I think I know what drove her away
I believe I know why she left me in the first place.
So come on whiskey sour, Come around and lay me low
I will try and cope with my loss by drinking whiskey sours, which will hopefully help me forget my problems and numb my pain.
She's spending her nights under city lights, and I'm sure she ain't alone
She's probably out in the city, enjoying herself under its bright lights, and I am certain there are many other men around her.
Well, city girls and me...(Repeat)
I repeat that city girls and I are just not meant to be together.
Contributed by Luke G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.