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
What a Wicked Gang Are We
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you looked sad, that's when I said I'd write you a song
Everybody's got their reasons; everybody's got their ghosts to fear
When I look back, all I see is I've done something wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong, all I see is I've done something wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong, all I see is I've done something wrong
Oh! My dear! My tis of thee! What a tangled web we weave!
Everyone is the one until the one falls down
Then we're all just "please please please"
The painted rust will only fool the fools for just so long
Eventually, that's when they'll see everything was wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong, that's when they'll see everything was wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong, that's when they'll see everything was wrong
So here's to the boys who fight all the wars you will never fight for yourself
And you can ignore who-ever you want to, but in the end…
Oh! The shame! Humility! What a wicked gang are we!
Like a liar looking down on a thief looking down on a killer looking down on a creep
Oh! This sinking ship will only hold its course for just so long
Eventually, that's when they'll see everything is wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong that's when they'll see everything is wrong
Wrong, wrong wrong that's when they'll see everything is wrong
The opening of the song “What a Wicked Gang Are We” by Streetlight Manifesto seems to be a reflection of a past mistake. The singer looks back and sees that everything was wrong and acknowledges that he has done something wrong. The second verse is a commentary on the complexity of human relationships. Everybody has their reasons and their ghosts to fear, yet we tend to overlook that when we judge others. The third verse seems to be a call out to those who ignore or exploit others. The chorus repeats the phrase "all I see is I've done something wrong," driving home the impact of the mistake.
The second stanza delves into wider social and political issues that perpetuate inequality and cause harm. The metaphor of a tangled web is used to convey the notion that we are all interconnected and responsible for each other's wellbeing. However, this interconnectivity is easily forgotten when one person falls down; then, everyone is just concerned with their own survival. The painted rust symbolizes the facade that people put up to make things look better than they are, but eventually, the reality will catch up.
The final stanza pays homage to those who fight for others, but it also exposes the shame and wickedness of human nature. The comparison of a liar looking down on a thief looking down on a killer looking down on a creep reveals the power dynamics at play in society. Despite this, we are all on the same sinking ship, and eventually, we will all see that everything is wrong.
Line by Line Meaning
When I look back, that when I see everything was wrong
In retrospect, all I can see is that I made mistakes
And you looked sad, that's when I said I'd write you a song
I wanted to lift your spirits when I saw the sadness in your eyes by writing you a song
Everybody's got their reasons; everybody's got their ghosts to fear
Everyone has their own justifications for their actions and their own fears to confront
Wrong, wrong wrong, all I see is I've done something wrong
I keep seeing my missteps and faults, and it hurts
Oh! My dear! My tis of thee! What a tangled web we weave!
Oh, goodness, our actions have created such a messy situation!
Everyone is the one until the one falls down
Everyone thinks they are in control until everything falls apart
Then we're all just "please please please"
In moments of desperation, we beg for help
The painted rust will only fool the fools for just so long
Deception and facades can only last for a limited time before the truth is revealed
Eventually, that's when they'll see everything was wrong
Sooner or later, the truth comes out and everyone realizes the mistakes that were made
So here's to the boys who fight all the wars you will never fight for yourself
A toast to those who sacrifice for the greater good, even if you cannot do so yourself
And you can ignore who-ever you want to, but in the end…
You may choose to disregard certain people, but ultimately, their impact cannot be ignored
Oh! The shame! Humility! What a wicked gang are we!
Oh, how shameful and humbling it is to admit that we are all part of this wicked group
Like a liar looking down on a thief looking down on a killer looking down on a creep
We often judge and look down upon others, even though we ourselves have made mistakes
Oh! This sinking ship will only hold its course for just so long
This situation can only continue for a limited time before it ends in ruin
Wrong, wrong wrong that's when they'll see everything is wrong
Eventually, everyone will understand the magnitude of the mistakes that were made
Contributed by Aaliyah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.