Receiving a hand up in this business of music from the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard is no small accomplishment, and that mentorship – and sometimes harsh instruction – was not lost on Sam Riggs, who has had the fortunate opportunity to meander through Wylie’s cerebral countryside over the last few years. At the time of their meeting, Riggs was already a commercially-viable songwriter with an impressive root system, having sprung from his family’s musical genes; but he was still feeding off the unripe fruits of his youth. Through the songwriting school of Hubbard, he learned the time-honored virtue of patience and the aptitude for turning the rough and tumble falls to the ground into a steady, recovered gait.
“He opened my eyes to songwriting, and I could see the idiot I had been and the idiot I was going to be, and he helped me to navigate that. He taught me what it really is to be a songwriter.”
Those rough and tumble falls steadily began upon Riggs’ relocation in 2007 from his home base in Florida to Austin, Texas, after some friends brought him a CD from the prominent Texas-based band, Reckless Kelly. Their unprocessed lyrics and raw production hit Riggs squarely between the eyes, like hammer on nail, driving him to plant his personal flag in a place where he could be his own artist. His inception was less than spectacular, as he struggled to imprint himself on the hearts of Texas Music fans while also drawing heavy influence from commercial radio. With hard stares and indifferent responses, Riggs diligently worked to strip down the polish and bring out the more natural shine – a task that resulted from the truth that, as Riggs so accurately put it, “You can’t bullshit a Texan.” The experience was both a breath of fresh air and a simultaneous smack in the face, and it ultimately cultivated the signature collection that is his debut record release, OUTRUN THE SUN.
“The only thing that matters is how you interpret this life. I wanted this to be reflection of my intent and an echo of my soul as songwriter and artist.”
Following the release of the 2012 EP, Lighthouse, OUTRUN THE SUN is a perfectly ripened delicacy that will be available for the picking on October 29, 2013, on Nashville-based Vision Entertainment. Produced by Erik Herbst (Eli Young Band, Bowling For Soup, Josh Abbott Band), the debut album of Sam Riggs & The Night People signals a lyrical comprehension that reaches far beyond Sam’s years, and musical compositions that are both brave and progressive. The driving will in “Longshot”; the matter of abuse in “The Change”; and the love-provoked courage in “Lighthouse” are just a few of the towering giants included in this release.
The record is fully backed by a live show that comes out swinging and keeps the energy high. Having opened for acts that include Chris Knight; Joe Diffie; Kevin Fowler; Pat Green; the Eli Young Band; the Randy Rogers Band; and, of course, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sam Riggs & The Night People have become well-educated in the art of working a crowd. Riggs himself never fails to dazzle with his “musical chair” performances that never restrict him to one location on the stage. Vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, fiddle, and even drums are all part of the magic that he hypnotically spins on a nightly basis.
“Your audience is like a dreamer, and the last thing you want to do is wake a dreamer. We try to draw them in with our music and keep them entranced in that dream.”
Last Prayer
Sam Riggs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's got a backwards story of
Everything that happens in this town
Twist it up, turn it around until it's far from true
And God knows and when he was passing out
Glory, he passed through without slowing down
Tried to catch that train but it was just no use
As the sun sets on these broken hearts tonight
Meet me down at the depot when sun goes down
Bring your hopes and dreams for wherever were bound.
Meet me at the depot when the whistle sounds,
Catch the last prayer of leaving this town
The streets are filled with potholes in this place
It's hard to take a step without falling on your face
People got nothing better to do,
Than sit and watch the hell you're going through
You wanna cry but you know those tears are a waste
You search for something good to find a way out
All you can taste is the burn in your own mouth
Meet me down at the depot when sun goes down
Bring your hopes and dreams for wherever were bound.
Meet me at the depot when the whistle sounds,
Catch the last prayer of leaving this town
••••••
Meet me down at the depot when sun goes down
Bring your hopes and dreams for wherever were bound,
Meet me at the depot when the whistle sounds,
Catch the last prayer of leaving this town
Meet me down at the depot when sun goes down
Bring your hopes and dreams for wherever were bound.
Meet me at the depot when the whistle sounds,
Catch the last prayer of leaving this town
Oh we'll catch the last prayer of leaving this town
Oh we'll catch the last prayer of leaving this town
In Sam Riggs's song "Last Prayer," the lyrics describe the difficult and backwards nature of life in a small town. The first verse emphasizes how everyone in this town has a twisted version of what really happened, to the point where truth is far from the reality. The next set of lines describes how even God skipped over this town when passing out glory, and as a result, the people are stuck with a sense of hopelessness. Despite this, the chorus offers a glimmer of hope, as it suggests the possibility of escaping and finding a new opportunity by catching the last train out of this town.
The second verse describes the town's desolate streets and the obstacles that are in the way of getting out. The people in the town aren't helpful and might even enjoy watching others suffer. The singer reflects on their own internal struggles and fear of feeling hopeless, as they search for anything to take them away from their current situation. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the desire to escape and begin anew.
In conclusion, the lyrics of "Last Prayer" are about seeking an escape from a small town and the oppression that comes with being stuck there. The song acknowledges the difficulties of getting out but ends on a hopeful note by suggesting that leaving is possible and may even be the only way to find happiness and leave behind the hardships of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's got a backwards story of
Everyone in this town has a twisted version of their own tale
Everything that happens in this town
All the events that occur in this town
Twist it up, turn it around until it's far from true
People purposely distort events until they're unrecognizable
And God knows and when he was passing out
God knows that when he gave out
Glory, he passed through without slowing down
People in this town have no glory or pride
Tried to catch that train but it was just no use
People try to leave this town, but they never succeed
Darkness will find its way into the light
Negativity will find its way into positive situations
As the sun sets on these broken hearts tonight
The night comes with depressed souls and memories
Meet me down at the depot when sun goes down
Let's meet at the station when it gets dark
Bring your hopes and dreams for wherever we're bound.
Bring your wishes and desires of where you want to go
The streets are filled with potholes in this place
The roads in this town are damaged and degraded
It's hard to take a step without falling on your face
Walking around in this town is challenging and unpleasant
People got nothing better to do,
People in this town have no goals or ambitions
Than sit and watch the hell you're going through
Instead, they watch you suffer
You wanna cry but you know those tears are a waste
Crying is futile when living in this town
You search for something good to find a way out
You seek positive things to help escape this place
All you can taste is the burn in your own mouth
Everything seems bitter and unpleasant
Catch the last prayer of leaving this town
Hope for another life is the last thing they have
Oh we'll catch the last prayer of leaving this town
It's time to hope for a better future and leave this toxic place for good.
Writer(s): Sam Riggs
Contributed by Joseph N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.