(1) Australian indie rock band the Griswolds became an overnight sensation in their homeland with their catchy tunes, laid-back style, and party-hearty philosophy. Named after Chevy Chase's hapless family in the Vacation movies, the Griswolds were formed in 2012 by singer Christopher Whitehall, guitarist Daniel Duque-Perez, bassist Tim John, drummer Chris Riley, and keyboardist Lachlan West. The band came together after Whitehall and Duque-Perez began working up song ideas together, and one sounded good enough that it deserved a band to play and record it. The band had already begun work on their debut EP when they came up with the name the Griswolds; and when they finished recording the song "Mississippi," they wasted no time posting it online, and the song was promptly embraced by music bloggers. Radio soon followed, and Australian radio powerhouse Triple J put "Mississippi" into regular rotation; it would become their most played song of 2012. After the debut EP, Heart of a Lion, climbed the Australian charts, the Griswolds proved they had the live show to back up their skills in the studio, playing memorable sets at the Big Day Out, Parklife, and Homebake Festivals, and making their first forays into Europe. In May 2013, the group made its American debut with a show in Brooklyn, New York, and they were signed by Wind-Up Records, who issued the EP in the United States as "Mississippi" made its way onto the college radio charts. In early 2014, the Griswolds went into the studio with producer Tony Hoffer to start work on their first full-length album. Their full length debut Be Impressive arrived in August 2014.
http://www.wearethegriswolds.com
(2) Toledo, OH-based brothers Art and Roman Griswold began playing blues together in 1959. In 1997, they released All the Way Down, their third studio album and the only one widely available to date, for the London-based JSP Records. On the recording, Art Griswold plays guitar and sings, while Roman contributes vocals and Hammond B-3 organ.
Both Art and Roman grew up surrounded by the sounds of bent guitar strings and wailing harmonicas. Art got his first guitar at age 17 after a motorcycle wreck laid him up for a few months. He moved to Little Rock, AR and began sitting in with people like Big Moose Walker and others. After moving to Toledo, he became the guitarist for Little Walter Mitchell and honed his craft at a variety of Toledo blues clubs.
Both brothers began their musical education with gospel music, listening to the radio and ordering the latest recordings by Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and others. By 1959, Art was joined in Toledo by his older brother Roman, who had completed a hitch in the armed forces, and quickly made his mark as a harmonica player. Roman hooked up with Art’s band and the Griswolds landed a job at the club Hines Farm, where they had the opportunity to polish their chops backing up touring musicians like Jimmy Ricks, vocalist Little Esther Phillips, Freddie King, and Jimmy McCracklin. Finally, by 1965, Art Griswold opened his own tavern and made his own band the house band, playing six days a week. At this point, Roman began to pick up keyboards, since the lengthy jam sessions were taking their toll on him.
The Griswolds first entered the recording studio in the mid-’60s for the Fortune label in Detroit, where they recorded singles including “Pretty Mama” and “What the Judge Man Did to Me.” Their singles found some airplay on R&B-oriented radio stations, and they began to tour regionally in Detroit, Houston, Memphis, and New Orleans. The Griswolds continued to record (mostly singles) for small labels throughout the ’70s disco boom, but by the ’80s, they recorded and released their first full-length album, Two Aces and a Jack, with Toledo blues singer Big Jack Reynolds; the resulting airplay for the release brought them the chance to jam with Lee Atwater at a fund-raiser for President Reagan.
In 1990, the band, by this point paragons of the Toledo blues scene, recorded a live album, Full Time Blues, for the Highball label. Also in the early ’90s, they released a studio album, The Reel Deal, for the same label. Saxophonist Rick “Big Daddy Cool” Schefdore joined the band in 1991, and he brought a wealth of experience to the group. He wrote two of the songs on All the Way Down and produced the band’s first widely distributed album. Cockeyed World followed in early 2001.
(2) Source: The Grisswolds - (Allmusic) Artist Biography by Richard Skelly
Beware The Dog
The Griswolds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where no one dared to go
And now you chase the dragon on your own
She used to suck the fun out of me
Beware the dog who's selling songs about defeat
Begging for love but you're old enough to know better than you know
You hate so much that you're better off alone
She used to suck the life out of me
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now it's all just hazy
We used to walk where the wild things grow
But now you're fucking crazy
We used to go where the cool kids go
But now you're just too lazy
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
Crazy, crazy, crazy
(Wooh!)
Beware the ghost who lives on Salamander Road
Trapped in a cloud of smoke
It's old enough to know better than it knows
Hate so much you better leave that prick alone
She used to suck the life out of me
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now it's all just hazy
We used to walk where the wild things grow
But now you're fucking crazy
We used to go where the cool kids go
But now you're just too lazy
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
Crazy, crazy, crazy
(Wooh!)
She used to suck the fun out of me
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
We used to walk where the wild things grow
But now it's all just hazy
We used to go where the cool kids go
But now you're just too lazy
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
Crazy, crazy, crazy
(Wooh!)
The lyrics to The Griswolds' song Beware the Dog explore a relationship that has gone sour. It speaks of how they used to be adventurers, going where no one dared, joking and having fun. However, something has changed, and now the person with whom the singer once had a deep connection has become someone who chases the dragon alone, sells songs about defeat, and lives on Salamander Road, trapped in a cloud of smoke.
The chorus, "Beware the dog who's selling songs about defeat, begging for love but you're old enough to know better than you know," warns of the dangers of associating with people who are unhappy and who drag you down, even if they appear charismatic or alluring. The repeated refrain of "crazy, crazy, crazy" suggests that the person the singer is warning us about has become unhinged.
Overall, the song conveys a warning to beware of people who are toxic, self-destructive, and manipulative. It urges the listener to value themselves enough to let go of those who drain their life force and to keep a distance from those who are unhappy and dangerous.
Line by Line Meaning
We used to go
We used to do things together and explore different places.
Where no one dared to go
We used to go on adventures and explore new, unknown places.
And now you chase the dragon on your own
You're now going after something that's harmful and addictive all by yourself.
She used to suck the fun out of me
She used to drain all the happiness out of me.
Beware the dog who's selling songs about defeat
Be careful of the person who's selling songs about failure and negativity.
Begging for love but you're old enough to know better than you know
You're seeking for love but you should be aware that you're mature enough to know what's best for yourself.
You hate so much that you're better off alone
You have so much hate in you that it's better for you to be by yourself than involve others in it.
Beware the ghost who lives on Salamander Road
Be cautious of the spirit who resides in Salamander Road.
Trapped in a cloud of smoke
The spirit is stuck in a misty, unclear state.
It's old enough to know better than it knows
The spirit is mature, but it's not aware of its own capabilities and limitations.
Hate so much you better leave that prick alone
You have so much hostility that it's better for you to stay away from that unpleasant person.
We used to joke and it felt like home
We used to have a great time together, and it felt natural and comforting like home.
But now it's all just hazy
But now everything seems blurry and uncertain.
We used to walk where the wild things grow
We used to stroll around places where untamed and free creatures thrive.
But now you're fucking crazy
But now you've lost your sanity and composure.
We used to go where the cool kids go
We used to hang out and visit places where the popular and hip crowd flocks.
But now you're just too lazy
But now you're too lethargic and unmotivated to go out and have fun.
Crazy, crazy, crazy
You're acting foolishly, erratically, and recklessly.
(Wooh!)
Expressing excitement, enthusiasm, or positivity.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Christopher Whitehall, Daniel Duque-Perez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robotorix2599
Lyrics 😑
We used to go
Where no one dared to go
And now you chase the dragon on your own
She used to suck the fun out of me
Beware the dog who's selling songs about defeat
Begging for love but you're old enough to know better than you know
You hate so much and you're better off alone
[Hook:]
She used to suck the life out of me
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now it's all just hazy
We used to walk where the wild things grow
But now you're fucking crazy
We used to go where the cool kids go
But now you're just too lazy
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
Crazy crazy crazy
(Wooh!)
Beware the ghost who lives on Salamander Road
Trapped in a cloud of smoke
It's old enough to know better than it knows
Ate so much you better leave that prick alone
[Hook]
She used to suck the fun out of me
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
We used to walk where the wild things grow
But now it's all just hazy
We used to go where the cool kids go
But now you're just too lazy
We used to joke and it felt like home
But now you're fucking crazy
Crazy crazy crazy
(Wooh!)
@previte27
This song was written about losing someone you are very close to due to drugs. The dog in this instance is the drugs, or better yet, the person the drug addict becomes when they are high. The metaphor of the video is that little red riding hood is their friend when they are sober. The big bad wolf is the same person showing signs of drug abuse. You can see throughout the video how the wolf is tearing people apart (tearing apart relationships). Little red is orchestrating all this. In this story, red and the wolf become one at the end. That's when she stopped being a friend and a full monster.
@alexitu1992
That's so right! Thanks!
@CaptainVenusaur
To clear it up even more, Dog is a slang for heroin
@danielvandam
That's your interpretation i suppose
@danielvandam
For me there is no clue that this is necerssarily about drugs though
@alexitu1992
***** Well, you might have to do some google search, then watch the video or listen to the song again and probably you'll have a clue... At least that's what I did myself and now it makes sense;)
@SuperSquirrel987
You're not you when you're hungry.
@SirSwagger09
Bro.😂
@rionducoulombier8236
i like how the wolf uses one of the ripped off hands to keep with the beat xD
@rionducoulombier8236
they liked my comment omgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg.