Several of Streetlight's members were already well known among the New Jersey ska community for their roles in past ska bands from that area, most notably Catch 22's Tomas Kalnoky, James Egan, Mike Soprano, and Josh Ansley, as well as One Cool Guy's Stuart Karmatz, Pete Sibilia, Dan Ross, and Chris Paszik.
The band's first album, Everything Goes Numb, was released on August 26, 2003, and was distributed by Victory Records. They headlined their first ever show at Rutgers University on December 9, 2003 in front of a sold out audience.
The line-up has gone through several changes since the band's conception and currently consists of Matt Stewart on trumpet, Mike Brown on alto and baritone saxophone, Jim Conti on alto and tenor saxophone, Tomas Kalnoky on guitar and lead vocals, Pete McCullaugh on bass guitar, Karl Lyden on trombone, and Chris Thatcher on drums.
Though the band has enjoyed little mainstream commercial success, they have received acclaim in alternative music circles, and their debut album is currently in Interpunk.com's top 100 items, over 2 years after its release. In addition, they regularly sell out their live shows, and their first few shows at Rutgers and The Stone Pony not only sold out, but had people coming from as far as Minnesota and Canada. Their second album, a reworking of Catch 22's Keasbey Nights was released on March 7, 2006.
Streetlight Manifesto's third album, entitled Somewhere in the Between came out on November 13, 2007. Rumors also have it that the band is currently working on a series of 8 albums entitled "The 99 Songs of Revolution" in co-operation with Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, a side-project of singer Tomas Kalnoky slated for release in early 2009.
On November 17, 2009, the band's website announced that "99 Songs of Revolution: Volume One" has been ready for release for quite some time but "some record labels are just plain horrendous." They are also in the process of arranging a tour for 2010 but will spend some time in the studio until they have "a few records to release."
The first album of 99 Songs of Revolution was released on March 16, 2010. On this CD, the band covered songs by artists such as The Postal Service, Radiohead, and NOFX.
Band Members:
Mike Brown - Baritone Sax
Karl Lyden - Trombone
Jim Conti - Tenor Sax
Matt Stewart - Trumpet
Chris Thatcher - Drums
Tomas Kalnoky - Guitar, Vocals
Pete McCullaugh - Bass
www.streetlightmanifesto.com
Down Down Down to Mephisto's Cafe
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly
And I owe you, I know you more than anyone alive
And I will not let go
They will not remember this song
No matter what we do we'll be wrong
They will not remember this song
No matter what we do we'll be wrong
I can't seem to see the seal we broke
I refuse to recognize your views
Someone shouted "Everything's for nothing"
Somebody shouted, "All is lose"
But I can't buy that nonsense too
Way back when the prophecies began
Do you think they really had a master plan
Or were they merely writing fables, stories?
I don't know but it has occurred to me
The punishment that they threaten constantly
It's only real if they could just convince me
We're going down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafe
Down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafe
We're going down
And the gears will spin and the sinners sin, but at least we'll give them hell
And the righteous few will spit on you, so bid them all farewell
We're going down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafe
We're going down (Right?) (Right!)
So xxxx the flocks of sheep that keep amassing masses
Asses being led so far astray
And I won't claim to believe the things I read
Black books or agenda magazine
I'd rather see in shades of gray
If I were you, I would take this as a sign
Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly
And I knew you when you were you
Before they twisted all your views
Before you came unglued
We're going down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafe
Now everybody's telling taller tales
And I don't know who to believe
Ok, if your father really loves you more
What about the other families?
Finally, I met a man with kindness in his eye and fire in his heart
He said you'll never have to choose a side
It's rewarding but oh, the road is hard....
