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.
Drift Away
Street Corner Symphony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I look for the light through the pourin' rain
You know, that's a game, that I hate to lose
And I'm feelin' the strain, ain't it a shame, oh
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Beginin' to think, that I'm wastin' time
I don't understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
And I'm countin' on you, to carry me through
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
And when my mind is free
And no other melody can move me
And when I'm feelin' blue
The guitars come through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy you've given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Rhythm, and rhyme, and harmony
You helped me along, makin' me strong
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Drift away
The opening lines of Street Corner Symphony’s song “Drift Away” describe the feeling of disorientation that can often accompany a journey of self-discovery. The singer of the song is grappling with confusion and uncertainty in their life, and is looking for a way to escape the “pourin’ rain” of their troubles. The repetition of the phrase “give me the beat boys and free my soul” suggests that the singer is seeking refuge in music, and is hoping to lose themselves in the rhythms and melodies of rock and roll. This is a common theme in many songs about rock and roll, which is often seen as a source of liberation and transcendence.
The chorus of the song (“Give me the beat boys and free my soul…”) repeats the desire to find solace in music, and to “drift away” from the problems of life. The phrase “drift away” can be interpreted in different ways – it can refer to the singer’s desire to escape reality and enter a dream-like state, or it can express a longing for a sense of purpose and direction in life. Whatever the interpretation, the song is an expression of the power of music to soothe the soul and provide a sense of meaning and belonging.
Overall, “Drift Away” is a song about the transformative power of music, and how it can help us navigate the ups and downs of life. The song’s catchy melodies, upbeat rhythms, and relatable lyrics have made it a classic of the rock and roll genre, and it continues to be a favorite of music fans all over the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Day after day I'm more confused
Every day I feel like I don't know what I'm doing, and it's getting worse.
But I look for the light through the pourin' rain
Despite feeling confused, I still search for hope and positivity in difficult times.
You know, that's a game, that I hate to lose
Trying to find hope is a challenge, and I don't want to give up on it.
And I'm feelin' the strain, ain't it a shame, oh
The effort of trying to stay positive is causing me stress, and it's unfortunate.
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to let go of my worries and immerse myself in the music.
I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
I want the music to transport me away from my problems.
Beginin' to think, that I'm wastin' time
I'm starting to question if my efforts to find hope are futile.
I don't understand the things I do
I'm struggling to make sense of my own actions and emotions.
The world outside looks so unkind
The world around me feels harsh and unforgiving.
And I'm countin' on you, to carry me through
I'm relying on the music to help me weather difficult times.
And when my mind is free
When my mind isn't preoccupied with worries and stress.
And no other melody can move me
And no other music can affect me as deeply as this song.
And when I'm feelin' blue
When I'm feeling sad and down.
The guitars come through to soothe me
The music has a healing quality that comforts me.
Thanks for the joy you've given me
I am grateful for the happiness this music has brought me.
I want you to know I believe in your song
I have faith in the power of this music.
Rhythm, and rhyme, and harmony
The elements of the music that make it so effective and moving.
You helped me along, makin' me strong
This music has given me strength and supported me in tough times.
Drift away
I want to let myself be carried away by the power of the music.
Contributed by Christian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.