Toad the Wet Sprocket was formed in 1986 at San Marcos High School just outside of Santa Barbara, California, when singer-songwriter Glen Phillips was just a 14-year-old freshman, and the other members were 17-year-old juniors. The band drew its name from the Eric Idle monologue "Rock Notes" on Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album from 1980. Their first public appearance was at an open-microphone talent contest in September 1986 (which they lost).
Toad the Wet Sprocket's first album came out in 1989. Named Bread and Circus, it was their first effort for Columbia Records, who had signed them out of high school. The album spawned the singles "Way Away" and "One Little Girl," which made the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, but did not receive much attention.
The follow-up, Pale, was released in 1990 and saw their sound mature. Featuring the singles "Jam" and the Modern Rock Chart hit "Come Back Down," the album was still not a massive success.
The band finally achieved fame with their third album, Fear (released in 1991), which became the band's first RIAA certified platinum album. Also, the singles "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean" reached the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1994, after years of heavy touring, the band released their follow-up to Fear, Dulcinea. This album spawned the hit singles "Fall Down", which reached #1 on the US Modern Rock charts as well as #5 on the Mainstream Rock chart, as well as "Something's Always Wrong", which also charted. This album was also certified platinum by the RIAA.
A compilation album of b-sides and rarities, In Light Syrup, was released in 1995; it included the single "Good Intentions", which was featured on the soundtrack for the television show Friends. Largely due to the strength of the single, this compilation was certified as a gold album in 2001.
The release of Coil in 1997 acted much like a follow up to 1994's Dulcinea. Featuring a more electric, rock sound, it contained the Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock hit "Come Down", as well as the radio hit "Crazy Life" (which did not chart). The album, despite the success of "Come Down" as a single, failed to reach any sales benchmarks.
Toad the Wet Sprocket formally broke up in July 1998, citing creative differences. Since breaking up, the band performed together in 2002 at a Rape Crisis Center benefit and opened up for Counting Crows. In 2006 they began touring the United States as a band in small-venue, short-run tours each summer.
In 2009, bassist Dean Dinning said Toad the Wet Sprocket was now something each member considered an active project, and though they had not released a new studio album since 1997 and only did small summer tours, they no longer considered themselves "broken up". In May 2010, the band gathered at a California studio to begin re-recording some of their older hits for licensing reasons. Columbia Records owns the masters to the band's albums. Therefore, the band makes little money from them, so to be able to make a living off their own talent again, they made these re-recordings with the goal of having them used in film and TV.
On December 7, 2010, Toad the Wet Sprocket released their first new studio track in 11 years. The holiday track "It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas", a cover of a Sam Phillips original, was posted on their official site, available via Bandcamp, for free download just in time for the holidays, along with a new message on their site: "We're that band that did 'Walk on the Ocean', 'All I Want', 'Something's Always Wrong', and "Fall Down'. The one with the weird name. We're back from a long slumber and look forward to saying hello some time. Keep in touch…" The band had recently signed a deal with Primary Wave to handle their back catalog and any future releases, and on December 11, 2010, the band mentioned, both on stage and in an offstage YouTube interview, that they are currently writing songs for their first new studio album since 1997's Coil. In addition, they began playing two new songs, "Friendly Fire" and "The Moment", which were being worked on for the new album.
On April 12, 2011, Toad the Wet Sprocket released a new greatest hits album titled All You Want in digital and disc form via their official website. The 11-track CD includes brand new studio versions of their hits. The band does not have access to some of the versions they did for Columbia Records in the '90s. However, they did regain full control of the songs from their first two albums, and they planned to re-release them in remastered form on their own label, Abe's Records, following the release of their upcoming studio album.
On March 22, 2013, it was announced via Toad the Wet Sprocket's Facebook page that recording of the new album had been completed. The album was produced and mixed by Mikal Blue at Revolver Studios in Thousand Oaks, California. On June 5, 2013, the band announced the first new single in 16 years on Rolling Stone's website titled "New Constellation". An album of the same name was released on the band's own Abe's Records on October 15, 2013. The band marketed the new album via the crowdsourcing website Kickstarter. The band initially set a fundraising goal of $50,000, expecting it to take about two months to raise that amount. Instead, fans contributed more than $50,000 in less than 20 hours. When the Kickstarter campaign finally came to a close, they had raised a total of $264,762.
In 2014, Toad the Wet Sprocket resumed touring and opened a number of shows for Counting Crows. They showcased some of the new material from New Constellation, the Kickstarter-funded album, including "California Wasted" and the album's title track while playing a number of their earlier hits. During summer 2015, the band went on tour with fellow '90s acts Smash Mouth and Tonic. The band released an EP called Architect of the Ruin on June 16, 2015.
In 2018, Toad the Wet Sprocket announced that they had reissued their albums fear and Dulcinea on a deluxe remastered vinyl LP available through their online store. The same year, they also released a limited deluxe 5-LP box set of colored vinyl for their albums fear, Dulcinea and Acoustic Dance Party.
In a January 2020 interview with ChicagoNow, Glen Phillips stated that "Toad has started recording again." In addition, he confirmed the band's first official lineup change, and that drummer Guss had left the band on good terms. Previous occasional touring member Josh Daubin replaced Guss.
