Vito was born in Tecumseh, Michigan, and attended Western Michigan University where he developed a love for writing poetry. His first book of poems, Self-Portrait as Jerry Quarry, was published by New Issues Press in 2002. A self-described agnostic, Vito experienced a spiritual conversion at the age of 20 and soon after enrolled at Princeton Theological Seminary to study theology and prepare for ordained ministry. Currently he is the senior pastor of Resurrection Presbyterian Church, a church he planted in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, in 2005.
Raised on a farm, by a gentleman farmer father and choir teacher mother, in the same small town as Vito, Monique moved to New York City after high school to study art, first at the Cooper Union (BFA), then Columbia University (MFA). Since then she has worked as a pre-school teacher, craftmaker for Martha Stewart, and as a mother. She also serves as the Welcome Wagon’s resident visual artist.
But at the heart of it—if you really listen carefully—there’s just a pastor and his wife singing joyfully in the quiet privacy of their own home.
The Welcome Wagon began as husband and wife singing in the privacy of their home. Having little to no previous musical experience or training, Vito purchased a guitar with the desire to sing hymns with his family. With Monique accompanying on toy glockenspiel or harmonica, the two would amble through old hymnals, psalters and prayerbooks. Their inability to read music was no big issue; Vito simply made up new tunes to old words.
While their most familiar venue was (and is) their living room, the Welcome Wagon have been periodically coaxed to small stages at bars, parties, and seminaries throughout the New York City area, often joined by friends on upright bass, drums, piano, and banjo. These intimate arrangements preserve the delicate nature of the Welcome Wagon’s identity.
But there is another Welcome Wagon, the one that can be heard on their debut album, Welcome to the Welcome Wagon. This version of the band retains the heart and soul of pastor and his wife singing together, but dresses them up in the transcendent musical vestments of Sufjan Stevens, who produced and helped arrange the record.
Those who enjoyed the Welcome Wagon’s debut album will notice their distinct sound again in their sophmore release: Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices – loose, jangly, comfortable, a gathering of friends making music together. It’s at times jaunty and toe-tapping, at others quietly contemplative, an alt-folk gem that sounds very much like it comes out of the Asthmatic Kitty camp. But while the first album was recorded over the course of eight years in various venues, this one was done in five days at the library of an old rectory in Brooklyn. And while recording artist and AK co-owner Sufjan Stevens produced WW’s first album, he’s less noticeable on this collection, produced by Alexander Foote, who also plays guitars, organ, autoharp, percussion, and some piano. (Stevens does play banjo and piano and sings in the choir on several songs here.)
Admittedly, for a gospel duo, there’s far less soul than sweet sincerity in the casual songs of the Welcome Wagon. Vito and his wife are unabashedly Midwestern, ordinary and uncool. But this is precisely what sets them apart from the standard fare of contemporary liturgical music. It doesn’t feign emotion; it doesn’t pander to stylistic pretensions; it doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is: the result of countless, informal social exchanges between friends. A home-cooked meal followed by a few microphones taped to folding chairs. A family gathering, a summary of happy noises, and a room crowded with familiar faces. Sure, there are showy guitar riffs and piano codas and harmonica solos, a rowdy chorus, an imposing flourish of brass instruments like wartime canons. But at the heart of it—if you really listen carefully—there’s just a pastor and his wife singing joyfully in the quiet privacy of their own home
Sold! To the Nice Rich Man
The Welcome Wagon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wandered around, wandered around
Rich man came to change our minds
Change our plans
Take our things
Take our nights
Tonight we fight
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Get your guns let's shoot him down
Let's axe his plans
But we miss the mark
There goes the ark
Here comes the dark
Rich man spoke, Thunderclap
Like a waterfall
As those waters fall
On those know-it-alls
And their mighty causes
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man came to pay the price
He paid it all
He paid the now
He paid the was
He paid it in full
He paid it for fools
Who wandered and drooled
And full of lice
He's twice as nice
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
Rich man bought our wandering world
Our wonderful world
Our wondering world
The Welcome Wagon's song "Sold! To the Nice Rich Man" tells an intriguing story. The lyrics describe the arrival of a rich man to the town where the singer lives. This man appears to be powerful and persuasive, promising to change their community for the better. However, the townspeople grow wary of the rich man's intentions, believing that he plans to take their possessions and control their lives. They prepare themselves and decide to fight back against him.
In the second verse, the situation is reversed. The rich man has bought the town, becoming a very real force in the community. Though the townspeople originally wanted to fight him, they missed their opportunity, and now regret their decision. They are forced to accept that the rich man has taken control of their wandering, wonderful world. The townspeople are left to wonder about what could have been, and what will become of them now.
The last verse provides a surprising twist to the story. The rich man has paid the price for what he has taken, paid in full for those who have wandered and drooled, even for those covered in lice. The rich man is not the villain the townspeople had thought him to be. Instead, he appears to have done them a favor by taking control. He provides a kindness unknown to the townspeople, making him "twice as nice."
This song explores themes of power, control, and the intricate nature of contemporary living. It's mysterious and fascinating, and leaves the listener wondering about their own interpretation of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Rich man came to our town and
A wealthy man arrived in our small community
Wandered around, wandered around
He explored the area, aimlessly
Rich man came to change our minds
The rich man aimed to influence our beliefs
Change our plans
And alter our course of action
Take our things
He desired to take possession of our belongings
Take our nights
He aimed to control our time and activities
Tonight we fight
We are ready to resist his intrusion and refuse to acquiesce
Rich man bought our wandering world
The wealthy man purchased our aimless lifestyle
Our wonderful world
Our directionless existence appeared appealing to him
Our wondering world
Our lack of purpose seemed intriguing to the rich man
Get your guns let's shoot him down
We were ready to use violence against the wealthy intruder
Let's axe his plans
We aimed to sabotage his intentions
But we miss the mark
Our attempts to stop him fell short
There goes the ark
Our efforts failed, and we watched things fall apart
Here comes the dark
The situation became gloomy and hopeless
Rich man spoke, Thunderclap
The wealthy man spoke with authority
Like a waterfall
His words flowed powerfully and convincingly
As those waters fall
His words had a significant effect on us
On those know-it-alls
He had a particular impact on those who were confident in their ways
And their mighty causes
The rich man had a significant challenge to their established ways of thinking
Rich man came to pay the price
The rich man comes to redeem and offer restoration
He paid it all
He offers a way of salvation that is full and complete
He paid the now
He purchased the present time for us
He paid the was
He offers a way to restore the past
He paid it in full
He provides total payment for our debt and loss
He paid for fools
He pays for those who are weak, unschooled and needing redemption
Who wandered and drooled
He provides redemption for those who have aimlessly stumbled through life
And full of lice
He offers freedom and healing from physical ailments, whether literal or metaphorical
He's twice as nice
He is exceedingly gracious and benevolent.
Rich man bought our wandering world
The rich man purchases our aimlessness and offers us a sense of direction.
Our wonderful world
He redeems us and gives meaning to our world
Our wondering world
He brings us hope and a renewed sense of purpose.
Rich man bought our wandering world
He redeems us and gives meaning to our world
Our wonderful world
He brings us wholeness and completeness.
Our wondering world
He brings us purpose and fulfillment
Contributed by Arianna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.