Lodi
The Brandos Lyrics
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Just about a year ago
I set out on the road
Seekin’ my fame and fortune
Lookin’ for a pot of gold
Things got bad, and things got worse
I guess you know the tune
I road in on a Greyhound
I’ll be walkin’ out if I go
I was just passin’ through
Must be seven months or more
I ran out a time and money
It looks like they took my friend
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
The man from the magazine
He said I was on my way
Some where I lost connection
I ran out of songs to play
I came into town, a one-night stand
I looks like my plans fell through
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
Now if I only had a dollar
For every song I’ve sung
Every time I’ve had to play
While people sat there drunk
You know I’d catch the next train
Back to where I live
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
In The Brandos' cover of John Fogerty's "Lodi," the singer describes his experience of trying to make it as a musician while constantly being met with disappointment and struggle. The song opens with the singer reflecting on his decision to pursue fame and fortune on the road, but quickly acknowledges that things haven't gone according to plan. He's stuck in Lodi, a town in California's Central Valley, and has no way to leave unless he starts walking. He mentions that he's been there for at least seven months, and that he's run out of both time and money. The singer seems to be at the end of his rope, with no clear sense of how to move forward in his career or his life.
The second verse introduces a new character, "the man from the magazine," who had apparently promised to help the singer achieve success. However, something went wrong and the singer "lost connection" - perhaps this means that the magazine folded or stopped supporting him, or that he simply didn't live up to their expectations. Regardless, the singer has ended up in Lodi with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. He laments the fact that his "plans fell through," and seems to be losing hope that he'll ever be able to make it as a musician.
The final verse is perhaps the most despondent of all. The singer is so down on his luck that he wishes he had a dollar for every song he's sung - implying that he's played countless gigs with little to no payoff. He's tired of playing to drunk audiences who don't appreciate his talent, and just wants to go back home. However, he's stuck in Lodi, with no clear way out. The repetition of the phrase "Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again" reinforces the singer's sense of despair and hopelessness.
Line by Line Meaning
Just about a year ago
It was only just under a year ago that I embarked on my journey
I set out on the road
I began traveling from place to place
Seekin’ my fame and fortune
My aim was to become well-known and successful
Lookin’ for a pot of gold
I was searching for a way to make a lot of money
Things got bad, and things got worse
My situation deteriorated rapidly
I guess you know the tune
You probably understand what happened next
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
I am currently trapped in Lodi and unable to leave
I road in on a Greyhound
I traveled to Lodi on a Greyhound bus
I’ll be walkin’ out if I go
If I leave, I’ll have to walk
I was just passin’ through
I was only stopping in Lodi temporarily
Must be seven months or more
It’s been at least seven months since I arrived
I ran out a time and money
I’ve used up all my time and money
It looks like they took my friend
It seems that my companion has been taken
The man from the magazine
A man from a magazine I spoke with
He said I was on my way
He believed I was making progress towards my goals
Some where I lost connection
Somewhere along the way, I lost my way
I ran out of songs to play
I’ve run out of new music to perform
I came into town, a one-night stand
I arrived in Lodi for a one-time performance
I looks like my plans fell through
It seems like my plans have failed
Now if I only had a dollar
If only I had a dollar for every song and performance
For every song I’ve sung
For all the music I’ve played
Every time I’ve had to play
Each instance when I was expected to perform
While people sat there drunk
As the audience became intoxicated
You know I’d catch the next train
Given the chance, I’d leave immediately by train
Back to where I live
To return to my usual residence
Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again
I remain unable to leave Lodi
Contributed by Aaliyah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.