Their best-known lineup included Terry Kirkman (vocals, woodwind instruments), Russ Giguere (vocals, guitar), Jim Yester (rhythm and lead guitar), Jules Alexander (lead and rhythm guitar), Brian Cole (bass) and Ted Bluechel Jr (drums) (and later Larry Ramos, who replaced Jules in early 1967).
Since 2014, founding members Jim Yester and Jules Alexander have been leading the current line-up of the Association, which includes Bruce Pictor, Paul Holland, Del Ramos, and Jordan Cole.
The Bus Song
The Association Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Jim Yester and Skip Carmel)
I hear the salesman sighing
The customers aren't buying
He said, "they all turned him down
It's too much to pay"
While on the curb he's staring
At the bus that passed him by
It blew his day
People reacting
All of them acting
Out emotions for a thing
That passed them by
But what of the people all standing
And not understanding
What emotion to express, to laugh or cry
Time has passed them by
The hour's come (The hour's come)
Don't go anywhere (They go nowhere)
The world shrinks down to the kitchen and den
Fleeting memories of what might have been
So little time left to prepare
I hear the kids rejoicing
As they go running voicing
Their delight in chasing the kite
That's blown away
The playwrite stands and mutters
The critics make him shudder
All alone, no one applauds
The end of his play
People reacting
And all of them acting
Out emotions for a thing
That passed them by
But what of the people all standing
And not understanding
What emotion to express, to laugh or cry
Time has passed them by
The Association's song "The Bus Song" explores the consequences of being stuck in a mundane and unfulfilling routine of life, unfulfilled dreams, and missed opportunities. The lyrics are a commentary on the condition of modern society where people chase material success and wealth, leaving behind the simple pleasures of life. The song starts with the salesman who is dejected at being turned down by customers. He laments that people are not willing to pay the price for what he offers. The gentleman on the curb, on the other hand, is struck by the bus that passed him by, dashing his hopes for the day, leaving him frustrated and angry.
The lyrics draw attention to the different ways we react to the things that happen around us. People tend to react in different ways, depending on their experiences and their level of understanding. For some, the kite that flies away is a cause of joy and delight, while for others, the end of the play is a cause for despair. However, for some people, time has passed them by, and they are left standing, unable to understand what emotion to express, whether to laugh or cry. The lyrics suggest that we need to make the most of the time we have and not be too focused on chasing material success, which could be fleeting and unsatisfying.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear the salesman sighing
The singer hears a salesman sighing, indicating his frustration with customers not buying his products.
The customers aren't buying
The customers are not purchasing the salesperson's products, leading to his disappointment.
He said, "they all turned him down
The salesman expressed that all customers rejected his offer.
It's too much to pay"
The reason the customers rejected the offer was because the cost was too high.
The gentleman is swearing
The singer sees a man cursing on the street.
While on the curb he's staring
The man is looking at something while sitting on the sidewalk.
At the bus that passed him by
The man is upset because he missed his bus.
It blew his day
Missing his bus ruined his day and caused him frustration.
People reacting
The singer observes people responding to different situations.
All of them acting
The individuals he observes are all pretending, putting on an emotional performance.
Out emotions for a thing
The people are displaying emotions in response to external events.
That passed them by
The events that caused the emotional reactions are in the past and cannot be changed.
But what of the people all standing
The singer questions the individuals who are not expressing any emotion.
And not understanding
They don't comprehend how to react to the situation.
What emotion to express, to laugh or cry
The individuals don't know whether they should display happiness or sadness.
Time has passed them by
The individuals missed their chance to express emotion because time has already moved on from the event.
The hour's come (The hour's come)
The time has arrived for something to happen.
Don't go anywhere (They go nowhere)
Despite the time arriving for something to happen, nothing actually happens.
The world shrinks down to the kitchen and den
Individuals turn their attention to mundane activities in their home, ignoring what's happening in the outside world.
Fleeting memories of what might have been
Individuals reminisce about what could have happened, but didn't.
So little time left to prepare
There is very little time remaining to get ready or make a difference.
I hear the kids rejoicing
The singer hears children shouting with glee.
As they go running voicing
The kids are running while they yell.
Their delight in chasing the kite
The children are happy because they are chasing a kite and playing.
That's blown away
The kite is blown away by the wind.
The playwrite stands and mutters
The singer observes a playwright standing and talking to himself.
The critics make him shudder
The writer is afraid of the negative reviews from critics.
All alone, no one applauds
The writer receives no praise or recognition for his work.
The end of his play
The conclusion of the writer's work.
Contributed by Logan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.