The lineup first consisted of vocalist Jack Grisham (who has been credited as Jack Greggors, Alex Morgan, Jack Ladoga, Jim Woo and James DeLauge), guitarist Ron Emory, bassist Mike Roche, and drummer Todd Barnes, the band's first release was a harshly political eponymous T.S.O.L. EP featuring tracks such as "Superficial Love," "World War III" and "Abolish Government."
After their debut EP, they released Dance With Me, their first full-length record. A departure from the entirely political nature of the previous release, Dance With Me was far darker and more macabre, featuring such themes as necrophilia, and the song "Silent Scream," which is made up entirely of horror movie clichés. Their most popular release, both then and to this day, the album earned them the title of the "West Coast Misfits" (a reference to Glenn Danzig's band the Misfits on the East Coast), and has made the band a favorite amongst horror punk fans.
They later signed to independent label Alternative Tentacles, for which they released the Weathered Statues 7" EP and the Beneath the Shadows album which featured, for the first time, keyboard player Greg Kuehn who added a new dimension to the band. Around this period their style had changed further, becoming highly experimental and varied, featuring art punk and psychedelic leanings, as well as their customary horror themes.
In 1983 amid personal turmoil, Jack Grisham and Todd Barnes left the band and were replaced by singer Joe Wood (who was Grisham's brother-in-law) and drummer Mitch Dean. This new line-up (with Joe Wood and Mitch Dean) released the album named Change Today? in 1984 on Enigma Records.
The group changed their sound entirely for their next release Revenge, adopting a punk metal sound. Their music was featured in the 1984 movie Suburbia, the 1985 version of popular horror movie Return of the Living Dead and Dangerously Close in 1986.
The band became friends with Guns N' Roses and T.S.O.L. t-shirts can be seen in the "Sweet Child o' Mine" video. They followed up with an album in a similar style, titled Hit and Run. Before it was released, original guitarist Ron Emory quit the band, leaving Mike Roche as the sole original member.
T.S.O.L. were joined briefly by guitarist Scotty Phillips, who quit before the band started recording the follow-up to Hit and Run. They eventually hired guitar player and actor Marshall Rohner. They released a blues-metal album titled Strange Love in 1990. Mike Roche quit shortly before the album release, leaving no original member in the band. A compilation album entitled Hell & Back Together: 1984-1990 was issued in 1992 with an emphasis on their metal era. Murphy Karges, later of Sugar Ray, briefly replaced Roche on bass as did Dave Mello.
Meanwhile, the original members had started playing shows featuring the band's early material under the name T.S.O.L., often playing the same cities, the same nights as the other T.S.O.L. Since Joe Wood and Mitch Dean now owned the rights to the name T.S.O.L., they threatened to sue the original members, who released a live album of their early material under the name "Grisham, Roche, Emory and Barnes" but stopped playing together soon after because of drug problems.
In 1996, most of the original members settled down and realized that they still had a passion for their music and that fans wanted them to reunite. In 1999, they fought with Wood for rights to the name and won before joining the Vans Warped Tour, playing for the first time in years under the name T.S.O.L.
Todd Barnes had died on December 6th, 1999 of a brain aneurysm at the age of 34. The remaining members recruited drummer Jay O'Brien and released the Anticop single and the Disappear and Divided We Stand albums on Nitro Records, the latter of which featured Greg Kuehn back on keyboards. The Original T.S.O.L. recorded two more full length albums. In September of 2007, Cider City Records released the posthumous live album Live From Long Beach, recorded in November 2006 on the weekend of the band's two "farewell" performances.
Their departure was short-lived, however, with a couple of local shows in late 2007. They also headlined the "F**k the Whales, Save a Chckn" benefit in February of 2008, held to help with cancer treatment bills for guitarist Craig "Chckn" Jewett of D.I.
They are an independent band under the Nitro Records banner, which was started by the Offspring vocalist Dexter Holland, for whom T.S.O.L. is cited as an influence.
In December 2008, the band, in cooperation with Hurley, entered the studio to record Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Free Downloads which was, as the title suggests, made available as a free download through Hurley's website on January 8, 2009.
The late eighties T.S.O.L. version apparently are popular enough to invite bookings in Brazil & Argentina, where the Grisham led band hold no legal rights to prevent Wood from gigging as T.S.O.L. Since 1996, Wood has been joined by guitarists including Mike Martt and Drac Conley, drummers Steve "Sully" O’Sullivan and Mitch Dean and bassist Dave Mello, who joined the band near the end of its Enigma years run. Additionally, Wood has pursued musical work in Joe Wood and the Lonely Ones & Cisco Poison.
Members
* Jack Grisham - vocals
* Ron Emory - guitar
* Mike Roche - bass
* Antonio Val Hernandez - Drums
* Greg Kuehn - piano, synthesizers
Former members
* Todd Barnes - drums
* Murphy Karges (born Matthew Murphy Karges) - bass
* Dave Mello - bass
* Joe Wood - vocals, guitar
* Mitch Dean - drums
* Marshall Rohner - guitars
* Jay O'Brien - drums
* Travis Johnson - drums
* Billy Blaze - drums
* Frank Agnew - guitar
* Scotty Phillips - guitar
* Tiny Bubbz - Drums
Let Me Go
T.S.O.L. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Promises made
You gave me your word
I gave you my all
Just to stumble and fall
We're like the storm
Chasing the clouds and worth running for
It’s okay to cry
Tears won’t make you blind
Go ahead and throw your stones and I'll pay the price
Take what’s yours tonight
And leave this war behind
Sometimes the good things come with goodbye
So, I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
Let me let you go
Time heal your wounds
Scars will remind
What you've been through
And what you survived
But the pieces won’t fit
When the tables are turned
No need to try when we don’t seem to learn
It’s okay to cry
Tears won’t make you blind
Go ahead and throw your stones and I'll pay the price
Take what’s yours tonight
And leave this war behind
Sometimes the good things come with goodbye
So, I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
Let me let you go
Running alone
These streets are cold
I’m running
Running alone
So now I know
So, I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
I’m letting you go
You’re ripping the rope
I’m all out of hope
When I need you the most
Let me let you go
The lyrics to T.S.O.L.'s song "Let Me Go" are intense and emotional, telling the story of a man who has been shot by the police and is ready to pass on. The opening lines of "Hey, Mister police man/ Better make the call/ I think your bullet, it hit me/ Before it hit the wall" reveal that the singer has been shot and is dying. He doesn't want any medical help but just wants to fade away. The lyrics "Don't call me no preacher/ Just let me fall and fade away/ I don't need no preacher/ Just let me fall and fade away" suggest that the singer has made peace with himself and doesn't require any last rites or religious comfort.
The chorus of "Well, I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone/ I hear the angels and they want me to come home/ 'He was the joker,' they'll be writing on my stone/ Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go/ Just let me go" shows that the singer is ready to pass on and sees himself turning into an angel. The line "Just let me go" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing that the singer is ready to move on.
In the final verse, the singer asks the police not to blame themselves for his death and to tell his family he's gone. The final chorus emphasizes the singer's acceptance of his imminent death.
