The story actually begins deep in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, where band member Nick Krill was rummaging through the personal effects of his late grandfather, the guitar player Roy Spinto. For years, Roy had penned lyrics on the inside of Cracker Jack boxes, and in one simple juxtaposition of time and fate, Nick found the lyrics that would inspire the creation of the Spinto Band. And they hit the ground running. The energy was undeniable, and it wasn't long before Jon Eaton, Thomas Hughes, Nick Krill, Joe Hobson, Sam Hughes, Jeff Hobson and Albert Birney (who has since left the band to pursue the visual arts) found themselves with a massive musical proliferation at hand.
Eight years and seven self-released albums later, the Spinto Band is in the prime vein of musical prowess. Utilizing an indie-pop sensibility that brings to mind the Flaming Lips and Pavement, their songs can send you careening into the heights of lysergic bliss or provide the catchiest vibes to shake your tail feather to. Either way, this six-piece outfit has the goods to deliver us all from the doldrums of banality.
Currently teamed up with Nashville producing duo, Robin Eaton and Lij (of Alex the Great recording studios), and preparing a May release through Bar-None Records, the band's sound exudes a finesse that belies their youth (their ages range from 20-25). With rich, textured guitars, and multiple-part vocal harmonies, the Spinto Band's repertoire is a maelstrom of indie perfection. It's quirky, energetic, radiant, and aptly engaging.
The Spinto Band has performed with such acts as the Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, and Of Montreal. It's an inevitable transgression beyond the words on this page; the Spinto Band excels. Thank you, Roy.
The Black Flag
The Spinto Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That made think of you and a God and a devil
In dis-cam-ill-you-"r"
I bet my bottom dollar where you go there'll be rain
And I wouldn't be surprised if you just laughed all the way
Oh that old song on the radio
Crackling as I go past all these old buildings
Casting all the same shadows
And if I don't get get your letter then I'll know you're in jail
You've got me where you want me
And I guess that's where I ought to be
And I believe that now my minds at ease
Lest i can feel about the ways and means
I just saw the fight on the news at ten
Between a family and a daughter
Don't prove you right, her mom proved you anchoring
I bet my bottom dollar I could be just as vain
And I wouldn't be surprised until they turned out the same
You've got me where you want me
And I guess that's where I ought to be
And I believe that now my minds at ease
You've got me where you want me
And I guess that's where I ought to be
And i believe that my hearts at ease
And I can see they don't agree with me
Mile...stone...along...some
Lay me on the ground and push me
Let me flounder, make believe
We start each other, surely breathe it surely might!
You've got me where you want me
And I guess that's where I ought to be
And I believe that now my minds at ease
Lest i can feel all of the ways and means
You've got me where you want me
And I guess that's where I ought to be
And i believe that my hearts at ease
And I can see they don't agree with me
I just heard a song on the radio
That made think of you and a God and a devil
In dis-cam-ill-you-"r"
The lyrics to The Spinto Band's song The Black Flag are quite enigmatic and open up a world of interpretation. The song's beauty lies in how different people can understand and relate to it in their own way. The singer starts by saying that he just heard a song on the radio that made him think of the person he is addressing. The reference to God and the devil is interesting here, as it could imply that there are two sides to the person's personality he is talking to. The singer adds that wherever the person goes, there'll be rain, possibly meaning that bad times follow this person.
The lyric "Oh that old song on the radio / Crackling as I go past all these old buildings / Casting all the same shadows" evokes nostalgia or a sense of longing. The following line "I bet you'll be on business but I'll look to the mail / And if I don't get your letter then I'll know you're in jail" suggests that the singer might be waiting for a message, possibly from prison! The chorus presents a common theme in the song, saying that the person listening is where the other person wants them to be. The line "And I believe that now my mind's at ease" could mean that the singer is finally content or at peace with where he is.
The second verse talks about a fight on the news, possibly a domestic dispute. The reference to the "mom" proves someone as an anchor suggests that someone was helping hold the family together. The chorus repeats, and the song ends the same way it started, with a nostalgic reference to a song on the radio.
Line by Line Meaning
I just heard a song on the radio
I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of you and the opposing forces of good and evil
That made me think of you and a God and a devil
The song made me think about how you embody the idea of an internal struggle between right and wrong
In dis-cam-ill-you-'r'
In this camera that distorts the perception of reality
I bet my bottom dollar where you go there'll be rain
I am almost certain that wherever you go, there will be unpleasant or difficult circumstances
And I wouldn't be surprised if you just laughed all the way
I wouldn't be surprised if you found some sort of humor or irony in those unpleasant circumstances
Crackling as I go past all these old buildings
The song on the radio crackles as I pass by old, decaying buildings
Casting all the same shadows
These buildings all cast the same dark, ominous shadows
I bet you'll be on business but I'll look to the mail
I assume you will be occupied with business, but I will still check the mail for a letter from you
And if I don't get your letter then I'll know you're in jail
If I do not receive a letter from you, I will assume you have been imprisoned
I just saw the fight on the news at ten
I saw a news report about a family fight at ten o'clock
Between a family and a daughter
The fight was between a family and their daughter
Don't prove you right, her mom proved you anchoring
The daughter's actions did not prove her parents right, her mother proved she was dragging her down
I bet my bottom dollar I could be just as vain
I am fairly certain that I could exhibit the same level of vanity and self-centeredness
And I wouldn't be surprised until they turned out the same
I would not be surprised if they ultimately ended up being just like me, exhibiting those same negative behaviors
Mile...stone...along...some
An unclear fragment of thought, perhaps representing a transition or change in direction
Lay me on the ground and push me
Overwhelm me and bring me down to the ground
Let me flounder, make believe
Allow me to struggle and pretend it is real, perhaps to feel more genuine emotion
We start each other, surely breathe it surely might!
We begin by antagonizing each other, but eventually come to understand and accept each other's flaws and differences
And i believe that my hearts at ease
I believe that my heart is at peace
And I can see they don't agree with me
Others may not share my perception of what is truly peaceful or satisfying
Contributed by Charlie C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.