In 1975 Street Corner Symphony released its first single "Earth Angel" (B-side: I'm Not Ready (To Let You Go)) on Bang Records (B-719). The single was followed by the groups album "Harmony Grits", released also on Ban Records (BLP-406) in 1976. The album was produced by Jerry Love and Michael Zager.
In 1976 Street Corner Symphony released its hit album "Little Funk Machine" on ABC records. The album was produced by none other than Willie Hutch.
Essentially a vocal quintet, three of its members, (Jesse Harris, Milton Hayes and Lawrence Miller) had started out in Los Angeles group The Marvellos (aka The Sons Of Watts) during the sixties. Lead singer Morris Chestnut, formerly of the Attractions, The Sound-Masters and The Vows, recorded solo both under his own name and that of James Washington Lee.
The second, soon to be disbanded, Street Corner Symphony was founded as a birthday present for Mark on May 28, 2010. It began with six talented fellows–Jeremy & Richie Lister, Jon & Mark McLemore, Ben Dixon, and Sean Saunders–who had worked together, but not as a single group. In fact, Ben and Sean met Jeremy and Richie the day before SCS’s first gig.
Three weeks later, the group broke up. Citing reasons of some sort, Ben and Sean left void the high and low ends of Street Corner Symphony’s frequency spectrum. Within days, however, Mark had contacted two friends in his extensive network of talented people and restored balance. Welcome, John Martin and Adam Chance. Street Corner Symphony commenced the dominating.
The members of Street Corner Symphony are from all over the Southeast US and are proud to call Nashville TN their home base. The group was formed in May of 2010 for the sole purpose of winning the Sing Off. SCS brings a unique laid back southern soul to the competition, demonstrating notable influences from artists like Take 6 and Alison Krauss. While SCS offers a diverse repertoire, the group has a rich heritage in gospel music. Two of the members are grandsons of the legendary southern gospel tenor Bill Shaw of “The Blackwood Brothers.” In addition, five of the six members were preacher’s kids and grew up singing and learning music in church. SCS is made up of two sets of brothers and two other unrelated guys, and each brings a unique background and character to the group. One member is a pilot, one is a major label recording artist, one is an operatic baritone, one is a dichromat, one has indeed met Chuck D., and one has a serious phobia of fruit. When not singing together, the group is actually still just trying to get acquainted!
Adam Chance was born on the Florida Panhandle and grew up in southern Alabama just north of the beautiful, once oil-free, Gulf Coast beaches. His childhood home was two miles down a dirt road and he spent many summer days fishing in the Gulf. He is the only member of Street Corner Symphony that is not a minister’s son. He learned to sing in the shower, learned music theory in marching band and plays a number of instruments. He once met Chuck D. Adam studied journalism and music at the University of Alabama and is also a songwriter. He enjoys watching american and association football, wearing vests and ties, and would prefer not to die by sword or gunshot. Although he sings bass in the group, he is afraid of spiders.
John Martin is the high tenor for SCS, a native of Marianna FL and is probably shorter than you. His dad was a chaplain in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Religion and Music in 2009 from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL. John is honored to have been selected as a winner of the state National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and Music Teachers’ National Association (MTNA) auditions for Alabama, as well as to have been chosen as a two-time finalist in auditions for the world renowned Chanticleer. John is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree in voice performance at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He enjoys cooking beef and once made a cheese soufflé just to prove he could. His favorite movies are the original Star Wars trilology, and his favorite actor is William H. Macy. He is red-green color blind and has a fear of upside down traffic lights.
Mark McLemore (The Plethora) was born in Alabama to a banjo pickin’ preacher and is Jon’s younger brother. He recently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in piano performance from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL. He received two Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (CARA) in 2008 for his work on the McLemore Brothers record ‘Sunday Drive.’ He is the group’s resident operatic baritone and he can read music faster than he can read text. His wife, Meredith, is an archivist for the state of Alabama, and taught Mark the importance of making the bed. He also helps out with the vocal percussion duties from time to time. Mark enjoys baking bread and making puns. He once rode a motorcycle from Alabama to California and back in 8 days, danced in the Nutcracker, and engineered his own ping-pong paddle. His favorite actors are Sean Connery and Christopher Walken. He still plays with his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from time to time; his favorite is Raphael. He is afraid of poor intonation.
Richie Lister grew up the son of a minister in Mississippi. Although he primarily sings baritone, Richie has a tremendous range and can sometimes be heard singing the highest part. He moved to Nashville 7 years ago and is Jeremy’s older brother. He learned to sing from his parents and from church music and could match pitch with his dad at age 2. He is the grandson of renowned southern gospel tenor Bill Shaw of “The Blackwood Brothers”. Richie is a keyboardist and songwriter and has spent the last 15 years playing in various rock bands, most notably for Jeremy’s solo career. He majored in Music Composition at Mississippi College and has a dream of one day composing music for film. Richie is often told that he has an uncanny resemblance to John Lennon. He is afraid of fruit.
