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/
Never Thought
Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I stayed up all night
I sat upon the springs, and I chased away the dreams
That I was wrong and they were right
I dream in color
I live in black and white
But still I have those days when I'm stumbling through the grays,
When I drink for boredom and for spite
I was looking for clues inside my déjà vus,
But I found I'm lost again
I found I've lost again
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought, that I'd go this crazy
So will I suffer
Or will I be alright
I look up into the stars,
Then look down to count my scars,
And I know mercy
I was looking for clues inside my deja vus,
But I found I'm lost again
Looking for ways around the cliches,
But now I'm caught again
Looks like I'm caught again
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought, that I'd go this crazy
I let my courage down,
I stayed up all night
I sat upon the springs, and I chased away the dreams
That I was wrong and you were right
Looking for ways around the cliches,
But I found I'm caught again
I was looking for clues inside my deja vus
And now I'm lost again
I found I lost you again
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought, that I'd go this crazy
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
No I never thought, that I'd go this crazy
Oh, it goes on and on
When I have the wills,
You only have the won't's
When I have the do's
You always seem to have the don't's
But that's O.K. I'm only burned on the inside
The song "Never Thought" by Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers is a reflection on the struggles of finding oneself and dealing with the contradictions of life. The lyrics highlight the frustration and confusion that can come with feeling lost, particularly when it seems like everyone else has the answers. The singer admits to feeling delusional and crazy as he searches for meaning and purpose.
The opening lines suggest that the singer has let his guard down, stayed up all night, and tried to escape the truth by suppressing his dreams. He admits to living in black and white while dreaming in color, and struggling to find his place in the gray areas of life. The chorus repeats and reinforces the idea that the singer never thought he'd go mad, but he feels like he's losing his mind.
The second verse refers to the singer's search for answers within his memories, but he continues to feel lost and unsure. He mentions looking for ways to break out of cliches, but he's "caught again" and unable to find his way. The repeated chorus drives home the singer's feelings of madness and disbelief that he has reached this point.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the difficulties of finding oneself in a world full of conflicting messages and expectations. It speaks to the universal struggle of feeling lost and alone, even when surrounded by people and ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
I let my courage down
I lost my bravery
I stayed up all night
I couldn't sleep
I sat upon the springs, and I chased away the dreams
That I was wrong and they were right
I tried to forget my mistakes
I dream in color
I have vivid dreams
I live in black and white
In real life, things are dull
But still I have those days when I'm stumbling through the grays,
When I drink for boredom and for spite
There are times when I feel lost and drink to cope
I was looking for clues inside my déjà vus,
But I found I'm lost again
I searched for answers in my memories, but ended up confused
No I never thought I'd go this crazy
I didn't expect to lose my mind
So will I suffer
Or will I be alright
I look up into the stars,
Then look down to count my scars,
And I know mercy
I wonder if I'll recover, and reflect on my experiences
Looking for ways around the cliches,
But now I'm caught again
I try to avoid repeating the same mistakes, but failed
I found I've lost again
I lose once more
No I never thought, that I'd go this crazy
I didn't anticipate my descent into madness
Oh, it goes on and on
When I have the wills,
You only have the won't's
When I have the do's
You always seem to have the don't's
But that's O.K. I'm only burned on the inside
I feel frustrated because you don't share my drive, but at least I'm the only one hurting
I found I lost you again
I lost you once more
Contributed by Samantha S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.