They broke him wide open
Like a dam and a cork that's holding everything inside
You can play the role of rebel
Just be sure to know your wrong from right
I remember it was years ago
You know I still count the days
You and I had quite a ways to go
I never once heard you complain
And you said
Don't crack, because you might not make it back
And if you do you will be alone and you can't live like that
Well I know when I'm wrong and I sure as hell ain't wrong this time
We're going down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafes
In "Down Down Down to Mephisto's Cafe," Streetlight Manifesto explores the idea of a downward spiral, both in a metaphorical and literal sense. The opening lines, "If I were you, I would take this as a sign, Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly," suggest a sense of resigned acceptance that life is not always fair and that we must cope with the challenges that come our way. The reference to Mephisto's Cafe, a fictional location often associated with the devil or hell, adds to this sense of foreboding and unease.
Throughout the song, the band makes several allusions to religious themes, such as the mention of prophecies and sinners. However, they also seem to be critical of organized religion, as evidenced in lines like "And I won't claim to believe the things I read / Black books or agenda magazine / I'd rather see in shades of gray."
In the chorus, the repetition of the phrase "They will not remember this song / No matter what we do we'll be wrong" suggests a frustration with the idea that no matter how hard we try to make a difference or be remembered, time will inevitably forget us.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were you, I would take this as a sign
This should be a warning to you
Believe it's true, we were never meant to fly
Believe that we were not meant to achieve impossible things
And I owe you, I know you more than anyone alive
I have a debt to you because I know you more than anyone else
And I will not let go
And I will not give up
They will not remember this song
People will not remember this song
No matter what we do we'll be wrong
Whatever we do, people will find our actions to be wrong
I can't seem to see the seal we're breaking
I cannot understand the consequences of our actions
I refuse to recognize your views
I will not accept your opinions or beliefs
Someone shouted "Everything's for nothing"
Someone yelled out that everything is pointless
Somebody shouted, "All is lose"
Someone else yelled that everything is lost
But I can't buy that nonsense too
But I don't believe that either
Way back when the prophecies began
When the prophecies first emerged
Do you think they really had a master plan
Did they truly have a set agenda
Or were they merely writing fables, stories?
Or were they simply writing stories and myths?
I don't know but it has occurred to me
I don't know the answer, but I have considered this idea
The punishment that they threaten constantly
The punishment that they keep warning us about
It's only real if they could just convince me
It would only be real if they could convince me
We're going down, down, down to Mephisto's Cafe
We are sinking, down to Mephisto's Cafe
And the gears will spin and the sinners sin, but at least we'll give them hell
The system will grind on, and those who do wrong will continue, but we will fight back
And the righteous few will spit on you, so bid them all farewell
The righteous people will reject you, so say goodbye to them all
So xxxx the flocks of sheep that keep amassing masses
Screw the brainwashed people who gather and blindly follow the herd
Asses being led so far astray
Fools being led so terribly off-track
And I won't claim to believe the things I read
I won't pretend to believe everything I read or hear
Black books or agenda magazine
Whether they come from dark texts or the media's hidden motives
I'd rather see in shades of gray
I would rather accept complexities and uncertainties in life
And I knew you when you were you
I knew who you truly were
Before they twisted all your views
Before they manipulated your beliefs
Before you came unglued
Before you lost your composure
Now everybody's telling taller tales
Now everyone is spreading wild stories
And I don't know who to believe
And I don't know what is true or not
Ok, if your father really loves you more
If your father truly loves you more than anyone else
What about the other families?
What about the other families and their love?
Finally, I met a man with kindness in his eye and fire in his heart
I finally met a man who was both gentle and brave
He said you'll never have to choose a side
He said that I don't have to pick a side
It's rewarding but oh, the road is hard....
It's a gratifying experience, but the journey is challenging
They broke him wide open
They shattered him completely
Like a dam and a cork that's holding everything inside
Like a floodgate or a blockage that kept everything in
You can play the role of rebel
You can act like a rebel
Just be sure to know your wrong from right
But be sure that you are distinguishing between right and wrong
Well I know when I'm wrong and I sure as hell ain't wrong this time
Well, I can tell when I'm wrong, but I know I'm not wrong this time
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
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