Overall, "Let Me Go" is a poignant and powerful reflection on death and acceptance. It's a song about coming to terms with the inevitability of life's end and being ready to let go.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, Mister police man
Addressing a police officer
Better make the call
Requesting the police officer to take action, presumably to call an ambulance or for backup
I think your bullet, it hit me
Believing that the bullet fired by the police officer hit the singer
Before it hit the wall
Implying that the artist was not a threat, and the bullet could have missed and hit the wall
Don't bring me no doctor
Asking the police officer not to call a doctor
Just let me fall and fade away
Preferring to die peacefully instead of receiving medical assistance that may not work and prolong the agony
Well, I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
Feeling calm and peaceful, with a sense of companionship and safety
I hear the angels and they want me to come home
Believing in the afterlife, and feeling as though the end is near
"He was the joker", they'll be writing on my stone
Expecting to be remembered as someone with a playful and mischievous nature
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Requesting to be laid to rest in peace without any fuss or fanfare
Just let me go
Reiterating the desire to die peacefully and without intervention
I never wanted no trouble
Asserting that the artist did not seek any conflict or confrontations
But it follows my name
Implying that trouble or violence is often associated with the singer's identity or reputation
Just the way the cards fell
Accepting fate, which may not always be kind or just
At the end of the game
Metaphorically referring to the end of one's life
Don't call me no preacher
Asking not to receive any religious or moral guidance
I don't need no preacher
Reiterating the desire to be left alone in peace
Well, I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
Repeating the previous sentiment, which suggests a sense of peace and comfort
Well, I hear the angels and they want me to come home
Once again expressing belief in the afterlife and the presence of divine entities
"He was the joker", they'll be writing on my stone
Repeating the expectation of a lighthearted and humorous epitaph
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Restating the preference to die peacefully without any fanfare
Just let me go, just let me go
Reiterating the request for a peaceful and unobtrusive departure
Hey, mister police man
Addressing the police officer again
Well, I place no blame
Asserting that the police officer is not responsible for the artist's fate
Fate has its reason
Acknowledging the role of fate or destiny in one's life and death
Well, I was in the way
Suggesting that the singer was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and not blaming anyone for it
Don't call my sister
Asking the police officer not to contact any relatives or loved ones
Just tell them all, I went away
Requesting a simple and vague explanation for one's death, to avoid any unnecessary grief or inquiries
Well, I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
Repeating the peaceful and comforting feeling of companionship and safety
I hear the angels and they want me to come home
Repeating the belief in the afterlife and divine intervention
"He was the joker", they'll be writing on my stone
Repeating the expectation of a humorous or playful epitaph
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Reiterating the desire to die peacefully
Just let me go, just let me go, just let me go
Concluding the song with a final plea for a peaceful and unobtrusive death
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ANTON JOSEFSSON, CHARLOTTE ALATALO, JESPER RUNE, JOSEFIN ALATALO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@andrewheathershaw607
Hey mister police man
Better make the call
I think your bullet, I hit me
Before it hit the wall
Don't get me no doctor
Just let me fall and fade away
I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
I hear the angels and they want me to come home
He was the joker they'll be writing on my stone
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Just let me go
I never wanted no trouble
But it follows my name
Just the way the cards fell
At the end of the game
Dont' call me no preacher
Just let me fall and fade away
Dont' call me no preacher
Just let me fall and fade away
I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
I hear the angels and they want me to come home
He was the joker they'll be writing on my stone
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Just let me go
Ad
Hey mister poilce man
I place no blame
Fate has it's reason's
I was in the way
Don't call my sister
Just tell them all, I went away
Don't call my sister
Just tell them all, I went away
I close my eyes now and I see I'm not alone
I hear the angels and they want me to come home
He was the joker they'll be writing on my stone
Just lay me down, just lay me down and let me go
Just let me go, Just let me go, Just let me go
@vinaskth
Just let me go...
@MamaJoyce
Aww! Great times with good friends. ❤❤❤❤
@Prof.MuriloPereiraDias
Um som antigo, que jamais será antigo !!! Um som sempre atual !!! Top demais!!!
@MamaJoyce
I like Hit and Run the best! Can’t wait to see you on tour!
@solsurfer1558
2019 TSOL 🙏 Legends Never Die 🙏 After All These Year’s And STILL FEELIN IT !!! 🙏 THANK YOU !!
@InvidiousSless
Regardless of who was in the band, what style of music they made, everything up to and including Strange Love is just fucking brilliant. one of the most unique American bands ever
@jimbothompson6540
I agree man, i used to hate on the post jack tsol in my teens early 20s, than I liked the first 2 with joe wood but hated the rest, but as i get even older i realize it's all brilliant no matter what i thought... Especially strange love
@Syntarro
That song is so deep I just get lost swimming in it.
@WitchOuse
this song pretty much describes my despair. I also want to go with the angels, and leave this torment ...
@toddnmercy
True Sound of Liberty !