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
Ungrateful
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's always bragging about his plans
He says he's never gonna leave
(I'm never gonna leave you alone)
Despite your efforts to be free
Your mind and always you will be
At the end of the rope always singing
And I know I have to but I don't know how
(Go! Go! Go! Go!)
And I know that he knows I can do without
(Go! Go! Go! Go!)
And he knows that I need it so bad
Then I realize it's clear that he knows that
That in the end, he'll never know what hides inside my head
I don't want to seem ungrateful
I don't want to seem like I don't need anyone's help
To get me through the rainy days
To push through the haze
So I can get on my feet
And I can stand up and do what it takes
You heard his story now hear mine
(I live inside a coward's mind)
Where every dream I dream gets shot down
(All of the time)
If I don't jump into the fray
(He bums around and wastes our days)
He's like an anchor being tied to me
(Tied around my waist)
And you know you have to but you don't know how
(Go! Go! Go! Go!)
And you know that I know you can do without
(Go! Go! Go! Go!)
And I know that you need it so bad
Then I realize it's clear that you know that
In the end, I'll never know what hides inside your head
I don't want to seem ungrateful
I don't want to seem like I don't need anyone's help
To get me through the rainy days
To push through the haze
So I can get on my feet
And I can stand up and do what it takes
Hey, I don't want to seem ungrateful
I don't want to seem like I don't need anyone's help
To get me through the rainy days
To push through the haze
So I can get on my feet
And I can stand up and do what it takes [x2]
The lyrics of "Ungrateful" by Streetlight Manifesto revolve around the constant internal battle that one has with their own thoughts and doubts. The song talks about how there is a constant voice inside the singer's head that keeps nagging him and never lets him be at peace. He acknowledges that he needs help to get through the tough times, but at the same time, he doesn't want to appear ungrateful for what he already has. He wants to be able to stand on his feet and face challenges on his own but is struggling to find the courage to do so.
The song presents an interesting contrast between the singer's desire for independence while recognizing the limits of his own capabilities. He acknowledges that his internal voice is a manifestation of his own anxieties and insecurities and that it will never truly understand what is inside his head. He is asking for help to push through obstacles and overcome self-doubt but at the same time, he knows that he needs to learn how to do it on his own to be truly free.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the complex internal lives that most people lead, and their struggles to reconcile their desires for autonomy with their need for help.
Line by Line Meaning
Inside my mind there is a man
There is a voice in my head
He's always bragging about his plans
The voice in my head is arrogant
He says he's never gonna leave
The voice is with me always
(I'm never gonna leave you alone)
The voice is possessive and controlling
Despite your efforts to be free
Even if you try to ignore the voice
Your mind and always you will be
The voice is a part of you
At the end of the rope always singing
Feeling despair and hopelessness
(Woe is me)
A cry for help or understanding
And I know I have to but I don't know how
Feeling trapped and powerless
(Go! Go! Go! Go!)
Trying to motivate oneself
And I know that he knows I can do without
The voice is aware that it's not necessary
And he knows that I need it so bad
But the voice is still desired
Then I realize it's clear that he knows that
The voice knows the power it holds
That in the end, he'll never know what hides inside my head
The voice cannot truly know the depths of my thoughts and feelings
I don't want to seem ungrateful
Not wanting to show disrespect or ingratitude
I don't want to seem like I don't need anyone's help
Trying to maintain independence and dignity
To get me through the rainy days
To get through hard times
To push through the haze
To overcome confusion and uncertainty
So I can get on my feet
To become strong and independent
And I can stand up and do what it takes
To regain control of my life
You heard his story now hear mine
Sharing my experience with the voice
(I live inside a coward's mind)
Feeling weak and powerless
Where every dream I dream gets shot down
Feeling a lack of self-confidence and positive thinking
(All of the time)
An ongoing struggle
If I don't jump into the fray
If I don't take action
(He bums around and wastes our days)
The voice causes procrastination and laziness
He's like an anchor being tied to me
The voice is holding me back
(Tied around my waist)
A heavy burden
And you know you have to but you don't know how
Feeling stuck and unsure
And you know that I know you can do without
I understand that you don't need the voice
And I know that you need it so bad
But the voice is still tempting
Then I realize it's clear that you know that
The voice's power over you is acknowledged
In the end, I'll never know what hides inside your head
Only you can truly understand your own experience with the voice
Hey, I don't want to seem ungrateful
Reiterating the desire to show respect and gratitude
To get me through the rainy days
To overcome difficult times
To push through the haze
To overcome confusion and uncertainty
So I can get on my feet
To become strong and independent
And I can stand up and do what it takes [x2]
To regain control of my own life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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