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
If And We Rise Again
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's laughing but they never ever get my jokes
Fool, you're a tool, a sheep
And it's obvious to everyone but company you keep
And don't you squint at me because your childhood was the pits
Every single one of us have trodden through our shit
Oh, and I know you're shrewd
Because I smell it on your clothes
Falling, fallen, we all fall down
It only really matters how we stand our ground
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
Everything we built
(It's gone)
And every one around
(Is stunned)
We just sit here staring blankly
And everything goes numb
Lord, if I felt a thing
I could wrap my mind around this
And prevent our getting singed
Please excuse my enemies
I think they do not know
I will gladly self destruct if they leave me alone
Friend, that's the end of us
Because you're behind in empathy and overdue on trust
Calmly, calmly and patiently
We've seen all the evidence
But still cannot believe
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
Somehow, someway, we persevere
The questions on our lips fall on deafened ears
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
The lyrics to Streetlight Manifesto's song "If and When We Rise Again" convey a feeling of disillusionment and isolation in the face of societal expectations and personal struggles. The singer begins by addressing someone who adheres to certain beliefs or attitudes, criticizing them for not understanding the singer's humor and blindly following their peers. The second stanza describes a sense of loss and numbness, with everything the singer has built disappearing and everyone around them being stunned. The singer expresses a desire to avoid their enemies and be left alone, as well as a frustration with a lack of empathy and trust from those they once considered friends.
Despite this despair, however, the chorus provides a glimmer of hope as the singer acknowledges their ability to persevere and stand their ground. They accept that they may have to face their challenges alone, but remain determined to rise again. The final stanza repeats this sentiment, emphasizing the strength and resilience needed to overcome adversity, even when those around us may not understand.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you come to me with all your color-coded quotes
I don't want to hear your superficial, predictable advice.
Everybody's laughing but they never ever get my jokes
I feel misunderstood and alone.
Fool, you're a tool, a sheep
And it's obvious to everyone but company you keep
You're blindly following others, and it's clear to everyone but you.
And don't you squint at me because your childhood was the pits
Every single one of us have trodden through our shit
Don't judge me just because you've had your own struggles.
Oh, and I know you're shrewd
Because I smell it on your clothes
It's in everything you do
I can sense that you're manipulative and calculating in everything you say and do.
Falling, fallen, we all fall down
It only really matters how we stand our ground
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
We all face difficult times, but what's important is how we handle them. And when we eventually overcome them, we'll have to rely on ourselves.
Everything we built
(It's gone)
And every one around
(Is stunned)
We just sit here staring blankly
And everything goes numb
Our world has been destroyed, and we're all in shock and unable to process what's happened.
Lord, if I felt a thing
I could wrap my mind around this
And prevent our getting singed
Please excuse my enemies
I think they do not know
I will gladly self destruct if they leave me alone
I feel numb, but if I could feel something, I could understand what's happening and protect myself. I'd rather self-destruct than deal with my enemies, who I believe don't understand me.
Friend, that's the end of us
Because you're behind in empathy and overdue on trust
Our friendship is over because you lack empathy and I don't trust you anymore.
Calmly, calmly and patiently
We've seen all the evidence
But still cannot believe
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
We've analyzed everything logically, but we still can't believe what's happened. And when we recover, we'll have to rely on ourselves.
Somehow, someway, we persevere
The questions on our lips fall on deafened ears
And if and when we rise to our feet again
We'll be on our own
We keep going despite everything, but no one's listening to our questions. And eventually, we'll have to stand on our own again.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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