The Wagoneers' debut album, Stout and High, was released by Herb Alpert's A&M Records in 1988; a follow-up album, Good Fortune, was released in 1989. Although the band appeared on Austin City Limits and Nashville Now, their popularity never took off and they band broke up in 1990.
"There were a lot of reasons why the Wags didn't happen on a bigger scale," said Monte Warden in a 1995 interview, when he was pursuing a solo career. "Number one, we were on a pop label (A&M) that had never attempted to get in the country market before. Two, even though it was just four or five years ago, that was light years in regards to country's popularity and we were a different group, a bit unique at that time. That, and maybe country radio wasn't just ready for those songs. It doesn't matter what the success level was, for me; I was just pleased to get to make records."
The Wagoneers still have their fans; a MySpace page dedicated to the band contains audio clips from their two albums and the CMT blog dubbed them "best rockabilly band that ever was”
Good Fortune
The Wagoneers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've tried to not feel sorry for myself
But these days have been some of the hardest
And it feels like I'm belly down in hell
(Chorus 1)
There've been times when I was sure that I'd hit bottom
But I can't remember feeling quite this low
I still hope to find which way good fortune blows
It's not just that may pockets are all empty
And it's not just that my nights are spent alone
This sadness comes from deep inside me
And with me sadness seems to have a home
(Chorus 2)
I've had times when I was sure that I'd hit bottom
And I can't remember feeling quite this low
But I was raised to always keep on tryin'
I still hope to find which way good fortune blows
I still hope to find which way good fortune blows
The lyrics to The Wagoneers’ song “Good Fortune” delve into feelings of despair and hopelessness. The singer begins by declaring that they do not want anyone’s pity and have tried not to feel sorry for themselves. However, they admit that these days have been some of the hardest of their life and they feel like they are in hell. The first verse sets up the context for the rest of the song, which is a reflection on the singer’s struggles and how they still hold onto the hope of better days.
The chorus emphasizes this theme of hope, even in the face of extreme adversity. The singer acknowledges that they have hit bottom before, but this time feels different. They still hold onto that inner strength to keep trying and hope that good fortune will come their way. The second verse explains that this sadness is not just about material possessions or loneliness, but rather something deeper within the singer. Despite this, they still have that flicker of hope that things will get better.
Perhaps what makes this song so relatable is the way it speaks to the human experience of struggle and finding the strength to keep going. It’s a song that acknowledges the pain of hitting rock bottom, but encourages listeners to hold onto hope and keep trying. It’s a reminder that good fortune can come our way, even in the darkest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never ever wanted any pitty
I have always tried to avoid receiving pity from others.
And I've tried to not feel sorry for myself
I have made an effort to avoid feeling sorry for my own troubles.
But these days have been some of the hardest
Recent times have been particularly challenging for me.
And it feels like I'm belly down in hell
I feel as though I am in the depths of despair.
There've been times when I was sure that I'd hit bottom
There have been moments when I believed that things couldn't get any worse.
But I can't remember feeling quite this low
Despite previous hardships, I cannot recall feeling as low as I do currently.
But I was raised to always keep on tryin'
My upbringing taught me to persevere through tough times.
I still hope to find which way good fortune blows
Despite my hardships, I hold onto the hope that my luck will change for the better.
It's not just that may pockets are all empty
The cause of my sadness is not simply due to financial struggles.
And it's not just that my nights are spent alone
The cause of my sadness is not solely due to feelings of loneliness.
This sadness comes from deep inside me
My sadness originates from a deep emotional place within me.
And with me sadness seems to have a home
Sadness has become a familiar companion in my life.
Contributed by Daniel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.