1. Italo disco act fro… Read Full Bio ↴There are several performers recording as Roy
1. Italo disco act from mid-80s by Ubaldo Zambelli
2. Reaching all the way back to Bob Dylan and the Band's pioneering blend of mythic Americana and shaggy rock & roll, alongside more recent points of comparison like Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, and My Morning Jacket, Roy (a band, not a dude) blend spiky post-Pavement indie rock with folk and country influences for a sound that's connected to the musical past but not beholden to it. For over a decade, singer and guitarist Brian Cook and drummer Dave Verellen were the mainstays of Botch, a Seattle post-hardcore act specializing in heavy riffs and showy time-signature shifts. Roy began as a side project in 2002, bringing Cook and Verellen together with singer and guitarist Ben Verellen and bassist Mike Cooper. Naming themselves after the small rural town near Tacoma, Roy debuted with 2003's Tacomatose EP, followed by 2004's Big City Sin and Small Town Redemption. Though Roy toured extensively behind their two records, the band went on a temporary hiatus while Cook and Ben Verellen turned their focus to another side project, the more Botch-like heavy math rockers These Arms Are Snakes. Roy reconvened in 2005 to write and record their second full-length album, Killed John Train, which was released by Lujo Records in the spring of 2006.
3. A Vocaloid metal producer who uses Gackpoid
America
Roy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some Stuff to Like in America
Some Stuff to Like in America
Some Stuff to Like in America
A patch of grass off the I-80 entrance ramp.
An ironic memory offered at a Jersey funeral.
A lovely lawyer sings the 21st psalm
A hearse that stops beyond a light,
A gas station, abandoned on the right.
An honest observation
Made in eulogy
Stuff Not to Like in America
Stuff Not to Like in America
Stuff Not to Like in America
All the junk that's said before or after that funeral
The details in the rocks of our country's schizophrenic body
The parts of the Interstate where blood red rock
is obscured by a metal fence.
How soft-hearted kids are put in hard-hearted hearses
How even death don't get a proper funeral.
Stuff to Like and Not to Like in America
Just so much Stuff Not to Like in America
So much Stuff
So much Stuff
So much American
Stuff
The repeated phrases "Some Stuff to Like in America" and "Stuff Not to Like in America" suggest a juxtaposition between the positive and negative aspects of American society. The mention of a patch of grass on the highway entrance ramp and an ironic memory at a Jersey funeral evoke a sense of nostalgia and Americana, highlighting the simple pleasures and unique experiences that can be found in everyday life. Additionally, the image of a lovely lawyer singing the 21st psalm and a hearse stopping beyond a light portray moments of beauty and reflection amidst the mundane and the somber.
On the other hand, the lyrics also delve into the darker underbelly of American existence with lines like "All the junk that's said before or after that funeral" and references to the details in the rocks of the country's "schizophrenic body." These phrases suggest a critique of the superficiality and contradictions present in American culture, pointing out the complexities and struggles that often go overlooked or ignored. The imagery of blood red rock hidden behind a metal fence and the juxtaposition of soft-hearted kids in hard-hearted hearses emphasize the harsh realities and injustices that can be found in society.
The song conveys a sense of ambivalence towards America, encapsulating both the admiration for its unique qualities and the disillusionment with its shortcomings. The repetition of the word "Stuff" underscores the abundance and diversity of experiences and emotions that make up the American experience. By highlighting the mix of positive and negative elements in the country, the lyrics capture a nuanced perspective that recognizes the complexities and contradictions inherent in American life.
Ultimately, the lyrics encapsulate the multifaceted nature of America, acknowledging the presence of both things to like and not to like. The repetition of phrases like "So much Stuff" and "So much American" conveys a sense of overwhelming abundance and diversity within the country, reflecting the multitude of experiences, perspectives, and challenges that define the American identity. Through its exploration of both the beauty and the flaws of America, the song offers a nuanced reflection on the complexities of national identity and the conflicting emotions that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
A patch of grass off the I-80 entrance ramp.
A small glimpse of nature amidst the hustle and bustle of a highway interchange.
An ironic memory offered at a Jersey funeral.
A bittersweet recollection shared at a funeral in New Jersey.
A patch of grass on the highway's shoulder.
A reminder of simplicity and beauty along the roadside.
A lovely lawyer sings the 21st psalm.
An unexpected moment of beauty when a lawyer sings a religious psalm.
A hearse that stops beyond a light.
A somber sight of a funeral procession pausing at a traffic signal.
A gas station, abandoned on the right.
An abandoned gas station symbolizing economic changes and decline.
An honest observation made in eulogy.
A sincere remark shared during a tribute to the deceased.
All the junk that's said before or after that funeral.
The meaningless or insincere words spoken during and after a funeral.
The details in the rocks of our country's schizophrenic body.
The complex and conflicting aspects of America's identity and history.
The parts of the Interstate where blood red rock is obscured by a metal fence.
The struggle to preserve natural beauty amid industrial development.
How soft-hearted kids are put in hard-hearted hearses.
The harsh reality of young lives cut short and their final journey in a cold vehicle.
How even death don’t get a proper funeral.
The neglect or disregard for honoring the deceased in society.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: NICOLAS HAKIM, ROY NATHANSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Murdock Scott
This song makes me tear up every time I hear it. I genuinely love this song and the way Roy Zimmerman performs it.
Murdock Scott
I can’t tell you how much I love this song, it is very close to a perfect representation of the cautious but hopeful optimism I have always had for this country and what has always made it great. With how much that optimism is being tested in the last few years, discovering this song and others by mr. Zimmerman was something I badly needed. I am playing this song a lot for my 10yr old son as part of the many things I am desperately doing to help him understand how to be patriotic in a positive way.
Molly Bauckham
This is my 4th of July tradition. The most patriotic song I know.
James Petry
Happy 4th! This is still relevant...
ghostmadlittlemiss
I’m quite fond of one of his other songs called My TV. It’s pretty patriotic too.
deBASHmode
My very favorite patriotic song.
Cheryl Alt
Molly Bauckham I'm finding I've got to hear this every month now. If we get our country back from the greediest, most fragile rich people ever, maybe I won't need the reinforcement listening so much lol!
AmaraDark
This was the first song of yours I ever heard, on Dr. Demento. Good to hear it again, and keep up the great work!
InsertName125
It occurs to me that Roy's (in addition to being an amazing songwriter) a commedian / orator in the tradition of George Carlin. In other words, his jokes are a thinly disguised plea for decency by a person who deeply cares about the outcome, even if he doesn't always let on. A passionate comedian with a serious wit! If anything can get through to people, THAT just might work.
Kennita Watson
As many problems as America's got, I love it here. This song brought me to tears. Thanks, Roy!