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
Such Great Heights
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images
and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate
that God himself did make us into corresponding shapes
like puzzle pieces from the clay
True, it may seem like a stretch,
Head when you're away and I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road
for several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home
They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now', they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now', but we'll stay...
I tried my best
to leave this all on your machine
but the persistent beat it sounded thin upon listening
That frankly will not fly
you will hear the shrillest highs and lowest lows
with the windows down when this is guiding you home
They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now', they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now', but we'll stay...
(2x)
The lyrics of "Such Great Heights" by Streetlight Manifesto tell the story of a couple who are separated for a prolonged period due to the fact that one of them is on the road performing shows. The freckles in their eyes are perfectly aligned when they kiss, which leads the singer to speculate that God made them as corresponding shapes, like puzzle pieces from the same clay. The song represents the love and devotion between two people who are physically separated but still feel connected. The singer tries to leave a message on a machine but finds it inadequate, knowing that the recipient will have to endure "the shrillest highs and lowest lows" while listening. The hope is that the song will guide the recipient home, and they will be reunited once more.
The lyrics of "Such Great Heights" have been interpreted in various ways. Some believe that the song speaks to the power of love and distance, while others interpret it as a warning against the dangers of placing too much faith in a relationship. Some interpret the song as an allegory for the human condition, while others see it as a simple love story. The lyrics were originally written by Ben Gibbard, lead singer of The Postal Service.
Line by Line Meaning
I am thinking it's a sign
I feel like it's a sign that something special is happening.
that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images
Our eye freckles are perfectly aligned and it makes me feel like we are meant to be together.
and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned
When we kiss, it feels like we are meant to be together and everything falls into place.
And I have to speculate
It's just a thought that I'm not sure about, but it crosses my mind.
that God himself did make us into corresponding shapes
It's like we were made for each other and created to fit together perfectly.
like puzzle pieces from the clay
Our relationship is like a puzzle that came together through divine intervention.
True, it may seem like a stretch,
I know it might sound like a far-fetched idea, but I can't help but believe it.
but its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Even though these thoughts might make me feel uneasy, they still consume my mind.
Head when you're away and I am missing you to death
When you're away, all I can think about is how much I miss you and wish you were here with me.
When you are out there on the road
When you're on tour and away from me for weeks at a time.
for several weeks of shows and when you scan
You're performing in different cities for an extended period of time and flipping through radio stations.
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home
I hope that when you listen to this song, it will make you feel closer to me and remind you of home.
They will see us waving from such great
People will see us from far away, up high.
Heights, 'come down now', they'll say
Others will urge us to come back down to reality or face the consequences.
But everything looks perfect from far away,
Things may seem ideal and beautiful when viewed from a distance.
'come down now', but we'll stay...
Despite the risks or difficulties, we will remain committed to each other and our relationship.
I tried my best
I did everything I could.
to leave this all on your machine
I recorded this message on your voicemail.
but the persistent beat it sounded thin upon listening
The song didn't sound quite right when I played it back.
That frankly will not fly
That's not acceptable or good enough.
you will hear the shrillest highs and lowest lows
When you listen to this song, you'll hear everything - the good and the bad.
with the windows down when this is guiding you home
When you're driving with the windows down and listening to this song, it will help guide you back to me.
Contributed by Amelia G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.