Jeremy Lister began singing and learning harmonies in church at the age of two. When his dad wasn’t looking, Jeremy would sneak into his guitar case and start picking out chords. He grew up collaborating and writing songs with his older brother Richie. At ages twelve and thirteen, he traveled through Europe with his parents. The trip changed his perspective on life and music, and upon returning to the States, he began exploring different musical outlets, ranging from an a cappella quartet to a progressive rock band. Setting out on his own in 2003, Jeremy moved to Nashville bringing his first EP “Shooting Star” with him. Here he began playing writer’s nights and passing his CD along to anyone who would listen. In 2005, he released his second EP, “So Far,” and quickly gained the attention of Warner Bros. Records. The label put him in the studio, where he wrote and recorded songs during ’06. In the spring of ’07, Lister signed a record deal with WBR. His debut release, the “Just One Day” EP, was released digitally on November 20, 2007. More recently, Jeremy has toured with Brett Dennen and Colbie Caillat as well as selling out his own headlining shows in and around the Nashville area. He is currently working on songs for his full-length album to be released later this year. Jeremy sings tenor and lead for SCS, and has a fear of flying with Jon.
Jon McLemore (A Cappella Morpheus) was born in North Alabama and is Mark’s older brother. He began his lucrative career in a cappella at age 19 and over the following four years, performed in all 48 of the contiguous U.S. At age 23, while on tour in Montana with Four Shadow, he met and married Mandy after she was brought on stage to help the group sing ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight.’ Following marriage, Jon came off the road, got a real job and had five kids. He recently earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Ministry from Amridge University in Montgomery, AL. Jon has received numerous Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards (CARA) and nominations as a solo artist, as a member of Four Shadow, No Joe, and the McLemore Brothers. He sings tenor and lead for SCS and does vocal percussion for the group when needed. Jon is an instrument rated pilot and enjoys motorcycles, fishing, and family time. He is afraid of driving over a bridge, having it collapse under him, plummeting to the depths of a mighty river and being trapped in his vehicle until he drowns.
Creep
Street Corner Symphony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Couldn't look you in the eyes
Your just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In this beautiful world
I wish I was special
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
Oh oh
She's running the door
She's running out
She run run run run
Run
I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
The song "Creep" by Street Corner Symphony is a cover of the original song by Radiohead, but the lyrics are still as emotionally charged as ever. The song starts with the singer describing a person they can't bring themselves to look in the eyes because of how angelic they seem. They are enamored with this person and wish they could be special like them. However, the singer feels like a creep and a weirdo and questions their place in this world. They repeat this sentiment with increasing despair throughout the song, knowing that they don't belong here and feeling like an intruder.
The repeating chorus of "I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, what the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here" conveys a deep sense of insecurity and self-doubt. The singer feels like they are different from everyone else and simply don't belong. They long to be accepted and loved like the angelic person they describe, but don't believe it's possible.
Overall, the lyrics of "Creep" are a poignant reflection on the pain of feeling like an outsider in one's own life. It's a powerful message that resonates with anyone who has ever felt like they don't fit in or belong.
Line by Line Meaning
When you were here before
In the past, when you were near me
Couldn't look you in the eyes
I couldn't bring myself to make eye contact with you
Your just like an angel
You have an angelic quality
Your skin makes me cry
Your beauty moves me emotionally
You float like a feather
Your movements are graceful and weightless
In this beautiful world
In this wondrous environment
I wish I was special
I yearn for a unique, extraordinary quality
You're so very special
You possess an exceptional quality
But I'm a creep
However, I have a disturbing nature
I'm a weirdo
I am an odd, peculiar, or strange person
What the hell am I doing here?
I question why I am present in this situation
I don't belong here
I feel out of place and do not fit in
Oh oh
Interjection conveying emotion
She's running the door
She is exiting through the doorway
She's running out
She is running away from the situation
She run run run run
She is fleeing rapidly
Run
Command to run away
I don't belong here
I still do not belong here
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mike Hazelwood, Albert Louis Hammond, Edward John O'Brien, Colin Charles Greenwood, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A Franklin
This rendition is tragically underrated.
Patty Sitzes Peterson
I've listened to this over and over. It leaves me breathless. Without a doubt the Best by far. If I had to choose one song to listen to every day this would be it!
cbritton1876
Had to put the headphones on to believe that what I was hearing was vocals with effects and not actually instruments. I was almost ready to fight for the two guys up top who were so convinced that there was guitars and drums being played on the track. Very well done. These guys and PTX have really got something special going on in this genre of music.
WC 'Strawberry' Fields
Yeah. Their version has an "otherworldly" quality!
staycivil
I had no idea you were in the group! AMAZING job...the "drums" on this song, the rewind on Hey Soul Sista, the transitions on Come On Eileen, the effortless key changes in Down on the Corner...I have so many good memories of you guys from this show. I will buy whatever you record off of iTunes and any CD you make!
evanescencefreak2009
This left me absolutely breathless. The beauty of it made me cry. I could feel the hurt in my heart and body. You gentlemen are God's gift to the music industry. I actually love your version better than the original, and you give me goosebumps everytime you sing. I love you guys! Stay amazing. <3
C M
I saw you guys live 3 days ago on the Sing-Of Tour and this song was my favorite part of the concert. It was so amazing, wow!
Ruan Carlos Tavares
Eu sou brasileiro e sou muito fã deles!!!!! Eles são muito bons!!!
sallysue neetz
Amazing tallent.. beautiful voices ..you all sing like angels.. Hey World it does not get any better than this.. Street Corner Symphony keep on singing .. ya'll are great.
Procrastinexic
Absolutely incredible, though I would also love to hear a studio version without any effects added to voices. I'm quite sure they'd pull it off amazingly well.