The band began when two friends, Jack Antonoff and Scott Irby-Ranniar, sharing a common love of music, began playing together. They busked in subways and alleyways in New York, and in 1999/2000 recorded a demo that garnered a large degree of record label interest. Despite the array of offers, the guys, now called Steel Train (after lyric in a Sublime song) eventually chose to sign with Drive Thru Records particularly drawn by the support but also artistic freedom the label offered.
In 2002, the band recorded their debut ep entitled 'For You My Dear,' recruiting Evan Winiker (formerly of NJ emo band Random Task) and Matthias Gruber to help with recording and touring. The two later became full members of the band, first Winiker (who was presented as a full member in the promotional pieces for that same ep, released in January 2003) and later Gruber, who joined with second guitarist Matthew Goldman to complete the band and create Steel Train.
Together the band went on to record the '1969' ep (a CD of cover versions of songs from that year that inspired the band and their sound), and their debut album 'Twilight Tales From The Prairies Of The Sun,' dropped a year later in 2005. In December of 2006 the band announced that they would be departing ways with Matthias Gruber (drums) and Matt Goldman (guitar) who chose to pursue other interests. The positions were filled by tour manager Daniel Silbert on guitar and Jon Shiffman on drums.
In 2009, the band left the Drive Thru label and in June of 2010 independently released their eponymously-titled third LP. Included in that release was a companion album, 'Terrible Thrills: Vol. I', consisting of covers and re-imaginings of each 'Steel Train' track by female artists, including Scarlett Johansson, Tegan and Sara, Holly Miranda, Alia Shawkat, Amanda Palmer, and Jack's sister Rachel Antonoff.
The band often polarizes opinions, mainly based around the fact that the style of rock they play is more 'classic' (Jack often jokes the band was "30 years too late"), yet people see them as very much a part of the emo/pop-punk scene (mainly due to their Drive Thru Records connections). They are well noted for their impressive live shows and 'jamming' ability.
The lead singer, Jack, also used to date Scarlett Johansson and the song Better Love off of Twilight Tales from the Prairies of the Sun is about/makes reference to her [1] [2]. Though Better Love is a song strictly about her, he also references her in "2 O'clock'" and "Dig". "Josie smiles and laughs, while me and Scarlett will smoke our hash." [3]and "oh, my scarlet you had a real friend in me."Lyrics
[edit] Current Members
* Jack Antonoff - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
* Evan Winiker - Bass, Backing Vocals
* Daniel Silbert - Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Jon Shiffman - Drums, Percussion
* Justin Huey - Keys
[edit] Past Members
* Matthias Gruber - Drums, Percussion
* Matthew Goldman - Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Scott Irby-Ranniar - Vocals, Percussion
[edit]
Firecracker
Steel Train Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And something that I saw was a-flaming
Your body, it was real in the light
On the fourth of July we were screaming
Well, I saw the lonely road
You left and said to me, don't follow
?Cause I'll only bring you sorrow
You left and I just said, no, no, no, no, no
All I said, no, no, no, no, no
Well, I'm back in my old town again
Is there something still alive that I left here
Do you still like the boys on the street?
I will take you uptown just to see you meet them
Well, I saw the lonely road
You left and said to me, don't follow
?Cause I'll only bring you sorrow
And on down my lonely road
You left and I just said, no, no, no, no, no
All I said, no, no, no, no, no
You know I've been reading the Bible for a change
Maybe there's something I had missed there
I said, I've seen or I've seen some eyes in the rain
And they creep at my mind and I saw you whisper
But firecracker, you waved in the night
Something that I saw was a-flaming
Do you feel like we left something here?
Something worth coming back and claiming
Well, I saw the lonely road
You left and said to me, don't follow
?Cause I'll only bring you sorrow
And on down my lonely road
You left and said to me, don't follow
You sleep and dream for tomorrow
And in the deadly night
You left and said to me, don't follow
'Cause I'll only bring you sorrow
And on down my lonely road
You left and I just said, no, no, no, no, no
Well, I said, no, no, no, no, no
"Firecracker" by Steel Train is a song that explores the themes of nostalgia, regret, and lingering feelings of loss. The opening lines depict a moment of passion and excitement during the 4th of July celebrations. The titular "firecracker" evokes feelings of explosive energy and temporary excitement. However, the chorus reveals that this spark may have been brief; the singer was left alone to follow a "lonely road." The lines, "You left and said to me, don't follow/ 'Cause I'll only bring you sorrow" convey a sense of defeat and resignation towards a lost love.
As the song progresses, the singer returns to their old town, wondering if anything remains that's worth staying for. They question whether or not the thrill of being in a small town still resonates, and whether or not love is still possible. They consider the idea of spirituality and faith, asking, "Maybe there's something I had missed there," suggesting that they're searching for something more meaningful than just romantic love.
The final lines of the song suggest that the singer still harbors feelings for their lost love, wondering if there's something left to reclaim, but ultimately resigning themselves to the fact that they're alone, saying "You sleep and dream for tomorrow." The central theme of "Firecracker" is that of unrequited love and the longing for something that's out of one's reach, something that is particularly poignant when the excitement of a summer romance fades.
Line by Line Meaning
Firecracker, you waved in the night
The person addressed as 'firecracker' caught the singer's attention in the middle of the night.
And something that I saw was a-flaming
The singer was truly captivated by the sight of 'firecracker'.
Your body, it was real in the light
The singer was seeing 'firecracker' standing in front of them, bathed in the light.
On the fourth of July we were screaming
On Independence Day, the artist and 'firecracker' were having a wild time.
Well, I saw the lonely road
The artist saw the path 'firecracker' would take to leave them.
You left and said to me, don't follow
'Firecracker' didn't want the singer to follow their path.
?Cause I'll only bring you sorrow
Following 'firecracker' would only lead to heartache according to them.
All I said, no, no, no, no, no
The artist refused to accept 'firecracker's advice and kept saying 'no'.
Well, I'm back in my old town again
The artist has returned to their hometown.
Is there something still alive that I left here
The artist is questioning if there's something left for them in the hometown.
Do you still like the boys on the street?
The singer is asking 'firecracker' if they still have feelings for people from their hometown.
I will take you uptown just to see you meet them
The artist is willing to take 'firecracker' around town to meet people.
You know I've been reading the Bible for a change
The singer has been reading religious texts recently.
Maybe there's something I had missed there
The singer thinks there might be something they missed in the texts.
I said, I've seen or I've seen some eyes in the rain
The singer has seen a pair of eyes in the rain and it's bothering them.
And they creep at my mind and I saw you whisper
The person addressed as 'firecracker' seems to the artist as the source of the eyes in the rain, and they seem to be whispering something to the artist.
Do you feel like we left something here?
The artist is asking 'firecracker' if they also feel like they left something behind in their hometown.
Something worth coming back and claiming
The singer feels like there's something they need to come back and claim in the hometown.
You sleep and dream for tomorrow
'Firecracker' sleeps and dreams of tomorrow, while the singer remains grounded in reality.
And in the deadly night
The night seems ominous to the artist.
Well, I said, no, no, no, no, no
The artist still refuses to accept 'firecracker's warning.
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JACK ANTONOFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind