Before forming the Dream Syndicate, Wynn played guitar in the Davis, California-based band The Suspects, whose members included vocalist Kendra Smith (who later played bass in the Dream Syndicate) and Russ Tolman and Gavin Blair (who would form True West (band)); in 1979 they released a single, "It's Up to You" b/w "Talking Loud." Two years later, under the name 15 Minutes, he self-released another single, "Last Chance for You" b/w "That's What You Always Say" (later performed by the Dream Syndicate), which owed much to Joy Division.
Though they were popular with critics, an influence on other musicians, and signed briefly to a major label, The Dream Syndicate were never really commercially successful. They did establish, however, the fan base on which Wynn built his solo career.
Since 1990, Wynn has released a number of albums exploring various musical styles. His first solo album, Kerosene Man, included backing work by bassist Fernando Saunders (a frequent sideman of Lou Reed, to whom Wynn was often compared early in his career), drummer D.J. Bonebrake from the L.A. punk band X, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand and saxophonist Steve Berlin from Los Lobos. Peter Buck, from R.E.M., played on its follow-up, Dazzling Display, and co-wrote the title song. Backing on Melting in the Dark (1996) was provided by the Boston band Come.
Here Come the Miracles (2001) was his best-selling solo album to date, and the best-reviewed, appearing at year's end on numerous critical Top Ten lists.
In 1985, Wynn wrote a collection of songs with Dan Stuart of Green on Red, and recorded and released them as Danny and Dusty. This collaboration was revisited in 2007 for a second Danny & Dusty album. In the '90s he was a part of the indie supergroup Gutterball along with Stephen McCarthy of The Long Ryders and Brian Harvey and Johnny Hott of House of Freaks. In 2008 Wynn and his wife Linda Pitmon collaborated with Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5) and Peter Buck (R.E.M., The Minus 5) for a record with songs about legendary baseball players - this collaboration is known as The Baseball Project.
The double CD From a Man of Mysteries: A Steve Wynn Tribute was released by the German label Blue Rose in 2004 and features Wynn's songs performed by the likes of Concrete Blonde, the Silos, Chuck Prophet, The Minus 5 and others.
Wynn also records as Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3.
Wynn is at present more popular in Europe than in the United States. While domestic tours are rare, he continues to perform regularly overseas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wynn_%28songwriter%29
Halo
Steve Wynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
no ovation
the mob is growing
and they're impatient
I see matches
and I see torches
sometimes it burns,
sometimes it scorches
oh, put your hands down
there's nothing left to call
I will be watching
when your halo begins to fall
this ain't no fairy tale
this ain't no fable
I'll find a moral when I'm able
in the pouring rain
and you remember
the car that pulled away last November (ch)
In Steve Wynn's song Halo, the lyrics suggest a sense of imminent danger and possible chaos building up with the repetition of "this ain't no" in the first two lines of each verse. The mob referred to in the second line signifies the buildup of people who seem to be impatient and are growing in number. The presence of matches and torches gives the listener a sense of foreboding or danger - indicating that something destructive could be about to happen. The line "sometimes it burns, sometimes it scorches" is a play on words indicating that things can get out of hand and the aftermath can be equally destructive.
The chorus is a call to action, where the lead singer urges someone to put their hands down - possibly signifying surrender or ceasing of an activity. This might caution people to be careful of their actions, as things may not always go according to plan. The imagery of the halo falling translates to a loss of innocence or a fall from grace, something that people must be careful about. The reference to a fairytale or a fable and finding a moral that comes at the end is reflective of the larger story that is playing out, which could be a warning to the people not to repeat past mistakes. In the pouring rain, there is a reference to last November and the car that pulled away, leaving the listener to assume that there is a backstory to the song that made the singer caution the listeners in the first place.
Line by Line Meaning
This ain't no curtain call
This is not the end of the show.
no ovation
There is no applause or praise for what has been done so far.
the mob is growing
The crowd is getting bigger and more demanding.
and they're impatient
They are becoming more and more restless and can't wait any longer.
I see matches
I see people with matches or lighters.
and I see torches
I see people carrying torches or flaming objects.
sometimes it burns,
Sometimes things get heated and out of control.
sometimes it scorches
Sometimes things get worse than they already are.
oh, put your hands down
Stop what you're doing and calm down.
there's nothing left to call
There's nothing left to do or say.
I will be watching
I'll be observing and monitoring the situation carefully.
when your halo begins to fall
I'll be there to witness your downfall and decline in status or reputation.
this ain't no fairy tale
This is not a magical or fictional story.
this ain't no fable
This is not a traditional or legendary story with a moral or lesson.
I'll find a moral when I'm able
I'll try to find a lesson or meaning in this experience when I'm able to reflect on it.
in the pouring rain
In a difficult or unpleasant situation.
and you remember
I want you to recall and reflect on something important.
the car that pulled away last November (ch)
I want you to remember the events that happened in November and the people who left or abandoned you then.
Contributed by Owen G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.