Good Day to Start
Some would call it fate. Others might chalk it up to coincidence. Either wa… Read Full Bio ↴Some would call it fate. Others might chalk it up to coincidence. Either way, the story of Texas Renegade’s genesis seems more than random—and their new album, “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” proves the union was meant to be. Consider this. Twins Tyson and Eli Carver, who were born in the Texas Hill Country town of Wimberley, moved to Durango, Colo., at age 14. That same year, Andy Bertelsen and Kasey Klepfer moved with their respective families to Wimberley. When the twins graduated high school, the lure of their hometown tugged them back—when a friend introduced them to their future bandmates, their course was set. The Carvers and Bertelsen formed Texas Renegade in 2002; Klepfer joined in 2004, and drummer Luke Ayres came on in 2007. Except for Ayres, it’s the only band any of them have been in (unless you count Bertelsen’s stint playing snare in his elementary-school band). In Texas Renegade—the moniker their first guitarist bestowed on them at a high-school party—Bertelsen handles lead vocals, songwriting and guitar. Mandolinist/guitarist/backing vocalist Tyson and bassist Eli picked up their instruments at 20 and 19, respectively, after ditching fiddle lessons at age 13. Klepfer taught himself to play harmonica seven years ago, and only Ayres (drums) has played his instrument—or any instrument—consistently since childhood. But they’re hardly a batch of late-bloomers. Bertelsen’s voice, which could earn him honorary Braun brother status in Reckless Kelly, carries the nuances of a practiced, yet intuitive singer. With mandolin and harp as frequent lead instruments and Tyson’s harmonies, Texas Renegade creates a soulful, rootsy country-rock blend that places them squarely in the Americana realm; which is only fitting for a band whose formative influences include the Wallflowers, John Hiatt, Counting Crows, Emmylou Harris, the essential Texans and the classic rock their parents played. “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” their third album, cements their status among talents like The Band of Heathens, Jack Ingram, the aforementioned Reckless Kelly and similar artists who share deep Lone Star roots and hybrid sensibilities. And like many of those artists, they honed their skills under the tutelage of Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, where the Carvers and Bertelsen earned degrees at Texas State University. (Klepfer is a University of Texas grad; Ayres’ degree is from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.) Recorded mainly at Top Hat Recording in South Austin and produced by Austin drummer Stephen Belans (James McMurtry, Alejandro Escovedo), who helmed their last release, “After Everything,” it features 12 Bertelsen-penned cuts and guest spots by keyboardist Michael Ramos (BoDeans, John Mellencamp) Dobro player Cindy Cashdollar (Van Morrison, Ryan Adams) and guitarists Gabe Rhodes, Brad Rice and John Sanchez. Filled with smart lyrics and sweet harmonies, “Bad Dreams” stylistically encompasses everything from the harp- and guitar-driven mid-tempo rock of the first single, “Crazy,” to the soulful country-rock of “Coming Home,” the mournful “Comanche Moon” and the heartfelt “St. Christopher,” an acoustic ballad about death that Bertelsen sings with such an ache in his voice, he leaves no doubt about its authenticity. “Every one of my songs has some sort of story behind it,” he notes. “That is to say, every single song stems from some actual event that has occurred. However, the extent can vary considerably from song to song.” Rarely, he admits, does he write a song that’s entirely based in reality. Which is not to say his lyrics aren’t personal—or meaningful. At least some of his inspiration has to come from being so involved in the lives of his bandmates. Bertelsen and the Carvers are also roommates, and all five swear they’re having the time of their lives in the band. “We like to think we have more fun than any other band on the scene right now,” says Tyson. “People always approach us and say they really enjoy the music, but they also enjoy the fact that we are having fun onstage. We are the true definition of a band. Everyone has equal say and we are a family of guys who really care about one another and love to play music together.” Adds Eli, “We have a lot of fun together on the road and have a very laid-back vibe when we’re together. Pretty much anything goes.” “Anything” includes Camp, a fluffy canine described by Tyson as “half Lhasa-apso, a quarter Chihuahua and a quarter wolf,” who has traveled everywhere with the band for two years. “Some people think he has magical powers, but we just think he is the coolest dog in the world,” says Tyson. Adds Eli, “People try to steal him everywhere we go. There is a very good chance he is more famous than we are.” Well, maybe for now. But once people get a chance to hear “Bad Dreams and Other Things,” Camp’s popularity may have to take a back seat to the band’s. He’ll still get to ride in his primo leather captain’s chair, though—unless they graduate to a bus, in which case, he’ll probably get two seats—and his own bunk. Because, like the rest of these guys, he’s a Texas Renegade!

