Their name is derived from the historic New York political organization Tammany Hall. Although they do not classify themselves as a Celtic music group, the band has a strong Irish American identity and musical feel.
Tammany Hall NYC formed in 1997, and soon began playing in local New York clubs. The group gained a strong local following, releasing their first album, Getawayland in 1999 under the independent label Glass Records. The following year they released Back In The Bottle, an acoustic album that had more of a folk music influence than its predecessor. The songs "Cindy", "To the Woman" and "Someone" have been used on the NBC show Scrubs.
Buddy, their third album, was released in February 2003, and saw them returning to the louder mix of punk and alternative rock that had characterized their debut. The song "To the Woman," from this album, was featured on Scrubs on January 17, 2006. "Cindy," a re-recorded version of the song originally from Back In The Bottle, was also played on Scrubs in October 2003. Later in 2003, the soundtrack to Eat This New York was released, which showed a wide range of Latin and jazz influences on the band's part.
Wait for You
Tammany Hall NYC Lyrics
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Shadows vanish with the afternoon
Contemplation fills the air
I am attached to my despair
Maybe you, if ever you'd come
And rescue me from my daily evening doldrums
I guess that's why I wait for you
That's why I wait for you
I wait for you
God knows my job will beat me down
Like asphyxiation fills my will to drown
Seemed like melodrama when this began
But melodrama gets real when you're livin' it, man
I guess that's why I wait for you
That's why I wait for you
That's why I wait for you
I wait for you
Maybe that sun will shine
I'll wake up and find you calling
Maybe my last despite
You lift me up when I'm
When I'm falling
So I want to
Wait for you
That's why I wait for you
That's why I wait for you
I wait for you
The lyrics of Tammany Hall NYC's "Wait for You" convey a sense of desolation and emotional exhaustion. The first verse describes the singer's solitude as "evening settles in the room" and "shadows vanish with the afternoon." The contemplation that "fills the air" suggests an introspective mood that is deeply entrenched in despair. Hope for rescue is held out in the form of an imagined rescuer, who would alleviate the "daily evening doldrums."
The second verse portrays the singer's job as a source of oppression: "God knows my job will beat me down / Like asphyxiation fills my will to drown." The melodrama of the situation is acknowledged but also legitimized, as the singer insists that "melodrama gets real when you're living' it, man." This confirmation perhaps laments the loss of the easy carefree existence that the singer once led.
The refrain, "That's why I wait for you," is repeated several times, emphasizing the singer's sense of helpless waiting. In the final verse, there is a glimmer of possibility in the form of the sun shining and the imagined rescuer calling. The desire for this rescuer to lift the singer up when they are falling is strong enough that the singer declares, "I want to wait for you."
Overall, the lyrics of "Wait for You" paint a bleak picture of emotional turmoil and longing for rescue. The repetition of the refrain seems to emphasize the singer's sense of hopelessness, as waiting becomes a self-defeating strategy.
Line by Line Meaning
Evening settles in the room
The day is coming to an end, and the darkness is filling the space.
Shadows vanish with the afternoon
The shadows that were cast during the day are disappearing as evening comes.
Contemplation fills the air
The heaviness of the day has brought a sense of deep thought and reflection.
I am attached to my despair
I am feeling hopeless and cannot pull myself out from it.
Maybe you, if ever you'd come
Perhaps, with the hope of your arrival, things will change.
And rescue me from my daily evening doldrums
You may be able to save me from my usual depressing evenings.
God knows my job will beat me down
My job is exhausting and mentally draining, and divine intervention is needed.
Like asphyxiation fills my will to drown
It feels like I'm suffocating under the weight of my worries and fears.
Seemed like melodrama when this began
It all started as a simple exaggeration, but now it has become a real problem.
But melodrama gets real when you're livin' it, man
Over time, the drama has become a genuine issue, and it's hard to cope with it.
Maybe that sun will shine
Hopeful thoughts that things will get better.
I'll wake up and find you calling
I'll awaken to find you have come to help me.
Maybe my last despite
Perhaps, despite the odds, there is still hope for things to change.
You lift me up when I'm
You give me the courage and strength to overcome my struggles.
When I'm falling
When I'm at my lowest point.
So I want to
I have hope and the desire to wait for you to come and help me.
Wait for you
I am willing to wait for your arrival.
That's why I wait for you
My hope and faith in your help is why I am waiting for you.
I wait for you
I am patiently waiting for you to arrive and rescue me from my struggles.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: AYANNA PORTER, CHARLES ROANE, LEE JR. HUTSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind