Their style has mixed Texas blues with the harmonica-laced swamp blues sounds of the likes of Slim Harpo and Lazy Lester, both of whom the T-Birds have covered. Their third album, 1981's 'Butt Rockin'', took the band closer to classic rhythm and blues while featuring added piano and brass section sounds played by additional musicians. The band broke into the mainstream in 1986 with their album 'Tuff Enuff'. The single of the same name was featured in the Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster film 'Tough Guys' alongside their follow-up single, which they titled "Wrap It Up". A lively, powerful tune, "Tuff Enuff" has been played frequently over the years on many rock n roll stations. The band's music was also played in John Cusack's 1987 movie 'Hot Pursuit'.
The Fabulous Thunderbirds' next album, titled 'Hot Number', fell off the charts quickly and alienated many of the bands' long-time fans due to its slick, pop-oriented sound. The band then began a long series of line-up changes and obscure, yet somewhat improved, albums throughout the 90s. Drummer Mike Buck left the band in 1980, and guitarist Jimmie Vaughan left in 1990. More recently, the group has had line-up made up of original member Kim Wilson alongside guitarist/vocals Nick Curran, guitarist Kirk Flecther, Jimi Bott on drums, Ronnie James Weber on bass, and former Canned Heat member Gene Taylor on keyboards.
The official T-Birds website is at http://www.fabulousthunderbirds.com/
Alumni of the T-birds include:
Duke Robillard Fran Cristina Gene Taylor Jimi Bott Keith Ferguson Kid Bangham Kirk Fletcher Mike Buck Preston Hubbard Richard Innes Ronnie James Weber Steve Hodges Willie Campbell Kid Ramos Jimmie Vaughan Nick Curran Troy Gon
Amnesia
The Fabulous Thunderbirds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a girl in the town calling my name
She says I put her down and I'm the one to blame
Well I broke her heart and left her here to cry
And I know that girl is telling me a lie
She says I left and took back my ring,
I don't remember a god-darn thing
My reputation was going down
Spent my money like it was out of style
I wouldn't even give my gal a smile
She says I left and took back my ring,
I really don't remember a thing
Amnesia amnesia amnesia
Baby what I do
Amnesia amnesia amnesia
Baby what I do
I used to like to run around
With every little girl in this town
Well I spent my money like it was out of style
I wouldn't even give my gal a smile
She says she wants me to come home
I wish the girl would just leave me alone
Amnesia amnesia amnesia
Baby what I do
The song "Amnesia" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds tells the story of a man whose reputation precedes him for being something of a player. He's used to running around with every girl in town and spending his money carelessly. However, he's now being accused of breaking a girl's heart and leaving her to cry. The twist is that he claims to have no memory of doing so. The girl is telling him that he left and took back his ring, but he can't recall any of it. He's pleading ignorance and trying to shrug off the responsibility for his actions. However, it's unclear whether he's genuinely suffering from memory loss or whether he's just pretending not to remember in order to avoid the consequences of his behavior.
The song touches on themes of regret, denial, and accountability. The singer has clearly done some things he's not proud of, but he's not willing to take full responsibility for them. He's using the excuse of amnesia to avoid facing the truth. The lyrics are filled with conflict and tension as the man tries to distance himself from the girl who's accusing him. At the same time, he's struggling with his own guilt and sense of shame. The chorus ("Amnesia amnesia amnesia / Baby what I do") serves as a kind of mantra that highlights the central conflict of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a girl in the town calling my name
Someone in town is trying to get Wilson's attention by calling his name.
She says I put her down and I'm the one to blame
The girl in town is accusing Wilson of hurting her emotionally and considers him to be at fault.
Well I broke her heart and left her here to cry
Wilson acknowledges that he hurt the girl's feelings, causing her to cry and be upset.
And I know that girl is telling me a lie
Wilson doesn't believe the accusations being made by the girl in town.
She says I left and took back my ring,
The girl claims that Wilson broke off their engagement and took back the ring he proposed with.
I don't remember a god-darn thing
Wilson claims he doesn't have any recollection of breaking off the engagement or taking back the ring.
I used to like to run around
Wilson admits that he was a womanizer and enjoyed flirting with many girls.
My reputation was going down
Wilson's reputation in town wasn't good because of his flirtatious behavior.
Spent my money like it was out of style
Wilson used to spend his money recklessly and didn't save it responsibly.
I wouldn't even give my gal a smile
Despite being engaged with a girlfriend, Wilson neglected to show any affection and didn't smile at her.
She says I left and took back my ring,
The girl claims that Wilson broke off their engagement and took back the ring he proposed with.
I really don't remember a thing
Wilson reiterates that he doesn't have any memory of breaking off the engagement or taking back the ring.
Amnesia amnesia amnesia
The title of the song describes Wilson's selective memory of events.
Baby what I do
Wilson is lamenting the inability to recall his past actions and feels helpless.
Contributed by Jonathan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.