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
On & On & On
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's still engraved in my mind and I'm not surprised
Gang wars, no guns, hand to hand
You're black. I'm white, he's purple
But I still don't understand
I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be okay
Everything is going to be fine
Back off. I want to be alone
I'm thinking that I want to go home
Look who's laughing now. I'll pull it off somehow
As I passed her by, I could see her cry
And I'll never forget the look that was in her eye
And the music you know it played on and on and on
So won't somebody tap her on the shoulder tell her life goes on
Three years, two months, one week, four days
I'm always counting down because there ain't no easier way
Trust me you know that I tried
And if I said it was easy then you know that I told a lie
I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be just fine
One down, five billion to go. Am I the next in line
And do I really want to know?
Look who's laughing now. I'll pull it off somehow
As I passed her by, I could see her cry
And I'll never forget the look that was in her eye
And the music you know it played on and on and on
So won't somebody tap her on the shoulder tell her life goes on
I still remember that night, It was the fourth of July
It's still engraved in my mind and I'm not surprised
Gang wars, no guns, hand to hand
You're black. I'm white, he's purple
But I still don't understand
I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be okay
Everything is going to be fine
Back off. I want to be alone
I want to think it out and
I'm thinking that I want to go
Three years, two months, one week, four days
I'm always counting down because there ain't no easier way
Trust me you know that I tried
And if I said it was easy then you know that I told a lie
I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be just fine
One down, five billion to go. Am I the next in line
And do I really want to know?
Look who's laughing now. I'll pull it off somehow
As I passed her by, I could see her cry
And I'll never forget the look that was in her eye
And the music you know it played on and on and on
So won't somebody tap her on the shoulder tell her life goes on
The song "On & On & On" by Streetlight Manifesto is a commentary on the ongoing struggles of life and the inevitability of facing difficult situations. The singer begins by recalling a memory of a chaotic night on the fourth of July, witnessing gang wars without guns, but hand-to-hand combat. The diverse colors of skin in the scene further emphasize the diversity of struggles present in society. The singer contemplates on being alright and letting go of the situation. The situation is heavy on their mind, but they want to be left alone to think it out.
The chorus emphasizes that life goes on through its ups and downs, even when it seems that everything is falling apart. The singer reflects on their personal struggles and counting down the days, which shows the constant internal battle with themselves, trying to move forward. They acknowledge that it is not easy, but they are trying to be alright and will pull through. The repetition of the final line of the chorus emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, that just like the music, it goes on and on and on.
The final verse begins with a repetition of the opening verse, indicating that despite the passage of time, the struggles of the past can still hold weight in the present. The singer continues to reflect on their struggles, acknowledging that they have tried their best, but it has not been easy. They question if they want to know if they are next in line for future struggles. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus, underscoring the message that life keeps going.
Line by Line Meaning
I still remember that night, It was the fourth of July
That night is unforgettable, it was on the fourth of July
It's still engraved in my mind and I'm not surprised
It's a vivid memory that's not surprising since it was so intense
Gang wars, no guns, hand to hand
It was a fight between gangs, but without any weapons, only fists
You're black. I'm white, he's purple
The gangs had people from different races, including someone who was painted purple
But I still don't understand
Despite the memory being clear, there are still unanswered questions
I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be okay
Despite the chaos of that night, the singer is reassuring themselves that they will be fine
Everything is going to be fine
They continue to repeat this mantra to reassure themselves
Back off. I want to be alone
The artist needs space to process their thoughts and emotions
I want to think it out and
They need to sort through their thoughts
I'm thinking that I want to go home
The artist wants to retreat to a place of comfort and familiarity
Look who's laughing now. I'll pull it off somehow
Despite past failures, the singer is confident they will succeed
As I passed her by, I could see her cry
The artist witnessed a woman crying
And I'll never forget the look that was in her eye
The expression on her face left a lasting impression on the singer
And the music you know it played on and on and on
The background music continued endlessly during this emotional moment
So won't somebody tap her on the shoulder tell her life goes on
The singer wishes someone would comfort the crying woman and remind her that life continues despite hardships
Three years, two months, one week, four days
The artist is counting down to a specific event or milestone
I'm always counting down because there ain't no easier way
Counting down helps the artist cope with their struggles
Trust me you know that I tried
The singer has put effort into something, but it hasn't led to success
And if I said it was easy then you know that I told a lie
The singer is acknowledging that the path they are on is difficult
One down, five billion to go. Am I the next in line
The artist is putting their struggles in perspective and wondering if they are just one of many facing similar issues
And do I really want to know?
The question is rhetorical, implying that knowing the answer won't necessarily make things easier
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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