At the time of their 1990 debut, the kind of rock & roll the Black Crowes specialize in was out of style. Only Guns N' Roses came close to approximating a vintage Stones-style raunch, but they were too angry and jagged to pull it off completely. The Black Crowes replicated that Stonesy swagger and Faces boogie perfectly. Vocalist Chris Robinson appropriated the sound and style of vintage Rod Stewart while guitarist Rich Robinson fused Keith Richards' lean attack with Ron Wood's messy rhythmic sense. At their best, the Black Crowes echo classic rock without slavishly imitating their influences.
The Robinson brothers originally formed the Black Crowes in Georgia in 1984. By the time of their 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker, the group comprised Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Jeff Cease (guitar), and Steve Gorman (drums). "Jealous Again," the first single from Shake Your Money Maker, was a moderate hit but it was the band's cover of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle" that made the group a multi-platinum success. "Hard to Handle" climbed its way into the Top 40, propelling the album into the Top Ten. The acoustic ballad "She Talks to Angels" became the band's second Top 40 hit in the spring of 1991. Shake Your Money Maker would eventually sell over three million copies.
The Black Crowes delivered their second album, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, in the spring of 1992, adding new lead guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Eddie Harsch. It entered the charts at number one, but it didn't have as many hit singles as the debut; none of the singles cracked the Top 40 and only "Remedy" and "Thorn in My Pride" made the Top 100. Nevertheless, the band established themselves as a popular concert attraction that summer, selling out theaters across America. The Black Crowes' third album, Amorica, arrived in late 1994. Amorica debuted in the Top Ten, but none of the singles from the album made the charts; even though the record went gold, it slipped off the charts in early 1995.
Three Snakes & One Charm, the group's fourth album, was released in July of 1996. The album entered the charts at number 15, but it quickly slipped out of the Top 50. Nevertheless, the album received the best reviews of any Crowes album since The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Guitarist Marc Ford was fired from the Black Crowes in August, 1997; two years later, the group returned with By Your Side. In mid-2000, the band collaborated with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on the double-disc Live at the Greek, an eclectic mix of newly recorded Zeppelin covers and additional classic blues cuts. A Tribute to a Work in Progress: Greatest Hits 1990-1999, a 16-track best-of compilation was also released in mid-2000. The Don Was-produced Lions appeared in spring 2001, and a summer tour with Oasis -- the Tour of Brotherly Love -- followed in June. But all was apparently not well with the group, in January of 2002 the band announced that they were on hiatus. Drummer Steve Gorman was fired from the band, and Chris Robinson announced his intentions for a solo career.
The Black Crowes have since reunited. All members circa 1992 are back, with the addition of one of their previous bassists, Sven Pipien, and harmony singers Mona Lisa Young and Charity White. They are enjoying a renaissance within the group as well as with their longtime fan base and have been consistently touring since formally reuniting in March 2005. In November of 2007, it was announced that North Mississippi Allstar guitarist Luther Dickinson formally joined the band, replacing Paul Stacey. He appears throughout the Crowes' album Warpaint, which was released in March of 2008.
In late 2019, during an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Chris and Rich Robinson announced that they had resolved their differences (the brothers hadn't spoken in the years since the band's 2015 split). Besides the Robinson brothers, the reunited lineup featured an entirely new backing band including guitarist Isiah Mitchell (from the bands Earthless and Golden Void), bassist Tim Lefebvre (formerly of the Tedeschi Trucks Band), keyboardist Joel Robinow, and drummer Raj Ojha. This line-up premiered at The Bowery Ballroom in New York City on November 11, 2019 where they played the entire Shake Your Money Maker album.
Conspiracy
The Black Crowes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The one about last year
It was all a lie
Ain't it funny how the time flies
What we gonna do baby
What is left for us to prove
I've never stolen nothing, not a thing
Tried to stay away from this year's
Ain't as easy as it seems
To find a mutual dream
Can you tell me wrong from right
Do you know when to freeze or take flight
Can you tell me more or less
I got to know-confess
[Chorus:]
Don't neglect me
Come be my conspiracy
Don't neglect me
Come be my conspiracy
Now you got a question about your answer
Say try your Adam's apple
You talk it try it bite it right
So now you want to fight? OK
Let's step outside
I got tradition in addition
My definition it don't hold me back
Well what you think about that
What you don't understand
This is a very old land
Can you tell me wrong from right
Do you know when to freeze or take flight
Can you tell me more or less
I got to know-confess
[Chorus]
The Black Crowes’ “Conspiracy” is a song that delves deep into the ideas of trust, deceit, and duplicity. The song portrays a sense of disappointment and betrayal by an individual or a system that was once considered trustworthy. The opening verse “Did you ever hear the one about last year, it was all a lie, ain't it funny how the time flies” suggests that something that was believed to be true previously has now been exposed as a lie over time. The chorus “Don't neglect me, come be my conspiracy” seems to suggest a desire for something that was lost, to regain it together even if by turning to deceit. It can signify a yearning for a sense of camaraderie, a sense of belonging or even a desire to create change through strong alliances.
Furthermore, the song conveys a sense of desperation to identify and differentiate between right and wrong, to make informed decisions and not to be led blindly. This is highlighted through the lines “Can you tell me wrong from right, do you know when to freeze or take flight, can you tell me more or less, I got to know-confess.” It is as though the songwriter is unsure of what to do, and he is hoping for someone to come stand with him as he tries to navigate his way through the complex political landscape.
In conclusion, the song “Conspiracy” is about feeling betrayed and losing a sense of trust in something or someone that was once believed to be true. The chorus suggests that even when the truth has been exposed, there is still a desire to come together and be a part of a shared cause, even if it involves replicating the methods that led to the betrayal in the first place.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you ever hear
Have you ever been told
The one about last year
The story from last year
It was all a lie
It was completely false
Ain't it funny how the time flies
Isn't it interesting how time passes quickly
What we gonna do baby
What are we going to do, darling
What is left for us to prove
What else do we need to show
I've never stolen nothing, not a thing
I have never taken anything unlawfully
Tried to stay away from this year's
Attempted to avoid this year's
Big thing
Popular trend
Ain't as easy as it seems
Is not simple despite appearances
To find a mutual dream
To discover a shared ambition
Can you tell me wrong from right
Can you distinguish between right and wrong
Do you know when to freeze or take flight
Do you recognize when to stay put or flee
Can you tell me more or less
Can you give me approximations
I got to know-confess
I must be told the truth
Don't neglect me
Don't disregard me
Come be my conspiracy
Join me in a secret plan
Now you got a question about your answer
You are uncertain about your previous response
Say try your Adam's apple
Try to swallow and speak
You talk it try it bite it right
You must verify your words with actions
So now you want to fight? OK
Do you want to argue now? Alright
Let's step outside
Let's move this conversation elsewhere
I got tradition in addition
I have traditional values and more
My definition it don't hold me back
My interpretation doesn't limit me
Well what you think about that
What is your opinion on that
What you don't understand
What you are not comprehending
This is a very old land
This is an ancient place
Chorus
Refrain
Don't neglect me
Don't disregard me
Come be my conspiracy
Join me in a secret plan
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS ROBINSON, CHRISTOPHER MARK ROBINSON, RICH ROBINSON, RICH S. ROBINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@smokinjz
Did you ever hear
The one about last year
It was all a lie
Ain't it funny how the time flies
What we gonna do baby
What is left for us to prove
I've never stolen nothing, not a thing
Tried to stay away from this year's
Big thing
Ain't as easy as it seems
To find a mutual dream
Can you tell me wrong from right
Do you know when to freeze or take flight
Can you tell me more or less
I got to know-confess
[Chorus:]
Don't neglect me
Come be my conspiracy
Don't neglect me
Come be my conspiracy
Now you got a question about your answer
Say try your Adam's apple
You talk it try it bite it right
So now you want to fight? OK
Let's step outside
I got tradition in addition
My definition it don't hold me back
Well what you think about that
What you don't understand
This is a very old land
Can you tell me wrong from right
Do you know when to freeze or take flight
Can you tell me more or less
I got to know-confess
@LVOF
This is such an incredible song. Really loved the Amorica album. Very underrated
@mythme01
I think the whole cover issue derailed the crest of the wave the Crowes were riding in the 90s. Sure, it was totally trivial but when major retailers initially say thay won't carry your album because of (gasp!) pubic hair, well that could really hurt sales back in the day
@cristianaluchybbarigelli8814
Music Is a Remedy
@Scott-dz4cs
I think Amorica is a perfect album from the Crowes. If I met someone today who had never heard them, I'd say, listen to Amorica from beginning to end and tell me that's not a masterpiece. ✌️
@briannettles669
The Black Crowes had so much potential. If they had kept the machine going and Amorica and Three Snakes and One Charm been platinum level successes that they should have been, then you are talking about a band that sells out arenas and amphitheaters every summer from the 1990's to 2000's and a band that headlines every major festival in the 2000's and 2010's. There was so much potential that was lost due to petty squabbling in the band.
@booboobooboo26
Everything but symm is underrated . Glad Chris and rich could set their differences aside and make some good music
@mrkoncom
Chris Robinson is among one of the greatest vocalists of all time ✅🤝🤘🎸
@Padicus70
That verse riff is pure a 70's psychedelic funk groove. Beautiful.
@davidcoleman913
I don’t care what my friends think. The crowes are awesome!
@PnBish
Haaa...Get new friends...☯️🤙