Good Day to Start
Texas Renegade Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Midnight come early this evening
Loneliness was in the air
And I found myself grieving
Feeling more than my share

So I went through empty boxes
Of promises in print
Recounting all my wins and losses
In letters that I had never sent

Chorus:
And I'm alone again
On the back side of another twelve o'clock
I'm at home with no friends
I'm staring at the telephone and wishing I was not
I'm just waiting for someone to come and tear me all apart
So if you were waiting baby hesitating to break my heart
This would be a real good day to start

Sometimes I scare myself so badly
That I can't hardly sleep
Everything just seems so heavy where I'm at
Underneath these one ton sheet

So I light myself a fire
And let it burn out my brain
I sit and wait for the flicker of desire
To turn to ashes turn to ashes in the teardrops of rain





Chorus x2

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Texas Renegade’s song “Good Day to Start” reflects on the feelings of loneliness, disappointment and grief. The lead singer describes feeling alone and grieving in a situation where his emotions get the best of him. He adds that he is going through empty boxes of promises in print, trying to make sense of the wins and losses in his life thus far. The chorus reflects on his state of mind as he stares at his telephone and wishes he had someone to talk to or even someone to come and break his heart.


The lead singer then goes on to describe a moment where he scares himself so badly that he can’t sleep. He reflects on how everything seems so heavy and he feels trapped underneath his bed sheets. He sits and lights a fire to burn out his brain, hoping that the flicker of desire would turn to ashes, ultimately being washed away in the teardrops of rain.


The lyrics bring out a powerful message that it’s okay to be vulnerable, to feel deeply and to not always have it together. The emotions and experiences that people go through are valid and sometimes the best way to overcome them is to let them pass through the fire and let them rain down in ashes.


Line by Line Meaning

Midnight come early this evening
The night felt longer than usual and began earlier in the evening.


Loneliness was in the air
The feeling of being alone was present.


And I found myself grieving
The singer was experiencing sadness and mourning.


Feeling more than my share
The singer felt an overwhelming amount of sadness and loneliness.


So I went through empty boxes
To cope with the loneliness, the singer looked through old, empty promises or memories.


Of promises in print
The memories were documented, such as letters or written promises.


Recounting all my wins and losses
The singer was thinking about all the successes and failures in their life.


In letters that I had never sent
These memories were in the form of letters that were never sent to anyone.


And I'm alone again
The singer is once again feeling lonely.


On the back side of another twelve o'clock
It is late at night.


I'm at home with no friends
The singer is alone at home.


I'm staring at the telephone and wishing I was not
The singer is looking at the phone, hoping someone will call and talk to them.


I'm just waiting for someone to come and tear me all apart
The singer wants someone to come and express their feelings, even if it's negative.


So if you were waiting baby hesitating to break my heart
If someone was waiting to hurt the singer, they should do it now.


This would be a real good day to start
The singer is ready to face the pain and start anew.


Sometimes I scare myself so badly
The singer can frighten themselves with their own thoughts and feelings.


That I can't hardly sleep
These emotions can keep the singer up at night.


Everything just seems so heavy where I'm at
The singer is feeling weighed down by their emotions.


Underneath these one ton sheet
The weight of the emotions is heavy, like a one ton sheet.


So I light myself a fire
To cope, the singer lights a fire for warmth and comfort.


And let it burn out my brain
The heat of the fire is meant to distract the singer from their thoughts.


I sit and wait for the flicker of desire
The singer is waiting for a spark of hope.


To turn to ashes turn to ashes in the teardrops of rain
The hope is short-lived and will soon disappear, like ashes in the rain.




Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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