The Spin Doctors is a rock group from New York, USA, best known for its 199… Read Full Bio ↴The Spin Doctors is a rock group from New York, USA, best known for its 1992 hits, "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", which charted at #7 & #17 on the pop chart, respectively. The album that included those songs, 'Pocket Full of Kryptonite', sold poorly until MTV and radio began playing those singles. The album eventually went gold, receiving another boost in sales after the band appeared on Saturday Night Live in October 1992, and it ultimately sold five million copies in the U.S., peaking at #3 on the Billboard top 200 album chart. The band also made an appearance on 'Sesame Street', singing a modified version of "Two Princes" that emphasized the importance of sharing.

The current members are Chris Barron (lead vocals), Anthony Krizan (guitar and vocals), Aaron Comess (drums) and Mark White (bass). The history of the Spin Doctors can be traced back to the late 80s in New York City, originally as a band called Trucking Company, which included Canadian guitarist Eric Schenkman, John Popper, and later Chris Barron. Barron was John Popper's Princeton, New Jersey high school friend. Popper left this side project to focus on his main gig with rock group Blues Traveler full time. With a name change to Spin Doctors, as well as the addition of Aaron Comess and Mark White, the classic lineup was in place by the spring of 1989.

Recorded from August to December 1990 at both the famous Power Station studio in NYC as well as the RPM Studios, NYC and ACME Recording Studios Inc. in Mamaroneck, NY, the band released 'Pocket Full of Kryptonite' on August 20, 1991. Experiencing a slow burn of sorts in terms of success over the next few years, the band released the singles "Jimmy Olsen's Blues", "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong", "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)", "Two Princes", and "What Time Is It?", managing serious chart success in both the U.S. and the U.K. Their sound incorporated shades of contemporary college rock and underground power pop as well as more indie and blues rock styles.

'Turn It Upside Down' (1994) was not as successful as 'Kryptonite', although it did sell a million copies. Its second single, "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast", was a modest hit (#48 on the pop chart). Shortly after the release of Turn It Upside Down, original guitarist Eric Schenkman left the band, citing both musical and personal differences. He was replaced by Anthony Krizan. Fans feared, for good reasons, that the group had somewhat stalled creatively.

The follow-up, You've Got to Believe in Something (1996), sold poorly and the band lost its record contract. Guitarist Krizan also left the band following its release, for reasons that remain relatively unknown. He was replaced by Eran Tabid. Also during this time, Ivan Neville joined the band on keyboards. In 1998, the band signed to Uptown/Universal and released Here Comes the Bride in 1999. During the recording of Here Comes The Bride, Mark White left the band. The bass tracks on the album were finished by original band member Aaron Comess.

During the tour supporting Here Comes The Bride, Chris Barron lost his voice due to a rare form of vocal cord paralysis. Keyboardist Ivan Neville took over vocal duties for a few dates, but the band eventually cancelled the remainder of its tour, crippling sales of the album. Chris' voice came back in late 2000, where he began performing with his band Chris Barron and the Give Daddy Five.

The Spin Doctors remained stagnant until 2001, when the closing of the famous New York City club Wetlands brought the original four members back together. The band started playing one-offs and eventually recorded an album, Nice Talking To Me, released on September 13, 2005. So far, the album has yet to be met with much commercial success. They have also made a guest appearance on the children's book and its accompanying album by Children's Author/Artist Sandra Boynton singing "Tantrum".

You've Got To Believe In Something
Spin Doctors Lyrics

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You've got to believe in something
It's a lonely universe
Be careful what you wish for
Cause your improvement might be worse
Birth is a missing persons file
It's a case of role reversal
Life is a play...
Sometimes I can remember the rehearsal

You've got to believe in nothing
There's an awful lot out there
There's an awful lot in make up
Some in every perfect hair
You know I lose a lot of sleep
Wondering if nothing would ever desert us
But I know they don't know nothing
And what they don't know can't hurt us
I want to tell you
This guy wants to charge you a nickel
I want to tell you
This guy wants to charge you a dime
I want to tell you
I'm 'o' charge you a five dollar bill
And show you a real fine time
real fine time
There's a candy coated iguana
Behind curtain number one
And a sixteen dollar bill
For every pregnant flying nun
They got a soda-pop that'll save the wold
It's a tonic and an elixir
It's a get-you-laid
Better-paid
Guaranteed all-round life-fixer
I want to tell you
This guy wants you to change a twenty
I want to tell you
This guy wants you to change a ten
I want to tell you
This guy knows you already did it
But he wants you to do it again
Do it again
You've got to believe in something
It's a lonely universe
Be careful what you wish for
Cause your improvement might be worse
Birth is a missing persons file
It's a case of role reversal
Life is a play, they say
Sometimes I can remember the rehearsal
I want to tell you
Some say life is a blessing
I want to tell you
Some say life is a curse
I want to tell you
Some say life is a play
But you get no time to rehearse
And you got to believe in something

