In 1997, former Blanks member Pat Lillard ("Spider") (Bass), formed The Riverboat Gamblers with Fadi el-Assad ("Freddy Castro") (Lead Guitar), and Mike Wiebe ("Teko Buller" or "Rookie Sensation") (Vocals). Lillard's original intention was to emulate Virginia punk-rockers The Candy Snatchers. In direct contrast to the popular emo music at the time, The Riverboat Gamblers' premiere show featured over-the-top songs relating to drinking and of course, gambling. Tongue planted firmly in cheek, The Riverboat Gamblers continued to play house parties and shows throughout Denton and the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The Gamblers burst out of the Denton college scene in September of 2001 on the back of their self-released 7" single "Jenna Is A No Show." Both 2001's self-titled release and 2003's "Something to Crow About" were produced by Texas punk rocker Tim Kerr (Big Boys, Lord High Fixers).
After the warm reception of "Something to Crow About", the band soon relocated from Denton, Texas to Austin, Texas. The band first received attention from major record labels after their energetic and rowdy showcase at the 2003 South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas, but the band ultimately signed with indie label Gearhead Records. In 2005 they were signed to Volcom Entertainment and performed a stint on the 2005 Warped Tour, where the band was often noticed for its deranged live shows. The silliness of some of the earlier material has given way to a more complex breadth of material about America's maligned.
The band released their most recent album, "To the Confusion of Our Enemies", in April 2006.
They have also appeared on the soundtracks to the videogames "Tony Hawk's American Wasteland", "Madden NFL 07" and "FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage," and "Sega GT Online 2".
Gallows Bird
The Riverboat Gamblers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I take the blame
I'll take the credit too
Slander on my name
That's my gift to you
I couldn't find
Draw a line
It's inventory time
Jury's not hung
The verdict has finally come
We both share novice laughter
I'm not proud
So I take part in it
I never had a friend in stage
She gave me my name
My, my gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
Gallows
Bird
Your hurt
My shame
Apologies won't do
Five nights
In the game
Second chances through
I've been proscribed and I've been penalised
I'm comfortable and ready for this
Ready to be punished
With no kiss
The sentence comes from you
Your clock is ringing pleasure
And I'm not proud
And I revel it in
I never had in friend in stage
She gave me my name
My, my gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
I'm the gallows bird
Gallows
Bird
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
(She gave me my name)
I'm the gallows bird
The lyrics to The Riverboat Gamblers' song Gallows Bird are a mix of self-deprecation and defiance. The first verse expresses a willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions, even if it means being slandered or ridiculed. The singer takes pleasure in the fact that they were able to create something that caused a reaction, even if it wasn't necessarily positive. The second verse continues this theme of accepting one's punishment, but also seems to suggest that the punishment is a necessary part of the creative process. The singer is willing to endure whatever pain or hardship is necessary in order to make something meaningful. The chorus, with its repeated assertion of "I'm the gallows bird," speaks to a sense of pride and ownership over one's own misdeeds.
Overall, the song seems to be about the relationship between creative expression and personal responsibility. The singer is willing to take risks and put themselves out there, but they also recognize that there are consequences to their actions. They are both proud of their creations and ashamed of their mistakes, and they refuse to shy away from either of those feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
It's my fault
I am responsible for what happened
I take the blame
I accept the consequences of my actions
I'll take the credit too
I acknowledge my contributions to the situation
Slander on my name
People are spreading false rumors about me
That's my gift to you
My reputation is damaged and it's now your problem
I couldn't find
I was unable to locate what I was looking for
Draw a line
Set a boundary and stick to it
It's inventory time
Time to take stock of what we have
The case is done
The investigation is complete
Jury's not hung
The jurors have reached a decision
The verdict has finally come
We now know the outcome of the trial
We both share novice laughter
We're laughing nervously because we're inexperienced in this situation
I'm not proud
I feel ashamed of my actions
So I take part in it
I'm participating in the situation, despite my shame
I never had a friend in stage
I've never had a true ally in this situation
She gave me my name
Someone else assigned me a negative label
My, my gallows bird
I am the symbol of death and punishment
Gallows
A device used for execution by hanging
Bird
A symbol of death and transience
Your hurt
You are in pain because of my actions
My shame
I feel embarrassed and guilty
Apologies won't do
Saying sorry isn't enough to make things right
Five nights in the game
We've been playing this dangerous game for too long
Second chances through
We won't get another opportunity to fix this
I've been proscribed and I've been penalised
I've been punished for my mistakes
I'm comfortable and ready for this
I accept my fate and am resigned to it
Ready to be punished
I'm willing to bear the consequences of my actions
With no kiss
I won't be shown any mercy
The sentence comes from you
You're the one who gets to decide my punishment
Your clock is ringing pleasure
You're enjoying this punishment a little too much
And I revel it in
I feel a perverse sense of satisfaction from your enjoyment
I'm the gallows bird
I have become the symbol of death and punishment
(She gave me my name)
I was assigned this negative label by someone else
Contributed by Micah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.