Formed in 1995 in Karlstad, Sweden, by Rob Coffinshaker (Robert Fjällsby), the Coffinshakers eked out an existence from small printings of 7" red vinyl singles and occasional gigs to a mostly uninterested audience. Their first single, "Dracula Has Risen from the Grave," inspired by the classic Hammer horror film, appeared in 1996. Consisting of Rob on vocals and guitar, Joe Undertaker on bass, Fang on electric guitar, and Andy Bones on drums (after the 2000 departure of Blackfist Bill "to study voodoo practices"), the band survived the audience indifference by the boldness of its idea and the near flawless execution. The band's direction of merging traditional country sounds of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings to subject matter closer to Roky Erickson & the Aliens may have sounded loony, but Rob Coffinshaker's voice echoed the same gloomy low registers as his influences. The traditionally performed songs were catchy and entertaining, the Ennio Morricone and Ventures influences cleverly integrated, and the lyrics were...full-bodied.
Their first full-length record appeared in 1999. We Are the Undead continued in the same vein as the early singles, and they had a small but rabid following -- mostly in the neighboring Finland. After their first Finnish gig in 2001 they followed up with a mini-LP, Dark Wings Over Finland. Small tours and slightly escalating interest didn't quite convince the band to keep up, and they spent more time in their (not-quite eternal) resting places than they did recording new material. Lured out with an offer they couldn't refuse -- unlimited recording time in a studio and a good contract -- a Finnish promoter got the band back on the road, and they recorded their self-titled second album The Coffinshakers in early 2007. With this first release by a budding Finnish record label, these graveyard country-rockers creeped up to the Finnish Top 40 to mostly excellent reviews and a very receptive audience. ~ JT Lindroos, Rovi
No Time To Waste
The Coffinshakers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need a lady right now, so chaste
It's getting near dawn, and I must confess
This night has been a terrible mess
I've been hunting high and low
But my luck's been pretty cold
Hunting up and down, running through town
The last thing I need is a chase
'Cause I ain't got no time to waste
Yeah, I ain't got no time to waste
I gotta get out of this place
It's getting near dawn, and I'm in a mess
The daylight leaves me in much-a-distress
I've been hunting...
Ain't there any blood in this place?
'Cause I ain't got no time to waste
I ain't got no time to waste
The graveyard is my place
It's getting near dawn, and it's a long way to go
I ain't nothin' but a vampire who's lost his soul
I've been hunting...
All I'm asking for is a taste
Ain't got no time to waste
The Coffinshakers's song No Time to Waste is a rockabilly number that captures the desperation of a vampire who is running out of time and needs blood to survive. The song is fast-paced and features driving guitar riffs and pounding drums that create a sense of urgency. The lyrics reveal the urgency of the vampire's situation: he needs a lady who is pure and chaste to quench his thirst, but time is running out, and he has been unsuccessful in his search so far. The vampire is at his wits' end and is willing to do whatever it takes to find his prey.
The first verse sets the scene: "Well, I ain't got no time to waste / I need a lady right now, so chaste / It's getting near dawn, and I must confess / This night has been a terrible mess." The urgency of the situation is clear, and the vampire is getting desperate. He has been hunting all night, but has had no luck finding a victim. He is getting frustrated and anxious as the sun is about to rise.
The second verse continues the theme: "Yeah, I ain't got no time to waste / I gotta get out of this place / It's getting near dawn, and I'm in a mess / The daylight leaves me in much-a-distress." The vampire is in a hurry to leave the current place and find a new victim. With the sun about to rise, he is feeling the pressure and is afraid of being caught out in the daylight. The urgency of the lyrics is underscored by the driving rhythm of the music.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I ain't got no time to waste
I'm in a rush and can't afford to waste any time
I need a lady right now, so chaste
I'm looking for a pure and virtuous woman
It's getting near dawn, and I must confess
It's almost morning and I need to admit that this night has gone poorly
This night has been a terrible mess
I've had a really bad night
I've been hunting high and low
I've been searching everywhere I can
But my luck's been pretty cold
However, I haven't had much success
Hunting up and down, running through town
I've been searching all over and moving quickly
Listening for a sound, nobody's around
But it seems like there's no one around to help
The last thing I need is a chase
I don't have time for any pursuit or to waste time on something that won't help me
'Cause I ain't got no time to waste
I simply don't have any time to waste
Yeah, I ain't got no time to waste
I am absolutely pressed for time
I gotta get out of this place
I need to leave this location
It's getting near dawn, and I'm in a mess
It's almost morning and I'm in a terrible state
The daylight leaves me in much-a-distress
Daylight makes me very uncomfortable
Ain't there any blood in this place?
I am looking for fresh blood to sustain myself
'Cause I ain't got no time to waste
Again, I just don't have any time to spare
The graveyard is my place
I feel most at home in a cemetery
It's getting near dawn, and it's a long way to go
Since it's almost morning, I need to hurry as it will be a long time until nightfall again
I ain't nothin' but a vampire who's lost his soul
I am a vamire who feels empty and aimless
All I'm asking for is a taste
I'm not asking for much, just a little bit of blood to keep me going
Ain't got no time to waste
I'm sure you're sensing a pattern here - I really don't have much time to spare
Contributed by Madelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@calanon534
Dracula Goes Country - The Belmont Sessions