Cause it's a lonely universe
You got to believe in something

Overall Meaning

The Spin Doctors’ song “You’ve Got to Believe in Something” is a reflection on the meaning of life and the need for belief to help us make sense of the world. The opening line “You’ve got to believe in something” encapsulates the message of the song. The universe is a lonely place, and in order to feel connected to something greater than ourselves, we need to believe in something. However, the song warns that we need to be careful in our beliefs because what we wish for may not be what we ultimately need. In other words, the song encourages us to be critical of our beliefs, to question them, and to make choices based on a deeper understanding of what we truly need.

The lyrics of the song are also reflective of the idea that life is a play. The line “life is a play, they say, sometimes I can remember the rehearsal” suggests that we are all actors on this stage called life, trying to make sense of our roles and our purpose. We are constantly rehearsing and trying to get things right, but sometimes we falter, and life doesn’t go according to plan. The song encourages us to keep going, to believe in something, even when life gets rough, because ultimately, our beliefs give us the strength to carry on.

Overall, the song stresses the importance of belief, but also cautions us to be skeptical of our beliefs and to be willing to change them when necessary. It suggests that life is a play, and we are all actors, but with faith and perseverance, we can find meaning and purpose in our journey.

Line by Line Meaning

You've got to believe in something
Belief is essential even in a universe where we occupy a tiny speck.

It's a lonely universe
The insignificance of human life within the vast expanse of space and time can make one feel isolated and alone.

Be careful what you wish for
It's important to think twice about what you hope for. The grass may not be greener on the other side.

Cause your improvement might be worse
Improvement can bring unexpected consequences or drawbacks.

Birth is a missing persons file
Our birth is an event we have no memory of, and is like a mystery to us.

It's a case of role reversal
As we grow older, we start to take care of our parents and become the caretakers.

Life is a play...
Life can be like a well-rehearsed play, but we may forget the script at times and improvise.

Sometimes I can remember the rehearsal
At times, memories of past experiences come back to us clearly.

You've got to believe in nothing
Sometimes it's better to have no expectations and believe in nothing at all.

There's an awful lot out there
The world is full of wonders, some good and some bad, and it's up to us to navigate through it.

There's an awful lot in make up
Appearances can be deceiving, and many people hide behind a facade or mask.

Some in every perfect hair
Even the most immaculate and pristine things can hold a dark secret or flaw.

You know I lose a lot of sleep
It's common to worry about things that may go wrong, even if they never do.

Wondering if nothing would ever desert us
The thought of being abandoned or left alone is a common fear.

But I know they don't know nothing
People who claim to know everything often know very little.

And what they don't know can't hurt us
Ignorance is bliss - sometimes it's better not to know.

I want to tell you...
The following lines describe a salesman trying to sell various items to the listener.

This guy wants to charge you a nickel
The salesman offers a low price to entice the listener to make a purchase.

This guy wants to charge you a dime
The salesman offers a slightly higher price for a different item.

I'm 'o' charge you a five dollar bill
The salesman offers a more expensive item that promises a great experience.

And show you a real fine time
The salesman promises to make the listener feel good or have fun.

There's a candy coated iguana
The salesman offers a strange or bizarre item that seems appealing but may not be practical or real.

Behind curtain number one
The salesman uses a game show format to present various options to the listener.

And a sixteen dollar bill
The salesman offers an expensive item that comes with a high price tag.

For every pregnant flying nun
The salesman offers a ridiculous or impossible item to add humor to the pitch.

They got a soda-pop that'll save the world
The salesman makes a grandiose claim about the benefits of the product.

It's a tonic and an elixir
The salesman uses scientific or medical terms to make the product seem more legitimate.

It's a get-you-laid, better-paid, guaranteed all-round life-fixer
The salesman promises the product will improve every aspect of the listener's life.

Some say life is a blessing
Different people have different views on the value of life and what it means to them.

Some say life is a curse
Life can be difficult and challenging, and some people view it as a burden.

But you get no time to rehearse
Life is unpredictable, and we don't have the luxury of practicing or preparing in advance.

You got to believe in something
Despite the uncertainty and challenges of life, it's important to have faith and believe in something greater than ourselves.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: COMESS, GROSS, KRIZAN, WHITE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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