Stroke 9 formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989. The band has since r… Read Full Bio ↴Stroke 9 formed in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1989. The band has since recorded five albums and toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Europe. Fueled by the commercial success of the hit song “Little Black Backpack,” their third album, “Nasty Little Thoughts,” went gold in 2000. The single “Kick Some Ass” from their fourth album “Rip It Off” was featured in the movie “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” The band has also had songs in other movies and TV shows including “Ed TV,” “Scrubs,” “Malcolm in the Middle,” and “West Wing.” They released the album "All In" in 2004 and "Cafe Cuts", an all acoustic album of 11 of their past songs and 1 new song in February of 2006. Their sound is similar to that Third-Eye Blind, Lit, Greenwheel, and many of the other late 90's alternative bands. For more details please check out Stroke9.com
or www.myspace.com/stroke9

Last of the International Playboys
Stroke 9 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This pressure's a motherfuck
Moving on and up through a crawl space to nowhere
These theories and equations can't be settled
Paper trails are getting longer, can you meet me in the middle
And I follow to the trail to you

Chorus:
I never had the words to tell you

That I never had a home to run to
But I'm back on my feet and it's alright
I'm alright

The fact and fiction's the same
Be quick to learn the game
Cause everybody wants to play the actor
But percentage and factors can leave you high and dry
Listen for echoes and prayers gone by

(Chorus)

In a city of angels it seems so out of place
Too many broken hearts in too big a space

I never had the words to tell you
That I never had a home to run to
But I'm back on my feet and it's alright

No I never had the words to tell you
That I never had a home to run to
But I'm back on my feet and it's alright

I'm out of space, I'm out of time
But it's alright

I'm out of space, I'm out of time
But it's alright

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Stroke 9’s Last of the International Playboys convey a sense of pressure, moving on and up through a crawl space to nowhere. The singer is grappling with theories and equations that can’t be settled, but trying to find a compromise with someone, asking them to meet him in the middle. He follows a trail to this person, trying to find a way out of this pressure.

The chorus repeats the idea that the singer never had a home to run to, but he’s now back on his feet and everything is alright. The fact and fiction are blended, and the game is quick to learn because everyone wants to play the actor. The singer warns that percentage and factors can leave you high and dry, and it’s important to listen for echoes and prayers gone by.

The final verse expresses how the idea of a city of angels seems out of place with too many broken hearts in too big a space. The singer repeats that he never had the words to tell the person he’s speaking to about his lack of a home, but he’s okay now. The song ends with the repetition of the lines “I'm out of space, I'm out of time / But it's alright”, which could indicate that the singer is still dealing with pressure and uncertainty, but he’s finding a way to persevere.

Line by Line Meaning

This pressure's a motherfuck
The pressure of life is tough and intense.

Moving on and up through a crawl space to nowhere
Retreating and progressing through a tiny, enclosed space that leads to nothing.

These theories and equations can't be settled
The ideas and theories that are considered can not be agreed upon or resolved.

Paper trails are getting longer, can you meet me in the middle
The evidence that could contradict or agree with an idea keeps building up. Can we find a middle ground?

And I follow to the trail to you
I follow the clues to find you.

I never had the words to tell you That I never had a home to run to But I'm back on my feet and it's alright I'm alright
I was never able to express that I never felt I had a comforting place to go, but now I am feeling better and everything will be alright.

The fact and fiction's the same Be quick to learn the game Cause everybody wants to play the actor But percentage and factors can leave you high and dry Listen for echoes and prayers gone by
The boundaries between what's true and false is blurred. Learn how to navigate situations because everyone wants to be an actor in life. Be careful with calculations as they can lead to failure. Listen to traditional beliefs and the voices of the past.

In a city of angels, it seems so out of place Too many broken hearts in too big a space
In a city known for being pure and holy, it seems like it will be impossible to find love. The sheer number of broken hearts in such a vast location makes it difficult to find someone for yourself.

No I never had the words to tell you That I never had a home to run to But I'm back on my feet and it's alright
I never could bring myself to say that I felt homeless, but now that I am doing better, everything is okay.

I'm out of space, I'm out of time But it's alright I'm out of space, I'm out of time But it's alright
I have run out of space and time, but it's okay.

Contributed by Cameron C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS