Forming in the wake of the early-'60s success of local favorites the Kingsmen and the Wailers (whose Etiquette label they recorded for), the Sonics combined classic Northwest-area teen band raunch with early English band grit (particularly influenced by the Kinks), relentless rhythmic drive, and unabashed '50s-style blues shouting for a combination that still makes their brand of rock & roll perhaps the raunchiest ever captured on wax.
Lead singer Gerry Roslie was no less than a white Little Richard, whose harrowing soul-screams were startling even to the Northwest teen audience, who liked their music powerful and driving with little regard to commercial subtleties. With hit after hit on the local charts (and influencing every local band that ever took the stage), the band inexplicably was never able to break out nationally, leaving its sound largely undiluted for mass consumption. Breaking up between 1966 and 1968 (after one ill-fated album attempt to water down their style for national attention), the Sonics continue today to be revered by '60s collectors the world over for their unique brand of rock & roll raunch.
In 2007, The Sonics reunited again, this time for the Cavestomp garage rock festival in Brooklyn (November 2-4, 2007). The line up featured original members Gerry Roslie on vocals/keyboards, Larry Parypa on guitar and Rob Lind on tenor sax; with Ricky Lynn Johnson (of The Wailers) on drums and Don Wilhelm (of The Daily Flash) on bass and vocals.
In 2008, The Sonics recorded a live session for Mark Lamarr's BBC Radio 2 show God's Jukebox on March 22. They played their first ever shows in London on Friday March 21 and Sunday March 23.
Since then, they have played the Primavera Festival in Barcelona, followed by Bilbao, then Belgium, Norway, and the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria in the Basque Country.
Their first show in their home region since their last Seattle reunion in 1972 was on Halloween 31 October 2008 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, where they were introduced and joined onstage for a couple numbers by Steven Van Zandt. Kent Morrill (front man of the Wailers) made a surprise appearance to help sing his signature song "Dirty Robber". Bob Bennett was also present to sit in on drums albeit only for a few songs and only while Ricky Lynn Johnson played in unison.
on the road again
The Sonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I woke up this mornin, looked around my four walls
And a dream told me you aint happy at all
I packed up my bags, I took my last look and then
Look out, pretty mom, Im on the road again
Im on the road again
Im on the road again
(Just as sure as youre born)
Look out, pretty mom, Im on the road again
I ran home last night to get my dinner hot
I pulled on my door and found the door was locked
I jumped through the window and believe it or not
She had not even put my dinner in the pot
Ive never been evil and Ive never been sly
But if I sit some place and let the time roll by
I start to get restless, pack my bags up and then
Look out pretty mom, Im on the road again
The Sonics's song "On The Road Again" is a blues rock classic that talks about a man who finds himself dissatisfied with his life and hits the road to pursue happiness. The opening verse describes how his dream made him realize that he isn't happy with his current situation, prompting him to pack his bags and leave. He tells his lover to "look out" because he is on the road again, indicating that he is a free spirit who can't be tied down.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the message of the song with the repetition of the line "I'm on the road again." The singer asserts his independence and determination to seek out a better life for himself. The second verse tells a funny story about how the man came home hungry and found that his lover had not even made his dinner, prompting him to leave again. The last verse describes the man as someone who gets restless when he sits still for too long and ends with the same refrain as the chorus.
Overall, the song speaks to a universal desire for freedom and the pursuit of happiness. It encourages listeners to follow their dreams and not be afraid to hit the road and start anew if they are not satisfied with their current situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke up this mornin, looked around my four walls
I woke up this morning and realized that I've been in the same place for too long
And a dream told me you aint happy at all
My dream made me realize that I'm not happy where I am
I packed up my bags, I took my last look and then
I decided to leave and took one final glance before departing
Look out, pretty mom, Im on the road again
I'm hitting the road once again, watch out pretty mom
Im on the road again
I'm back on the road once again
(Just as sure as youre born)
As certain as your birth, I'm once again on the move
Look out, pretty mom, Im on the road again
I'm hitting the road, pretty mom, watch out
I ran home last night to get my dinner hot
I returned home last night expecting my dinner to be ready
I pulled on my door and found the door was locked
To my surprise, I found that the door was locked
I jumped through the window and believe it or not
In desperation, I had to jump through the window to get in
She had not even put my dinner in the pot
However, I was disappointed to realize that my dinner wasn't even prepared yet
Ive never been evil and Ive never been sly
I've never been malicious or cunning in my actions
But if I sit some place and let the time roll by
If I stay in one place for too long, I start to feel restless
I start to get restless, pack my bags up and then
Feeling restless, I start to pack my bags and leave
Look out pretty mom, Im on the road again
Here I go again, off on another adventure, pretty mom
Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.