For the past fifteen years, the members of Scalawag have been no strangers to the musical landscape of New England. It was during this time, while performing in bands such as Marty Keystone, Full Tilt Boogie, The Freeks, and The Makem and Spain Brothers, that the groundwork for this new group was being laid. After crossing paths and sitting in with each other at various shows, a musical friendship was born. In late 2002, they decided the time was right to begin this new collaboration.
For three months the band holed up in a south Manchester, NH house and began to work out what should become the Scalawag sound. They wanted to incorporate the rhythms of Sun Records recordings, the musical simplicity of Woody Guthrie, the lyrical storytelling of an early Springsteen, the loose grooves of The Rolling Stones, and the musicianship of The Band. When they emerged, Scalawag was able to create a sound that was reminiscent of all of these artists, yet unique unto itself.
In the four years following the formation of the band, Scalawag has been perfecting their live shows while constantly playing venues throughout northern New England. In between these performances, the members of the band have also been demonstrating their strong songwriting skills, penning dozens of songs, resulting in their debut release "Wheel on Steel"
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They have a myspace too =).
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Touch
Scalawag Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make myself reliant on making people defiant
But that′s the way the world came
Packed with rebels and heretics, it's all the same
So you can keep on runnin′ your charade
While I keep on running and gunning in my parade
It doesn't have to make you feel good
Just doesn't have to wreck everyone else′s mood
′Cause I had things to do that never got done,
It doesn't matter now if I′m having fun
The trees don't lie, they don′t steal or cheat
But a tree can't change the world,
That′s how we got them beat,
'Cause I came here to talk,
And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah
And when does love
Begin to wash away the things that we all fear?
And what does it matter
Now that all I have is this buzzing in my ear?
Oh, 'cause I came here to talk,
And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah.
When I′m ready I′ll attack the words,
Give it everything I've got
But what′s left is fool's gold,
There′s more that it's not
It ain′t nothing but a pretty colour
And even that could be fuller
I came out as a caterpillar
Went in as a Rockefeller
But I had things to do that never got done,
It doesn't matter now if I'm having fun
The trees don′t lie, they don′t steal or cheat
But a tree can't change the world,
That′s how we got them beat,
'Cause I came here to talk,
And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah
And when does love
Begin to wash away the things that we all fear?
And what does it matter
Now that all I have is this buzzing in my ear?
Oh, ′cause I came here to talk,
And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah.
Oh 'cause I came here to talk
And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah
And when does love
Begin to wash away the things that we all fear?
And what does it matter
Now that all I have is this buzzing in my ear?
Oh, ′cause I came here to talk,
And I spent twice as much time listening
These oblong thoughts come easily,
Stretching my field of view
What's hard is when they mean nothing,
Or something I already knew.
The lyrics in Scalawag's song, Touch, describe the artist's perspective on life and the world around them. The first stanza refers to how the artist can rely on previous generations and their rebellious spirits as inspiration. The artist understands that the world is full of both rebels and heretics, and that this is how it has always been. While other people may put on a facade or act falsely, Scalawag will continue to pursue their own goals and enjoy their own success without interfering with others.
The next stanza continues to reflect on the artist's experience of life. The artist acknowledges that there were things they intended to do but were never able to accomplish. However, this realization doesn't diminish their current state of well-being. The artist suggests that nature is honest and pure but also understands its limitations in changing the world. Therefore, the artist has taken on the role of a listener, who is willing to hear other people's stories and perspectives in order to gain wisdom.
The final stanza discusses the artist's creative process. Scalawag acknowledges that sometimes their thoughts are just empty words or ideas they already know. Despite this, the artist continues to push themselves to create something meaningful. Ultimately, Touch is a song about the artist's unique perspective on the world and their ability to find success and happiness in their own way.
Line by Line Meaning
I can stand on the shoulders of giants
I have learned from the greats who came before me, and I can use their legacy to better myself.
Make myself reliant on making people defiant
I empower others to rise up and challenge the status quo.
But that's the way the world came
Rebellion and resistance are woven into the fabric of human history.
Packed with rebels and heretics, it's all the same
The world always has and always will teem with those who oppose the norm.
So you can keep on runnin' your charade
You can continue with your hollow pretenses and falsehoods.
While I keep on running and gunning in my parade
While I march on with courage and determination in my own path.
It doesn't have to make you feel good
My journey and my victories need not be pleasant for you.
Just doesn't have to wreck everyone else's mood
But nor do they need to cause harm or discomfort to anyone else.
'Cause I had things to do that never got done,
I have unfinished business and goals to accomplish.
It doesn't matter now if I'm having fun
Whether or not I enjoy the process is irrelevant.
The trees don't lie, they don't steal or cheat
Nature is pure and honest, and doesn't play games like humans do.
But a tree can't change the world, That's how we got them beat,
People can make a difference, and that's why we have the upper hand over nature.
'Cause I came here to talk, And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah
I came to communicate with others and understand their perspectives as well as share mine.
And when does love, Begin to wash away the things that we all fear?
When does love become powerful enough to conquer our deepest anxieties and concerns?
And what does it matter, Now that all I have is this buzzing in my ear?
And what's the point now that all I can hear is a distracting noise?
Oh, 'cause I came here to talk, And I spent twice as much time listening, yeah.
I'm still committed to dialogue and empathy even in the face of adversity.
When I'm ready I'll attack the words, Give it everything I've got
I will face my challenges head on and do my best to conquer them.
But what's left is fool's gold, There's more that it's not
Sometimes what we think is valuable can turn out to be worthless, and there is always more to uncover and discover.
It ain't nothing but a pretty colour,And even that could be fuller
Superficial beauty is not enough, and even that has room for improvement.
I came out as a caterpillar,Went in as a Rockefeller
I grew and transformed beyond what I used to be, and achieved success and prosperity.
These oblong thoughts come easily,Stretching my field of view
My unconventional ideas come naturally and allow me to broaden my perspective.
What's hard is when they mean nothing,Or something I already knew.
The challenge is when my ideas lack substance or are redundant.
Writer(s): Teo Galen Saefkow
Contributed by Victoria L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Basil.
This is an absolute vibe!!
The Scalawag
Thanks! 🤩🤟