… Read Full Bio ↴Smoke or Fire is an American punk rock band from Boston, Massachusetts.
The band originally formed in 1998, when western Massachusetts natives Joe McMahan (lead vocals and guitar) and Jeremy Cochran (guitar) got together with fellow Boston University students Ken Gurley (bass) and Nick Maggiore (drums), hailing from New Hampshire. Originally calling themselves Jericho, the boys released their debut album, When the Battery Dies, in 2000. Their fan base grew as they played DIY basement shows and small clubs throughout the Northeast.
When living in Boston proved too expensive, the quartet moved to Richmond, Virginia to explore the punk rock scene and to work on their second album.
It was at about this time that band was contacted by a 1970s-era Christian rock band from Australia, also called Jericho, to inform them that the name was already taken. To avoid confusion and legal action, the boys politely amended it to Jericho RVA. The initials were a nod to their adopted hometown of Richmond, Virginia.
Jericho RVA is the name that appears on their 2003 EP Workers' Union. An older version, released under the original name (Jericho), does not include the song "Oxygen" that is on the Jericho RVA release. The other 6 songs of the EP are the same on both records.
Worker's Union caught the attention of reviewers and established bands interested in taking them out on tour. Due to pressure from Deep South Christian fanatics that complained about the religious "blasphemy" of a bible-derived name, Jericho RVA changed their name again to Smoke or Fire.
Due to the strength of the Worker's Union EP, Smoke or Fire were approached by esteemed California punk rock label Fat Wreck Chords[1] in late 2004. Their debut album, Above The City, was co-produced by Fat Mike of NOFX and was released in March 2005. Since then the band has toured the US and abroad many times over. The band released their second album This Sinking Ship on February 20, 2007.
Cars
Smoke or Fire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the east to the west coast to places abandoned
These bars filled with smoke never treat us as strangers
The road is uncertain but we'll take our chances
We drive and take in this world from the window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
This life is not for everyone, it's harder than you know
Cheap hotels and couches have become our second home
Follow those who came before you did and paved the way
You can't do this forever but until this ends
We drive and take in this world from the window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
Pick yourself up and continue to roam
I can't stay here forever
Watching the cars go by
I can't stay here forever
Watching the road wind down
And I'll remember what you said before I leave
Good luck and come back in one piece to me
If this is what you do, then kill it
We made this decision, we'll do this the hard way
I can't stay here forever
Watching the cars go by
I can't stay here forever
Watching the road as we...
Drive and take in this world from the window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
Pick yourself up and we roam
The song "Cars" by Smoke or Fire highlights the life of a travelling musician. The lyrics are a reflection of the constant travelling and endless days on the road that musicians face. The song describes the experience of moving from city to city in a van, from east to west coast, performing in bars filled with smoke, and the feeling of being both welcomed and alienated in these places. The road is unpredictable and uncertain, but despite the difficulties, the band members remain determined to take their chances and continue their journey.
The lyrics also talk about the unique lifestyle of a traveling musician, which is not for everyone. They describe the hardships that come with it, such as cheap hotels, couch surfing, and uncertainty about the future. However, the song also acknowledges the rewarding aspects of the lifestyle, such as taking in the world from the window of a moving vehicle, and the freedom of making their own decisions and carving their own path. The chorus repeats the band's commitment to continue driving and taking in the world as they roll and move to the beat of their own engine.
Overall, the song "Cars" conveys the difficult and rewarding aspects of the life of a musician on the road. The lyrics capture the uncertainty and challenges that come with this lifestyle while also acknowledging the deep passion and dedication that musicians have for their craft.
Line by Line Meaning
City to city, we travel in vans
We travel to different cities by riding in vans
From the east to the west coast to places abandoned
We travel from the east coast to the west coast and also to deserted places
These bars filled with smoke never treat us as strangers
Even though we visit bars frequently, we are not treated as strangers because of the smoke that surrounds us
The road is uncertain but we'll take our chances
The road we travel is unpredictable, but we will take the risk anyway
We drive and take in this world from the window
While driving, we observe the world from the car window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
Our movement is synchronized with the sound of our car's engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
When our car breaks down, we spend another day waiting for it to be fixed on the side of the road
Pick yourself up and continue to roam
We encourage ourselves to keep going despite the difficulties we face
This life is not for everyone, it's harder than you know
Traveling this way is not suitable for everyone because it's more challenging than people think
Cheap hotels and couches have become our second home
We stay in cheap hotels and sleep on couches frequently as if they are our second home
Follow those who came before you did and paved the way
We try to learn from the experiences of those who have traveled before us and created paths
You can't do this forever but until this ends
We can't keep traveling like this forever, but we will continue until it's over
I can't stay here forever, Watching the cars go by
I cannot be stationary and watch cars pass by indefinitely
And I'll remember what you said before I leave
I will remember the advice you gave me before I depart
Good luck and come back in one piece to me
I wish you good luck, and I hope you return safely
If this is what you do, then kill it
If this is what we do, we should do it passionately and with enthusiasm
We made this decision, we'll do this the hard way
We made the decision to travel in this way, so we will face the difficulties that come with it
Contributed by Ryan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jonathan Smith
Lyrics:
City to city, we travel in vans
From the east to the west coast to places abandoned
These bars filled with smoke never treat us as strangers
The road is uncertain but we'll take our chances
We drive and take in this world from the window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
Pick yourself up and continue to roam
This life is not for everyone, it's harder than you know
Cheap hotels and couches have become our second home
Follow those who came before you did and paved the way
You can't do this forever but until this ends
We drive and take in this world from the window
We roll and move to the beat of an engine
We stall, another day spent by the side of the road
Pick yourself up and continue to roam
I can't stay here forever
Watching the cars go by
I can't stay here forever
Watching the road wind down
And I'll remember what you said before I leave
Good luck and come back in one piece to me
If this is what you do, then kill it
We made this decision, we'll do this the hard way
Chris Black
great song
Burk
good band