Landing their first record deal with Twin/Tone in 1984, Soul Asylum recorded a total of four albums for the local label: Say What You Will... Everything Can Happen in 1984 (later reissued as Say What You Will, Clarence... Karl Sold the Truck), Made To Be Broken in 1986, While You Were Out in 1986, and the EP Clam Dip and Other Delights in 1988. The band then switched to A&M, releasing Hang Time in 1988 and And the Horse They Rode In On in 1990 under that label. Although they enjoyed some success as a live band, Soul Asylum suffered from low album sales and considered disbanding.
In 1992, they signed with Columbia Records to produce Grave Dancers Union, a record that would come to transform them from underground college rockers to international superstars. The first two singles off the album, Somebody To Shove and Black Gold, both came in at high positions at the Modern Rock and Album Rock charts, but it was the album's third track and it's video of missing teens that led them to their major breakthrough. Runaway Train peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, raised album sales to double-platinum level, and won Soul Asylum the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1994.
In 1995, Soul Asylum followed up the success of Grave Dancers Union with Let Your Dim Light Shine, which climbed to #6 on the Billboard 200 and featured the #1 Modern Rock track Misery. After releasing Candy From A Stranger in 1998, the band members took a break from recording and didn't release a new studio album for the better part of seven years. During the interim singer Dave Pirner released a solo album and Dan Murphy toured and recorded with Golden Smog.
They reunited in 2004 to record their ninth full-length album, The Silver Lining, brought together by the news of Mueller being diagnosed with throat cancer. Up until this point, Soul Asylum had always included Murphy, Mueller, and Pirner, despite several line-up changes. This changed on June 17th, 2005, when Mueller passed away after finishing his work on several tracks on the new album. The Silver Lining was released in 2006 and dedicated to Karl Mueller's life and memory, with Murphy expressing that, "For me, this record is Karl."
In late 2005, ex-Replacements bassist (and current Guns N' Roses bassist) Tommy Stinson and former Prince drummer Michael Bland joined Soul Asylum in tribute to the late Karl Mueller. They completed their American tour in support of The Silver Lining in late 2006. In November and December 2006 they opened for Cheap Trick on their American tour. On March 10th, 2007, Soul Asylum joined Cyndi Lauper, Mint Condition, and Lifehouse to hold a concert to benefit Wain McFarlane, the leader of the legendary reggae band Ipso Facto, to help pay for the expenses of a kidney transplant.
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Can't Go Back
Soul Asylum Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when it gets too full I forget
Now if I'm late and I'm making you wait
Then there ain't one thing around that's even funny
Seein' things clearly and I thank you so dearly
Everything's so true to life when you're not living
When it's all a drag that's when you give it all the way
You just can't go back
You just can't go back
Everybody's going their own way
Each one is gonna make his day
It's more than amusement now
You're just killing time
(Just killing time) You just can't go back
(Just killing time) You just can't go back
(Just killing time) You just can't go back
Fifteen years later caught in time's incinerator
Yesterday's worries are today's
But the good times are so near just sitting back and drinking beer
You know I'm halfway down the road but I know that I still ain't there
Seeing things clearly I thank you so dearly
Everything's so true to life when you're not living
When it's all a drag that's when you give it all the way
put it all in bags, just call it charity
You just can't go back
(Just killing time) You just can't go back
Everybody's going their own way
Each one is gonna make his day
It's more than amusement now
You're just killing time
The lyrics to Soul Asylum's song Can't Go Back explore the concept of nostalgia and the idea that it is impossible to go back to the past. The first verse suggests that the aim of the singer's time is to fill up his mind, but when it gets too full, he forgets. This could imply that the singer is trying to distract himself from his current situation and is using memories of the past to do so. The second part of the verse suggests that if the singer is late and making someone wait, it is not funny. This could indicate that the singer is unreliable and possibly struggling to cope in the present moment.
The chorus repeats the phrase "you just can't go back", emphasizing the theme of the song. The lines "everybody's going their own way, each one is gonna make his day" suggest that everyone is moving forward with their lives and creating their own successes. The following line, "it's more than amusement now, you're just killing time", implies that constantly looking back at the past is no longer a fulfilling or useful activity.
The second verse offers some reflection on the passing of time. The line "fifteen years later caught in time's incinerator, yesterday's worries are today's" indicates that despite the passage of time, the singer's worries are still present - they have just evolved over time. The final lines of the song "put it all in bags, just call it charity" suggest that the singer is ready to let go of the past and move on with their life.
Overall, Can't Go Back is a poignant exploration of the concept of nostalgia and the idea that time only moves forward. The singer of the song is grappling with the realization that they cannot go back to the past and that they must find a way to move forward with their life.
Line by Line Meaning
The aim of my time is to fill up my mind
I am constantly trying to learn and expand my knowledge and experiences.
And when it gets too full I forget
However, there comes a point where I may become overwhelmed and forgetful due to the sheer amount of information I am absorbing.
Now if I'm late and I'm making you wait
If I find myself running behind schedule and causing you to wait for me,
Then there ain't one thing around that's even funny
I understand that it is not a humorous situation to be kept waiting by someone else's tardiness.
Seein' things clearly and I thank you so dearly
I am grateful for those moments of clarity that help me to understand myself and the world around me.
Everything's so true to life when you're not living
Sometimes it takes stepping back and observing rather than actively participating to gain a true understanding of reality.
When it's all a drag that's when you give it all the way
During times when life feels tedious and tiresome, it can be easier to simply give everything away.
Put it all in bags, just call it charity
Instead of holding onto material possessions or other burdensome items, it can be liberating to donate them for the benefit of others.
You just can't go back, everybody's going their own way
Once a moment has passed or a decision has been made, it is impossible to undo or recreate it. Everyone is on their own unique path in life.
Each one is gonna make his day, it's more than amusement now
Each individual has the power to shape their present and future, and the pursuit of happiness is no longer just for entertainment but rather a critical part of life.
You're just killing time
If you are not actively seeking meaning and purpose in life, you are simply passing time without truly living.
Fifteen years later caught in time's incinerator, yesterday's worries are today's
Looking back fifteen years later, past concerns and anxieties may seem trivial and insignificant in comparison to current issues.
But the good times are so near just sitting back and drinking beer
Despite challenges and hardships, there are always moments of joy and comfort to be found in simple pleasures.
You know I'm halfway down the road but I know that I still ain't there
Even when progress has been made and accomplishments have been achieved, there is always more to strive for and work towards in life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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