The band signed with Capitol Records and scored a Top 20 hit with their first single, "Leona," in 1984. That success was quickly followed by their first #1 hit, "Step That Step". The band had their ups and downs on the charts throughout the 1980s. But radio success was not really Sawyer Brown's strong suit. It never was. Rather, they have been successful due to their live performances. Fans flock to the band's concerts year after year, whether the band performs in a stadium, state fair, or casino. The live shows, more than anything, sustained the band until 1989's remake of the George Jones hit "The Race Is On" put them back near the top of the charts.
In 1991, after the release of their album Buick, guitarist Bobby Randall left the group to remain close to his family and host a short-lived TV talent show, You Can Be A Star. Duncan Cameron, formerly of The Amazing Rhythm Aces, was chosen as his replacement just as Sawyer Brown was about to become country music's "it" band. The band then switched labels, moving to Curb Records and releasing the albums The Dirt Road, Cafe On The Corner, and Outskirts Of Town, which saw hit after hit for the band in the early to mid-'90s.
Sawyer Brown was all over country music radio and television for much of the decade. After 1999's Top 10 hit "Drive Me Wild," however, the country music industry seemed to forget about Sawyer Brown in favor of newer acts like Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban.
The band was having ups and downs in the charts again – mostly downs. In 2003, they parted with Curb, their record label of eleven years, and signed with Lyric Street Records. They released one single, "I'll Be Around", and then left Lyric Street as well. In 2004, they re-signed with Curb, but Duncan Cameron decided to leave the group to pursue a life-long dream of flying for Southwest Airlines.
Guitarist Shayne Hill was added to the lineup as they prepared for the release of their 20th album, Mission Temple Fireworks Stand. While Sawyer Brown is still looking to reclaim the top of the charts, their live shows continue to keep the band going strong.
The Boys and Me
Sawyer Brown Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are thirty years old and, stubborn as a herd of mules
We get all cleaned up on a Saturday night
We say yes to the girls when they ask if they look alright
Load up the cars and ride around
Roll down the windows and we go to town
[Chorus]
We're high on life and low on gas
Tryin' to make the way things are
The way things used to be
The boys and me
The phone rings it's the call of the wild
And the clothes we wear have finally come back in style
We got some tall tales that we love to tell
They may not be true
But we sure do remember them well
We work hard to have a little fun
Roll up our sleeves and get the job done son
[Chorus x2]
The lyrics to Sawyer Brown's "The Boys and Me" speak to the power of nostalgia, and the idea that as we grow older, we often look back to simpler times with fondness. The song's narrator is in his thirties now, but he's still running with the same crew of guys he knew in school. They're stubborn and set in their ways, but they still know how to have a good time. On Saturday nights they get cleaned up and go cruising, reminiscing about old times and reliving memories.
The chorus of the song speaks to the idea that the boys may have grown older, but they're still trying to hold onto their youth. They talk slow and drive fast, living life to the fullest while they still can. They may not have much money or resources, but they make up for it with a passion for life and a willingness to work hard and have fun.
Overall, "The Boys and Me" is a song about the importance of friendship and the bonds that tie us together. It's about staying true to who we are, even as we grow older and things change around us. And it's a reminder to always take time to enjoy the moment and cherish the memories we make along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and the boys that I knew in school
I hang out with my school friends who are now old, but still as obstinate as ever.
Are thirty years old and, stubborn as a herd of mules
We are now 30 years old but still stubborn and resistant to change.
We get all cleaned up on a Saturday night
On Saturdays, we clean ourselves up and prepare to go out.
We say yes to the girls when they ask if they look alright
When girls ask us if they look good, we always say yes.
Load up the cars and ride around
We get inside our cars and drive around aimlessly.
Roll down the windows and we go to town
We roll down the windows to let in fresh air as we ride around town.
And we talk too slow, drive too fast
We speak slowly but drive recklessly fast.
We're high on life and low on gas
We are enjoying life, but running low on fuel in our cars.
Tryin' to make the way things are
We try to maintain the status quo.
The way things used to be
We want things to be the same as they were before.
The boys and me
It's just us boys hanging out together.
The phone rings it's the call of the wild
We receive a call to go out and have fun.
And the clothes we wear have finally come back in style
The clothes we wear are now fashionable again.
We got some tall tales that we love to tell
We have some exciting stories that we like to share with each other.
They may not be true
Our stories may not always be factual.
But we sure do remember them well
Even if they aren't true, we still remember our stories fondly.
We work hard to have a little fun
We do some work so that we can enjoy some leisure time.
Roll up our sleeves and get the job done son
We get ready for work and tackle the task at hand.
The boys and me
We'll always stick together as buddies.
[Chorus x2]
We'll keep enjoying the simple things in life.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Beginner Music
Written by: M. McAnally, Mark A. Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Outbacker 292
There's singing music, and there's delivering music. Mark and the band DELIVER!
Paula Jane
I love everything about this song forever needs to be played on radio ❤🎸❣💯
SweetHeartHolly
To me, it is nothing but a musical industry injustice that this butt kicking awesome band was never once even nominated for the CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year awards. (shaking my head in sheer and SEVERE disgust)
God bless you and every member always!!!
Holly in East Tennessee
Sarah Sorrell
The first time I heard of Sawyer Brown, was wen I use 2 work as a housekeeper , he came on in CMTvideo,and he was singing the race is on. I had 2 dtop what I was doing and watched him sing and dance, I tried 2 keep up with his dance, I stopped and just watched him sing and dance. Man I fell n love with him. WOW!!!
dburd58
Saw them in concert August 1997, it was the most fun at a concert I’ve had ❤️
seahawksfan91
one of the most underrated country bands of all time, there songs are so good, 90s country was the best
truth flame
loved them since they started on star search(who remembers that?)...what a voice
Herbert Strunk III
I do. But then my wife was one of those that some boys like.
Barbara Ates
The lead singer has more energy than most but I truly love this song..
jetclntn
These guys are great, I love Mark and his incredible dancing
His voice sells every song