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]
Road Song
Steel Train Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My father told me to see the world for him
So I, I took my things
And painted pink sunsets over the vast oceans
Send your dad a note, you made it kid, you're on the road
Send your dad a note, you made it kid, you're on the road
Can you tell the lies from the lives that you've seen
Now mother, can you tell me
Where this road is gonna lead?
Just let yourself go and sell your soul to the road
Just let yourself go and sell your soul to the road
Don't you know I was rested under the track
Even then I knew I would always be back
And I know that this Steel Train
Is gonna ride on 'till the end
Blue skies and desert rain
I passed my life by course of Steel Train
And I ride to the end of the rails
I tell my father of all my tales
I say everything I saw, I was thinking of you
And the reason that I'm here is all because of you
Don't you know I was rested under the track
But even then I knew I would always be back
Oh yeah, I know that my Steel Train
Is gonna ride until the end
Yeah, I know there's room on this Steel Train
We're gonna ride it 'till the end, alright
Hey babe, I know all about my Steel Train
We're gonna ride on 'till the end
The song "Road Song" by Steel Train is a tribute to the band's experiences on the road and the lessons they have learned along the way. The lyrics are a reflection of the band's desire to explore and see the world, inspired by the singer's father who encouraged him to travel when he was still young. The first verse speaks about the singer's decision to follow his dreams and set off on an adventure, painting pink sunsets over vast oceans.
The chorus of the song highlights the importance of sharing experiences with loved ones back home. The singer urges listeners to let go and embrace the journey, even if it means selling your soul to the road. The final verse is a nostalgic reflection on the journey so far and the singer's willingness to keep going until the end, with the steel train symbolizing the never-ending journey of life.
Overall, "Road Song" is a powerful anthem for anyone who has ever felt the pull of wanderlust, and a reminder that the journey is just as important as the destination.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a little kid
As a child
My father told me to see the world for him
My dad asked me to travel the world for him
So I, I took my things
Therefore, I packed my belongings
And painted pink sunsets over the vast oceans
And created beautiful mental images of sunsets
Send your dad a note, you made it kid, you're on the road
Tell your dad you're travelling and that you've made it
Mother, teach me about the country
Mama, educate me about the countryside
Can you tell the lies from the lives that you've seen
Can you distinguish between falsehoods and truths you've witnessed?
Now mother, can you tell me
Mama, could you inform me
Where this road is gonna lead?
What's the destination of this journey?
Just let yourself go and sell your soul to the road
Relax and embrace the journey
Don't you know I was rested under the track
I was waiting, secured below the railroad
Even then I knew I would always be back
Despite this, I knew I'd return
And I know that this Steel Train
I'm convinced that this train
Is gonna ride on 'till the end
Will keep moving until the end
Blue skies and desert rain
Clear skies and occasional rainfall in the arid land
I passed my life by course of Steel Train
I lived my life travelling on Steel Train
And I ride to the end of the rails
And I'll ride until the end of the railway tracks
I tell my father of all my tales
I narrate my experiences to my father
I say everything I saw, I was thinking of you
I tell him that every sight reminded me of him
And the reason that I'm here is all because of you
I'm on this journey because of him
But even then I knew I would always be back
Still, I was confident that I'd return
Oh yeah, I know that my Steel Train
I'm certain that my Steel Train
Is gonna ride until the end
Will keep moving until the end
Yeah, I know there's room on this Steel Train
I know there's space on this Steel Train
We're gonna ride it 'till the end, alright
We'll keep travelling until the end, yeah
Hey babe, I know all about my Steel Train
Hey babe, I know everything about my Steel Train
We're gonna ride on 'till the end
We'll keep moving until the end
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP
Written by: JACK ANTONOFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind