In 2001 Thomas headed to the American heartland aiming to capture an authentic sound. It was in Indiana, that saw Thomas link up with an assortment of local musicians, including some veterans of John Cougar Mellencamps band. After ten intense days of work, he had recorded, mixed, and produced his first album, "all.". On his return to France, he formed a band, "The Broken Wings", adding strong musicians like Fred Parcarbe (who has collaborated with the bassist from Eels and the drummer from REM, among others) and prepared a to throughout his home country...
Thomas Brun and the Broken Wings played venues all across France, in the process performing at some of the most prestigious Parisian venues. His hard work and constant touring did not go unnoticed. Thomas was selected in 2003 as the best self-produced artist by FNAC, Frances largest music retailer, and he later signed with the independent label Next Music, who released "all." in France, Germany and Switzerland in November of that year. Next Music gives Thomas a carte blanche, a freedom which recalls the independence given to the likes of Beck, whose early, sample-heavy albums exhibited a range of diverse musical influences.
Thomas, for his part, has an appreciation of many varieties of music and their interrelationships, a fact reflected in the skilful fusion of folk, rock, pop, soul, and country in his songs, his unique blend of unadulterated Americana. He believes that, by remaining faithful to a simple love of melody and lyrics, it is possible to be a force in the music world without recourse to fake poses, glam or the slick sheen of overproduced albums.
The second album, more of an ensemble piece than the more stripped-down debut, is currently being prepared. It includes "Spanish Disco," sure to be an underground hit, as well as other offerings typifying Thomas's lyrical and musical prowess. Thomas has begun to perform some of the pieces off this second album in his recent tours, during which he played with Woodstock legends "Canned Heat" and sang with Gary Louris of the "Jayhawks". Last winter he completed his first US tour in the Midwest before playing several gigs all around the U.K This fall he plans a return across the Atlantic for shows in Canada and the States after the busy European summer festival circuit is over. A growing fan base, critical accolades, a second album in the works, and a full line-up of performances: it would appear that this is just the beginning for this immensely talented and ambitious artist.
Long Shot
Thomas Brun Lyrics
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It's a long way to walk, and there's
Not much to look at
It's a long way to walk, and there's
Not much to see
It's a long way to walk, and there's just
Not that much to look at
Not that much to see
It's a whole lotta talk, and I'm
Not much to look at
It's a whole lotta talk, and I'm
Not much to see
It's a whole lotta talk, and these days
I'm just not that much to look at
It's a whole lotta talk, and these days I'm just
Not that much to see
And if I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something to look at
If I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something to see
If I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something nice to look at
And if I could just do that
Maybe you would look at me
Gimme some sidewalk chalk
The lyrics to the song Long Shot by Thomas Brun speak to feelings of inadequacy and a desire for validation. The first two lines of the song set the stage for the journey that the singer is on - a long and perhaps mundane one. This could be a metaphor for life; sometimes it feels like we're just going through the motions without much to show for our efforts. The repetition of "not much to look at" and "not much to see" emphasizes the monotony of the journey.
The second verse speaks to the idea of talk versus action. The singer acknowledges that they are "not much to look at" or "not much to see," but questions whether talk is a substitute for action. The line "these days I'm just not that much to look at" suggests that perhaps the singer was once more interesting or dynamic, but now feels washed-up or unimpressive.
The final verse introduces the element of hope - if the singer had something to offer, perhaps people would take notice. The desire for recognition and attention is summed up in the final line - "Maybe you would look at me." The chorus, included just once, is a plea for the tools to create something that will capture people's attention - "Gimme some sidewalk chalk."
Overall, Long Shot is a song that speaks to the universal human desire for validation and recognition, and the frustration that can come with feeling overlooked. The repetition of key phrases drives home the monotony of the journey, while the hope offered in the final verse suggests that recognition is attainable with the right tools.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long way to walk, and there's
Not much to look at
The journey ahead is tiring and unexciting
It's a long way to walk, and there's
Not much to see
The surroundings are mundane and unimpressive
It's a long way to walk, and there's just
Not that much to look at
The lack of interesting sights makes the journey seem even longer
It's a long way to walk, and there's just
Not that much to see
The lack of captivating scenery makes the journey dull
It's a whole lotta talk, and I'm
Not much to look at
The person speaking doesn't see themselves as particularly attractive
It's a whole lotta talk, and I'm
Not much to see
The person speaking doesn't see themselves as particularly interesting or captivating
It's a whole lotta talk, and these days
I'm just not that much to look at
The person feels less confident in their appearance than before
It's a whole lotta talk, and these days I'm just
Not that much to see
The person feels less interesting or captivating than before
If I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something to look at
The person would like to impress someone with their artistic abilities
If I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something to see
The person wants to show someone something interesting and captivating
If I had some sidewalk chalk
I'd draw you something nice to look at
The person wants to create something beautiful to impress someone
And if I could just do that
Maybe you would look at me
The person hopes that by creating something impressive, they will gain the attention of the person they want to impress
Gimme some sidewalk chalk
The person is expressing a desire to create something impressive with sidewalk chalk
Contributed by Mason D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.