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/
Small World
Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking to school
The moment you let go
I live in a small world
I walk home
The same way
Alone
I live in a small world
And it's all downhill from here
The curves are sharp
And the cliffs are sheer
I cannot break
I cannot steer
As I am hurled
Without you into
A small world
Nothing shines
Nothing sings
There's ordinary things
I live
In a small world
Words fade away
From every song
Any time you're gone
I live
In a small world
No sky
No ocean
No plain where flowers grow
I tread a tiny plateau
Turning circles
Solo
Be on your way
May you never know
Emptiness that used to overflow
The lyrics of Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers's song Small World describe a person's world becoming smaller and more mundane after losing someone they were once close to. The song starts with the image of two people walking to school together and holding hands, but when they let go, the singer is left alone in their small world. They walk home alone every day, the same way, feeling like nothing shines or sings anymore. The chorus of the song likens life after losing someone to a dangerous and uncontrolled ride downhill, with sharp curves and sheer cliffs, that they cannot break or steer from.
The second verse continues to describe the shrinking world of the singer, with words fading from every song once the other person is gone. The once vibrant and colorful world seems to have lost its depth and beauty, with no sky or ocean, and only an unremarkable plateau that they keep circling on their own. The final lines of the song wish the other person goodbye and hope that they never have to know the emptiness that the singer feels.
Overall, the song's lyrics poignantly portray the feeling of loneliness and isolation that can follow the loss of a loved one, and the way that it can make the world feel small and ordinary.
Line by Line Meaning
We hold hands
We are connected and united with each other
Walking to school
Embarking on a journey together, with a purpose
The moment you let go
When you leave, our bond is broken
I live in a small world
My life feels limited without you
I walk home
I return to my routine and everyday life
The same way
No variation or change in my daily routine
Alone
Without you, I feel like there's a void in my life
Every day
A repetitive and uneventful existence without you
I live in a small world
Your absence makes my life feel restricted and confined
And it's all downhill from here
Things are getting worse and heading in a negative direction
The curves are sharp
Challenges and obstacles in life are difficult to overcome
And the cliffs are sheer
The potential for failure or danger is high
I cannot break
I am unable to stop or change course
I cannot steer
I am not in control of my life's direction
As I am hurled
I am forcefully propelled into a situation
Without you into
Your absence intensifies and exacerbates my struggles
A small world
A limited and narrow perspective on life
Nothing shines
Nothing is vibrant or positive
Nothing sings
Music and joy are absent
There's ordinary things
Life lacks excitement or uniqueness
I live
My existence
In a small world
A confined and unremarkable life
Words fade away
The things that once brought us together are disappearing
From every song
Even music, which usually unites us, no longer has the same impact
Any time you're gone
Your absence creates a void in everything
I live
I exist
In a small world
A limited and unexciting existence
No sky
There's no beauty or wonder in the world
No ocean
No vastness of possibility or openness
No plain where flowers grow
There's no place for new growth or beauty
I tread a tiny plateau
My life is stagnant
Turning circles
Going around in the same patterns
Solo
Alone, without any joy or companionship
Be on your way
Go on without me
May you never know
I hope you never have to experience
Emptiness that used to overflow
The emptiness and lack of fulfillment that I used to be able to ignore
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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