The band was formed in 1962 by lead singer/organist Larry Tamblyn and guitarist Tony Valentino. The Standells' first hit single was Dirty Water, which reached #11 on the Billboard charts on June 11, 1966.
Other hits included Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White, Why Pick On Me, Riot On Sunset Strip (about the 1966 riots resulting from police attacks on hippies), and Try It.
Singer/drummer Dick Dodd, founding drummer of The Bel Airs, who joined the group in 1964 and sang the lead on "Dirty Water", was a former Mouseketeer, and singer/keyboardist Larry Tamblyn, who sang the lead on many of the other Standells songs, is the brother of actor Russ Tamblyn and uncle of Amber Tamblyn, star of Joan of Arcadia. Dodd replaced original drummer Gary Leeds, who went on to fame as Gary Walker of The Walker Brothers. In 1967 John Fleckenstein (formerly of the group Love), joined the Standells. The group appeared in several low budget films of the 1960s, including "Get Yourself a College Girl" and cult classic "Riot on Sunset Strip", in which they performed the movie's title song. Lowell George, who would go on to play with Little Feat, briefly played guitar in the Standells prior to their breakup in 1969.
The Standells also made an appearance on the 1964-1966 television sitcom The Munsters in the episode "Far Out Munster". The band was an integral part of the show, and performed the songs "Come On and Ringo" and The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand." Furthermore, the group appeared on the television 1964-1965 sitcom The Bing Crosby Show, in the episode "Bugged by the Love Bugs", portraying the fictional rock group of the same name. They performed the songs "Someday You'll Cry" and "Come Here".
Despite the lyrics of "Dirty Water", which states, "Boston, you're my home." The Standells are not from Massachusetts. However, in 2007 the Massachusetts General Court officially decreed "Dirty Water" to be the "Official Victory Song of the Boston Red Sox" . Since 2004, the Standells have attended most every World Series at Fenway Park, including the final winning game in 2013. "Dirty Water" was written by their producer Ed Cobb. It is played after every home victory by the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins.
Dodd and Valentino left the Standells in 2009. Dick Dodd passed away in 2013.
The Standells still are actively performing today, and have been receiving 'rave reviews' from music critics. They recently headlined in 2013 at the Adams Ave. St. Fair, San Diego, CA, and the Ponderosa Stomp, New Orleans, Lousiana. Original Members Larry Tamblyn and John Fleck are still in the group, along with co-lead singer Mark Adrian and drummer Greg Burnham. The group has recently released a new album Bump on GRA Records. They been booked on an extensive East Coast tour from April - May, 2014. Learn more about the Standells by visiting http://www.standells-official.com and http://www.facebook.com/Standells
All Fall Down
The Standells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pretending to drown a memory and fix reality
Afraid to admit, here in the bar
We're pieces of shit, pretend we aren't what we are
It's sad, tonight I've got it bad
But there's nothin' I can do
And there's nothin' you can say
Somebody hurt me, somebody hurt you
A haunted family, we all belong to
Last call, we all fall down
Some drink redemption, some take the pills
Crazy Jake in the corner runs a special on thrills
A means to an end, everybody's best friend
Maybe somebody ran out, maybe you pushed them away
Maybe you caught her on top when you came home early today
I know, I know
But there's nothin' I can do
And there's nothin' you can say
Somebody hurt me, somebody hurt you
Last call, we all fall down
A haunted family, we all belong to
Last call, we all fall down
Sitting here screamin' not makin' a sound
There's a slow rolling darkness on the edge of town
We'll make it through somehow
We've got each other now
Somebody hurt me, somebody hurt you
Last call, we all fall down
A haunted family, we all belong to
Last call, we all fall down
Last call, we all fall down
Last call, we all fall down
The Standells's song "All Fall Down" is a melancholic reflection on the struggles of everyday life, particularly the burden of carrying one's own personal demons. The song opens with a scene of disaffected bar patrons, all nursing their own private wounds and pretending to forget them through alcohol. The singer recognizes the futility of this gesture, acknowledging that they are all "pieces of shit" who pretend to be something better than they are. The chorus then arrives, a mournful anthem to the shared experience of suffering and the temporary relief found at the bottom of a glass.
The second verse offers a glimpse into the individual stories of some of the patrons. There are references to infidelity ("Maybe you caught her on top when you came home early today"), addiction ("Some drink redemption, some take the pills"), and even illicit thrills ("Crazy Jake in the corner runs a special on thrills"). These vignettes demonstrate the breadth of pain that the characters are grappling with, as well as the message that no one is immune to it. The song closes with a sense of solidarity - they all belong to a "haunted family" with nothing but each other to rely on.
Overall, "All Fall Down" is a piercing meditation on the fragility of human emotions and the ways in which everyone carries their own private traumas. The bar setting serves as a poignant metaphor for the isolation and loneliness that can often accompany these struggles, and the chorus offers an empathetic reminder that we are not alone in our pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Look at us here, sittin' around pissed off at the world
We are in this place, angry at the world and stuck in our own misfortunes.
Pretending to drown a memory and fix reality
We are trying to forget our troubled past and make our present better by drinking.
Afraid to admit, here in the bar
We are scared to acknowledge the truth of our lives while sitting in this bar.
We're pieces of shit, pretend we aren't what we are
Deep down, we know we are nothing but worthless beings, but we try to fake it and deceive ourselves.
It's sad, tonight I've got it bad
Tonight, I am facing a hard time that is making me feel terrible.
But there's nothin' I can do
Despite my desire to change, I am helpless and cannot do anything.
And there's nothin' you can say
Words cannot alter my situation, and there is no advice you can give me to change things.
Somebody hurt me, somebody hurt you
Both of us have been wounded by someone else, causing us to be in this place.
Last call, we all fall down
As the bar is closing down, we are all going to hit rock bottom together.
A haunted family, we all belong to
We are all connected to each other through our troubled pasts and the struggles we share.
Some drink redemption, some take the pills
Some of us seek redemption through self-improvement, while others turn to substances to numb the pain.
Crazy Jake in the corner runs a special on thrills
There is someone in this place who offers temporary escapes from reality.
A means to an end, everybody's best friend
People use these escapes as a way to cope, but they are ultimately not a solution to our problems.
Maybe somebody ran out, maybe you pushed them away
Our personal struggles may have caused us to hurt someone else or to be hurt by someone close to us.
Maybe you caught her on top when you came home early today
Your actions may have caused betrayal and distrust in your relationship.
I know, I know
I am aware of the terrible things that may have happened.
Sitting here screamin' not makin' a sound
We are yelling internally, but remaining silent on the outside.
There's a slow rolling darkness on the edge of town
Something ominous and negative is looming and creeping closer to us.
We'll make it through somehow
Despite our struggles, we will find a way to persevere and survive.
We've got each other now
We can find comfort and support in each other during our difficult times.
Last call, we all fall down
As the night ends, we will continue to suffer and fall, but we will get back up and try again tomorrow.
Last call, we all fall down
We will keep on experiencing hardships, but we can get through it as a community.
Last call, we all fall down
Our pain and struggles will continue, but we will never be alone in our suffering.
Writer(s): Fleck, Dodd Copyright: Embassy Music Corp. O.B.O. Cojac Music
Contributed by Adam V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.