Eberbach warns that he "talks too much to get to the point," but musically he cuts right to the chase, as is evident on the cohesive and moving Michael Barbiero (Blues Traveler) -produced disc. From the first moments of the infectious, mid-tempo "Mountainside" to the instantly memorable, gently rollicking gem "Candy for Fools" to the last chords of the lilting, stirring and sad "Ever Made Love To Be," it's clear Sweet Vine is not a band who minces words, and that honesty and eloquence comes through both lyrically and musically in Sweet Vine's initial 11 song release.
The combination of amusing, intelligent, introspective personalities and serious musical maturity and chops entwine well in Sweet Vine -- although it took a while to hit on the right combination. "All along the way we're meeting each other, it was always that feeling that this is the person," explains Eberbach. "I've come to realize all the bands that I love, and legendary bands, have the same kinds of connections we do." The vocalist moved to Sacramento from Maine at the age of 19, straight from, as he puts it, a "Leave It To Beaver" existence. He'd earned a music scholarship to Sacramento State, quickly hooked up with a keyboard player, then placed an ad for guitarists. Seventeen-year-old Nate Dale was the first to respond. There was some definite chemistry cooking. "It was an unbelievable turnaround," reminisces Eberbach. "From that moment on, we all hit it off. It was one of those things where you knew these were people you were going to be dealing with for a long time."
"Dealing with" was a good way to put it, because it took a few years for Sweet Vine to sow their wild oats, musically and personally. Eberbach refers to himself as a "reformed flake," which might account why he moved to Oahu with his best friend's little sister and delivered pizza for a living. Bassist Jason Fluhrer, who had been in and out of the as-yet-named lineup, took off for Europe-- but before they all went their respective ways, the trio recorded some acoustic tracks including SWEET VINE's "All I Can Do." "That lasted a few weeks," they recall with a laugh. "We did one gig and called ourselves '9 Day Wonder'!"
After much discussion, they agreed on the name Sweet Vine, from an old Humble Pie tune. "We thought, well, this'll be our name until we think of something else, but we all kinda dug it from the start because the name has a lot of different connotations, and we grew into it," explains Eberbach.
Sweet Vine also grew into a record deal, which was inked with Columbia Records in May 1995. Their songs are open, groove-oriented, well-crafted, and expertly-performed, suggesting a much more seasoned band. "We're all excited about how our record sounds," Eberbach understates. "While we can be jam-oriented, we're real lovers of the song." And they've written and recorded 11 winners on SWEET VINE. These creative minds are already living somewhere in the future yet draw from the past to work on perfecting their individual and collective musical crafts. A great beginning for five regular guys from the capital (Sacramento) of the Golden State (California).
It's a safe bet that Sweet Vine will bear fabulous fruit.
Band Members:
Hans Eberbach-lead vocals
Nathan 'Nate' Dale-guitar
Steve King-drums
Gary Frank Skaggs-piano
Michael Barbiero-vocals
First Time
Sweet Vine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby
Me and you should just get going
Never mind if we've got work today
Lay your head down
Girl
Meet me in my own world
Lay back and let go
Don't go denying
Take a sip and try it, yeah
'cause you know I like your flavours too, girl
I look good on ya baby and
You look good on me baby so
Lets just look good together
Together
I feel your vibe
Feel the love
Feels so right
Baby for the first time
I feel alive
Feel your love
Feels so good
Yeah
It ain't too hard to
Imagine me and you
You crack a smile
'cause I know you hear me when I say
I look good on ya baby and
You look good on me baby so
Lets just look good together
Together
Oh baby
I feel your vibe
Feel the love
Feels so right
Oh baby for the first time
I feel alive
Feel your love
Feels so good
And you know it's for the first time
I feel your vibe
Feel the love
Feels so right
Baby for the first time
I feel alive
Feel your love
Feels so good
Tell me can you feel it?
Baby can you feel the vibe?
Can you feel the love?
Feels so good when you show me love
For the first time
When we're making love
Say it with me if you feel me
Tell me can you feel the vibe?
Can you feel the love?
For the first time
When we're making love
Feels so good when you show me love
Come on
I feel your vibe
Feel the love
Feels so right
Baby for the first time
I feel alive
Feel your love
Feels so good
I feel your vibe
Feel the love
Feels so right
Tell me is it for the first time
I feel alive
Feel your love
Feels so good
And you know it's for the first time
I look good on ya baby and
You look good on me baby so
Lets just look good together
Together
Oh baby
I'm feeling your vibe girl
I'm feeling it nice now
And you know it's for the first time
I look good on ya baby and
You look good on me baby so
Lets just look good together
Together
Together
The lyrics to Sweet Vine's song "First Time" are about the excitement of falling in love and experiencing a new relationship for the first time. The singer tells his partner to forget about their responsibilities and just enjoy the moment. He encourages her to give in to her feelings and explore their chemistry. He admires her and sees how good they look together.
The chorus emphasizes the intensity of his emotions and how finally being with her has made him feel alive. He asks if she can feel the same way, if she's feeling the vibe and the love. The song is upbeat and cheerful, channeling the early stages of a romance filled with infatuation and the thrill of something new.
Overall, the song captures the joy and excitement of falling in love for the first time. It celebrates the feeling of being in the moment and forgetting about the world around you. It also acknowledges the physical attraction and chemistry between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me if it's cool
Asking for permission to proceed with a plan
Baby
Term of endearment for the listener
Me and you should just get going
Suggesting that both parties should embark on a journey together
Never mind if we've got work today
Disregard work obligations and enjoy the moment
Lay your head down
Encouraging the listener to relax and let go
Girl
Term of endearment for the listener
Meet me in my own world
Invitation to join the singer in his personal space
Lay back and let go
Encouraging the listener to relax and enjoy the moment
We'll be back before anybody knows
Assurance that the listener's absence won't be noticed
Don't go denying
Encouraging the listener to be open minded
Take a sip and try it, yeah
Encouraging the listener to try something new
'cause you know I like your flavours too, girl
Assurance that the artist is attracted to the listener
I look good on ya baby and
Declaration of attraction to the listener
You look good on me baby so
Assurance that the listener is also attractive to the singer
Lets just look good together
Suggesting that the singer and listener make a good couple
Together
Unity between the artist and listener
I feel your vibe
Sensation of the listener's energy
Feel the love
Sensation of affection
Feels so right
Positive feeling about the situation
Baby for the first time
Emphasizing that this is a new and exciting experience
I feel alive
Feeling invigorated and energized
It ain't too hard to imagine me and you
Suggesting that the listener and speaker are a good match
You crack a smile
Observation that the listener is happy
'cause I know you hear me when I say
Trust in the listener's attention
I feel your vibe
Sensation of the listener's energy
Feel the love
Sensation of affection
Feels so right
Positive feeling about the situation
Oh baby for the first time
Emphasizing that this is a new and exciting experience
I feel alive
Feeling invigorated and energized
And you know it's for the first time
Emphasizing that this is a new and exciting experience
Tell me can you feel it?
Asking the listener to confirm their feelings
Baby can you feel the vibe?
Sensation of the listener's energy
Can you feel the love?
Sensation of affection
Feels so good when you show me love
Sensation of pleasure when receiving affection from the listener
When we're making love
Referring to sexual activity
Say it with me if you feel me
Inviting the listener to acknowledge their emotional connection
And you know it's for the first time
Emphasizing that this is a new and exciting experience
I'm feeling your vibe girl
Sensation of the listener's energy
I'm feeling it nice now
Positive feeling about the situation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANS EBERBACH, NATE DALE, STEVE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve
on Mountainside
It’s been 20 years since I heard these beautifully written and performed tunes. What a breath of fresh air these guys were and still are after all of this time. I wish they continued their journey together but wherever they are now I’m sure they’re doing great things. Just WOW!!!!