Savino has been touring for nearly two years nonstop in support of his 2012 album "moment" and as a member of indie pop virtuoso Kishi Bashi's band. Tall Tall Trees' latest release, "The Seasonal EP" is a precursor to an upcoming full length album, funded by fans through the PledgeMusic platform and sees Savino employing the skills he been honing on the road performing his energetic and oftentimes frenetic one man shows. Produced with his longtime friend Kishi Bashi in his Athens, GA studio, "The Seasonal EP" is four songs, three original and a reimagining of Animal Collective's "My Girls". In an effort to capture the sound of his live show, most of the sounds heard on the EP are created with one instrument, a hyper modded banjo Savino has dubbed the "Banjotron" along with some guest appearances from Kishi Bashi, Philip Mayer on drums, and additional vocals from Brooklyn electro pop singer HEIDEMANN. Each of the four songs are drenched in the wide palette of sounds coaxed from his extensive pedal board and feature Savino's banjo drumming technique, which he discovered when he left his bass drum at home accidentally before a show. A spirited performer with a sense of humor and a love for improvisation, Savino will rarely play a song the same way twice, keeping his audiences guessing night after night.
2015 will see the release of a new Tall Tall Trees full length album which Savino has self proclaimed to be "one of the most insane banjo records known to man".
Backroads
Tall Tall Trees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Getting and giving
Wasting and wanting it so bad
I feel like flying
But I′m scared of dying
So I'll make my way there on my own
I′m always packing clothes
And I take the backroads
Waking and dreaming
Faking and meaning
Believing and needing it so bad
I don't like crying
But I'll be lying if
I told you that i slept like a stone
When I′m on the phone I was so far from home
But I could finally see the stars
I didn′t know what i was missing
Never thought I would make it this far
I didn't notice you were listening
I didn′t know that you were listening
After the blazes
After the crazy
After the crackles of old life
Well I feel like dying
To hell with trying
I'll see myself out on my own
I don′t know where im going
But I'll take the backroads
And I can finally see the stars
I didn′t know what I was missing
I never thought that i would make it this far
I didn't notice you were listening
I didn't know that you were listening
I didn′t know that you were listening
Out with the ancients
Out with the fools
Out with the demons that haunt you
Yeah I will keep driving
I′ve been surviving
I told you I love liek a stone
Like a stone
Until I find a home
I'll take the backroads
I′ll take the backroads
I'll take the backroads
I′ll take the backroads
The song "Backroads" by Tall Tall Trees speaks of journeys, both physical and emotional. The lyrics depict the struggles and desires of a person who is trying to find their way, but they are scared to take the conventional path. The first stanza talks about the hardships of life - taking and leaving, getting and giving, and wasting and wanting, all of which contribute to the person's fear of flying and dying. In order to overcome this fear, they decide to take the backroads and move forward on their own. The second stanza shows the joys and sorrows of life - waking and dreaming, faking and meaning, and believing and needing, all of which make the person feel like they are lying when they claim they slept like a stone. When they are away from home, they are finally able to see the stars and realize what they have been missing.
The bridge mentions the different phases of life - after the blazes, after the crazy, and after the crackles of old life. The person feels like giving up, but they are determined to take the backroads and find their way. The chorus repeats the verse, emphasizing the fact that the person never realized that someone was listening to them all this while. In the last stanza, the person decides to abandon old baggage and move on; they promise to continue driving until they find a home, and in the meantime, they will always take the backroads.
Overall, the song beautifully captures the complexities and contradictions of human life - joys and sorrows, fears and aspirations, failures and successes, and the need to keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Taking and leaving
Starting and stopping, leaving behind and moving on
Getting and giving
Receiving and offering, exchanging with others
Wasting and wanting it so bad
Squandering and desiring something intensely
I feel like flying
I feel like soaring, like I'm capable of anything
But I’m scared of dying
But I'm afraid of taking risks and failing
So I'll make my way there on my own
So I'll find my own path and not rely on anyone else
I'm always packing clothes
I'm always ready to move on and explore new places
And I take the backroads
And I choose the less-traveled and more adventurous route
Waking and dreaming
Being awake and fantasizing
Faking and meaning
Pretending and really feeling something
Believing and needing it so bad
Having faith and longing for something deeply
I don't like crying
I don't like being vulnerable and emotional
But I'll be lying if I told you that I slept like a stone
But I'd be dishonest if I claimed that I was unfazed by my emotions
When I'm on the phone I was so far from home
When I'm talking to someone, I feel disconnected from where I really belong
But I could finally see the stars
But I could finally see the beauty and wonder of the world around me
I didn't know what I was missing
I had no idea of the experiences and sensations I was depriving myself of
Never thought I would make it this far
I never imagined I would come this far in my journey
I didn't notice you were listening
I didn't realize that anyone was really paying attention to me
After the blazes
After the intense periods in life
After the crazy
After the chaotic and unpredictable moments
After the crackles of old life
After the echoes of the past have quieted down
Well I feel like dying
Well, I feel defeated and overwhelmed
To hell with trying
I'm giving up on trying to please others or meet their expectations
I'll see myself out on my own
I'll pioneer my own path and not rely on others for support
I don't know where I'm going
I have no idea what my future holds
But I'll take the backroads
But I'll take the alternative path and embrace my own journey
Out with the ancients
Leave behind the traditions and conventions of the past
Out with the fools
Leave behind the foolishness and naivete of youth
Out with the demons that haunt you
Overcome the inner demons that plague you
Yeah I will keep driving
Yes, I will keep moving forward and pursuing my goals
I've been surviving
I've been getting by and making it through life's challenges
I told you I love like a stone
I told you I am emotionally hardened like a rock
Until I find a home
Until I find my place of belonging
I'll take the backroads
I'll take the scenic route and not follow the mainstream path
I'll take the backroads
I'll continue to choose the less-traveled and more interesting path
I'll take the backroads
I'll keep pursuing my own journey and not conforming to societal norms
I'll take the backroads
I'll embrace the adventure and possibilities of the unknown
Writer(s): Michael Phillip Savino
Contributed by Bella T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mark Connely
This whole album is so enjoyable. Familiar, yet changing, like a nice drive
Rafaela
Amei essa música!!!
Gabi Benitez
I've had this song in my playlists for a while. I still don't understand how he's not more popular.
Sonny Shouse
This song is deeply, hauntingly beautiful~ <3
Rúbia Duarte
Amei
cupofsun
This is beautiful and deep. Thank you.
Roman Zayats
great
George Marian
<3
Monica Esmeralda Mendoza Garcia
Te amo Manuel ❤️
Jose Manuel Contreras
Yo tambien te amoooo😘❤