The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Afterwards, Bob Dylan recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour and they joined him on the informal recordings that became the acclaimed Basement Tapes.
Dubbed "The Band" by their peers, the group left the comfort of their communal home in Saugerties, NY to begin recording as a group unto themselves. The Band recorded two of the most important albums of the late 1960s: their 1968 debut Music from Big Pink (featuring the hit single "The Weight") and 1969's The Band. These critically praised albums helped conceive country rock as something more than a genre, but rather as a celebration of "Americana." As such, throughout their career they would repopularize traditional American musical forms during the psychedelic era. The Band dissolved in 1976; Martin Scorcese's landmark concert film "The Last Waltz" documented their final performance. They reformed in 1983 without founding guitarist and main songwriter Robbie Robertson.
Although always more popular with music journalists and fellow musicians than the general public, The Band has remained an admired and influential group. They have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Their music fused many elements: primarily old country music and early rock and roll, though the rhythm section often had a bouncy, funky punch reminiscent of Stax or Motown, and Robertson cites Curtis Mayfield and the Staple Singers as major influences. At its best, however, The Band's music was an organic synthesis of many musical genres which became more than the sum of its parts. The group's songwriting was also remarkable as, unlike much earlier rock and roll, and following upon the example set previously by The Byrds, very few of their early compositions were based on conventional blues and doo-wop chord changes.
The Band comprised Robbie Robertson (guitar); Richard Manuel (piano, harmonica, drums, saxophone); Garth Hudson (organ, piano, clavinet, accordion, synthesizer, saxophone); Rick Danko (bass guitar, violin, trombone); and Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, bass guitar) Excepting Robertson, all were multi-instrumentalists; each person's primary instrument is listed first. There was little instrument-switching when they played live, but when recording, the musicians could offer all manner of subtle aural colors and textures to enhance songs. Hudson in particular was able to coax an impressive range of timbres from his Lowrey electronic organ; on the choruses of "Tears of Rage", for example, it sounds startlingly like a mellotron. Helm's drumming was rarely flashy, but he was often praised for his subtlety and funkiness. Critic Jon Carroll famously declared that Helm was "the only drummer who can make you cry," while prolific session drummer Jim Keltner admits to appropriating several of Helm's techniques.
Singers Manuel, Danko, and Helm each brought a distinctive voice to The Band: Helm's gritty, southern voice had more than a hint of country, Danko sang in a soaring, unfettered tenor, and Manuel alternated between fragile falsetto and a wounded baritone. The singers regularly blended in unorthodox, but uncommonly effective harmonies. Though the singing was more or less evenly shared between the three men, both Danko and Helm have stated that they saw Manuel as the Band's "lead" singer.
Robertson was the unit's chief songwriter (though he sang lead vocals on only three or four songs in The Band's career). This role, and Robertson's resulting claim to the copyright of most of the compositions, would become a point of much antipathy between the group's members, especially between Robertson and Helm.
Producer John Simon is cited as a "sixth member" of The Band for producing and playing on Music from Big Pink, co-producing and playing on The Band, and playing on other songs up through The Band's 1993 reunion album Jericho.
On 10 December 1999 is when Rick Danko died in his sleep at age 56. He had been a long-time drug user. In 1997 he had been found guilty of trying to smuggle heroin into Japan. He told the presiding judge that he had begun using the drug (together with prescription morphine) to fight life-long pain resulting from a 1968 auto accident. No drugs were found in his system at the time of his death. Following the death of Rick Danko, The Band broke up for good.
Levon Helm died on 19 April 2012 from complications of throat cancer.
Good Life
The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know about your side piece, bro
I'm not gonna fight anymore, yeah
Glad I never had your baby
This'll be a cleaner cut
You can keep the Labradors
'Cause you wasted my time
I'm gonna waste a damn good rhyme on you
Have a, have a, have a good life
Have a, have a, have a good life
You had a, had a, had a good life
(You gave it up for hoes)
Have a, have a, have a good life
You're never gonna have it good twice
Have a, have a, have a good life
(That's how the good life goes)
Sick I ever touched your body
Sick you ever tasted mine
I should burn the sheets on my bed
I don't want an explanation
I don't wanna still be friends
I just wanna break your neck
'Cause you wasted my time
Been two nights, the last night
I'm gonna waste a damn good line on you
Have a, have a, have a good life
Have a, have a, have a good life
You had a, had a, had a good life
(You gave it up for hoes)
Have a, have a, have a good life
You're never gonna have it good twice
Have a, have a, have a good life
(That's how the good life goes)
You was living in a dream, dude, in zone
I watched you walking with your keys and your Benzo
Credit card for your bros at the Chateau
I got the checks while you checked out on me slow
You didn't care that all I wanted was a safe zone
Couldn't treat me like a queen or a friend, oh
Couldn't keep your eyes on me in the end, oh
Cut you off, let you crawl to the next hoe
'Cause you wasted my time
But tonight's the last night
I'm gonna waste a damn good life on you
Have a, have a, have a good life
Have a good life
You had a good life
(You gave it up for hoes)
Have a, have a, have a good life
You're never gonna have it good twice
Have a, have a, have a good life
(That's how the good life goes)
So have a, have a, have a good life
Have a, have a, have a good life
You had a, had a, had a good life
(You gave it up for hoes)
So have a, have a, have a good life
You're never gonna have it this good twice
Have a, have a, have a good life
(That's how the good life goes)
The lyrics of The Band's song "Good Life" describe someone calling out their partner for their infidelity and their frivolous lifestyle, ending the relationship with a sense of finality. The singer of the song is aware of their partner's other uncommitted sexual relationships and decides that they have had enough. The lyrics express a sense of anger and disappointment towards the partner, as well as a feeling of self-respect and an unwillingness to be treated poorly. The singer asserts that they are moving on and will have a good life without their partner.
The verse "You wasted my time / Been two nights, the last night / I'm gonna waste a damn good rhyme on you" highlights the sense of frustration and anger felt by the singer towards their partner, who has not been honest with them. The lyrics "You gave it up for hoes" and "You're never gonna have it good twice / That's how the good life goes" emphasize the belief that the partner's actions are selfish and ultimately will lead to their own misery.
"Good Life" is a song that explores themes of infidelity, self-respect, and the desire for a meaningful relationship. It encourages listeners to value themselves and not settle for less than they deserve.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not gonna be a joke
I refuse to be the punchline of your jokes or the victim of your mistreatment anymore.
I know about your side piece, bro
I am aware of your infidelity and the fact that you have been cheating on me.
I'm not gonna fight anymore, yeah
I am done arguing or fighting with you because it's not worth my energy anymore.
Glad I never had your baby
I am relieved that I never had a child with you and that I am not bound to you for the rest of my life because of it.
This'll be a cleaner cut
We will be ending this relationship amicably and without any further drama or complications.
You can keep the Labradors
You can keep any material possessions or things that we shared because they do not matter to me as much as my own happiness and wellbeing.
'Cause you wasted my time
You have been a drain on my time and energy, and I regret spending so much of myself on you.
Been two nights, the last night
It has been two nights since we last spoke, and tonight will be the last night we spend together.
I'm gonna waste a damn good rhyme on you
I am going to express my feelings through this song and make sure that my message gets across to you.
Have a, have a, have a good life
I hope you have a fulfilling and happy life without me in it.
You had a, had a, had a good life
You once had a good life with me, but you threw it all away for the pursuit of meaningless pleasures.
(You gave it up for hoes)
You sacrificed what we had for women who do not truly care about you and won't be there for you when you need them.
You're never gonna have it good twice
You will never find another person like me who will put up with your lies and disrespect while still loving you deeply.
(That's how the good life goes)
This is how the good life unfolds when you make poor choices and fail to appreciate what you have.
Sick I ever touched your body
I feel disgusted that I ever had any physical contact with you considering what you have put me through.
Sick you ever tasted mine
I feel ill at the thought of you having experienced something as intimate as sharing food or drink with me.
I should burn the sheets on my bed
I want to rid myself of any physical reminders of our past relationship and start fresh.
I don't want an explanation
I do not need or desire an explanation for your behavior because it will not change what has already happened.
I don't wanna still be friends
I do not want to remain in contact with you or have any kind of relationship moving forward.
I just wanna break your neck
I am extremely angry and hurt, and although I would never literally harm you, I want you to know how much you have hurt me.
You was living in a dream, dude, in zone
You were living in a world of your own where you were oblivious to how your actions were affecting both me and our relationship.
I watched you walking with your keys and your Benzo
I watched you leave with your car and the keys that represent your freedom and detachment from any responsibility towards me.
Credit card for your bros at the Chateau
You would rather use your money to impress others and buy drinks for your friends at fancy restaurants than invest in the people in your life who truly matter.
I got the checks while you checked out on me slow
I was the one who was left with the emotional and financial burden when you slowly but surely distanced yourself and checked out of our relationship.
Couldn't treat me like a queen or a friend, oh
You could not even give me the basic respect and kindness that you would give to a friend or a stranger, let alone someone you loved.
Couldn't keep your eyes on me in the end, oh
You were unable to even look at me or acknowledge my existence during the end of our relationship.
Cut you off, let you crawl to the next hoe
I have decided to cut you out of my life completely and let you seek validation and attention from someone else who does not know the real you.
But tonight's the last night
I have made the decision to end our relationship, and tonight marks the last time we will be together in this way.
I'm gonna waste a damn good life on you
I am going to live my life to the fullest and not be held back or weighed down by any negative memories or feelings associated with you.
Have a good life
I am wishing you well and hoping that you find happiness and meaning in your life without me in it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN TY NORTON, JOSEPH DEAN PERRY, REAGAN PATRICK PERRY, Beth Perry, Chris Doney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shawn G.
This is an amazing song. I can't count how many times I've listened to it since finding it a month ago. Keep doing what you're doing, ur fans will support and share your new tracks.
Raven Redfeather
Love it! Your awesome country singers and bad ass pop singers! So glad to hear more music from you all! You rock! 💙💙💙
Ivon Vonnie
Nailed it, guys! And lyrics are in point! Feeling the same... “sick I ever touched your body, sick you ever tasted mine...”
Nic Block
Couldn't agree more. They killed this! Wish there was a full album out
Carrie Belcher
Both genres are awesome by them. Great!! Wish they got more credit!
Maika Tupua
Love their delivery.... smooth, loaded and memorable
Carrie Belcher
Awesome!! Love the original music and the new stuff. All of it!!
JEANNIE LORENE
How have I never heard this?? LOVE it 💕🔥🔥🔥
Peter Seeley
Thank you for continuing to make interesting music.Remember people musicians make music. They are creative people and these three artists are very creative. Well done
Jacque B
I don’t want to be friends
I just want to break your neck.... I felt that!
I’m loving their new style so much!!!!!