On September 25, 2020, they released a new song entitled “Starting Now”, followed by another new song "Old Habits Die Hard" on October 23rd, from their upcoming album, set to be released in 2021.
There's another band with the same name:
2. Toad The Wet Sprocket was an NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) band active from the mid-70s to 1982. They released two singles, "Pete's Punk Song" and "Reaching the Sky", before their breakup. Their song, "Blues in A", was included on Metal for Muthas compilation (1980).
I Will Not Take These Things For Granted
Toad The Wet Sprocket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One part just needs the quiet
And if I'm lonely here, I'm lonely here
And on the telephone
You offer reassurance
I will not take these things for granted
It needs a strength I haven't found
But if it's frightening, I'll bear the cold
And on the telephone
You offer warm asylum
I'm listening
Flowers in the garden
Laughter in the hall
Children in the park
I will not take these things for granted
Anymore
To crawl inside the wire and feel something near me
To feel this accepting
That it is lonely here, but not alone
And on the telephone
You offer visions dancing
I'm listening
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons
I will not take these things for granted
Toad The Wet Sprocket's "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted" is a song with a message about gratitude and cherishing the simple but precious moments in life. The lyrics portray a sense of loneliness but also hope as the singer finds solace in the assurance and visions offered through a phone conversation with a loved one.
The first verse portrays the singer's internal struggle to reveal everything to their loved one while simultaneously seeking quietness. The second verse expresses the need for the strength that only their loved one can provide. The chorus declares the intention of not taking things for granted, while the third verse dances with imagery of joyful moments in life and a final affirmation of the song's message.
The song's emotional depth and introspection resonated with many listeners, leading to its success on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and on college radio stations. Toad The Wet Sprocket crafted an acoustic, folk-influenced sound that fit perfectly with the song's reflective and contemplative lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
One part of me just wants to tell you everything
There is a part of me that wants to share all of my thoughts and feelings with you
One part just needs the quiet
Another part of me needs silence and solitude
And if I'm lonely here, I'm lonely here
If I feel lonely, I am truly alone
And on the telephone
You offer reassurance
When we talk on the phone, you provide comfort and support
I will not take these things for granted
I will not overlook or undervalue the important things in my life
How can I hold the part of me that only you can carry
I struggle to manage the part of myself that only you can understand and support
It needs a strength I haven't found
That part of me requires a kind of resilience that I haven't yet developed
But if it's frightening, I'll bear the cold
Even if facing that part of me is terrifying, I will endure it
And on the telephone
You offer warm asylum
When we talk on the phone, you provide a comforting refuge
I'm listening
I am paying attention and taking in my surroundings
Flowers in the garden
Laughter in the hall
Children in the park
I am appreciative of the simple pleasures in life, like nature, joy, and youth
I will not take these things for granted
Anymore
I will no longer ignore or underestimate the value of these experiences and emotions
To crawl inside the wire and feel something near me
I long to connect with someone or something and feel close
To feel this accepting
That it is lonely here, but not alone
It is liberating to accept that it can be emotionally isolating here, but I am still connected to something greater
And on the telephone
You offer visions dancing
When we talk on the phone, you inspire me and help me imagine new possibilities
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons
My joy and appreciation extends to many different aspects of life, from peaceful moments by the fire to exhilarating experiences in nature
I will not take these things for granted
I will continue to cherish and prioritize the important things in life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DINNING, GUSS, NICHOLS, PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Deborah Marchant
"I Will Not Take These Things For Granted" Lyrics
"One part of me just wants to tell you everything
One part just needs the quiet
And if I'm lonely here, I'm lonely here
And on the telephone
You offer reassurance
"I will not take these things for granted
"How can I hold the part of me that only you can carry
It needs a strength I haven't found
But if it's frightening, I'll bear the cold
And on the telephone
You offer warm asylum
"I'm listening
Flowers in the garden
Laughter in the hall
Children in the park
I will not take these things for granted
Anymore
"To crawl inside the wire and feel something near me
To feel this accepting
That it is lonely here, but not alone
And on the telephone
You offer visions dancing
"I'm listening
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
"Singing by the fire [not. wood smoke free air. please.]
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons
"I will not take these things for granted
Songwriters: DINNING/GUSS/PHILLIPS/NICHOLS
Josh Andersen
@G E Glutton for punishment? Heh. Had to be there, I guess. I was also into NiN. Head Like a Hole.
This was a comfort.
But, whatev's. Violator. Things are different for different people. The first girl I ever loved, Melinda, was killed in a hit and run. To my child mind, I thought the EMT's/Paramedics weren't fast enough. Not good enough. That was totally wrong, she was DOA, but I was a kid. I thought, Ah! But a battlefield medic! If I could save a life, just one, to make up for the one I couldn't. Life isn't like that. sigh Became a field medic, decorated for service, Meritorious Service During Time of War and all. Not that that meant much to me. The angel had already fallen.
Anyway, it was just my music tastes at the time.
Hope you're well and good.
Rae McStay
Our wedding song 19 years ago today. It still brings tears to my eyes. I love every word. And I LOVE this band. They are so underrated.
C G
Love this as your wedding song! Such a great idea!
Rae McStay
@Lindsey Summers thank you and I hope you’re getting your big celebration. Much love and appreciation! ❤️
G E
I don't remember marrying you Rae.
Lindsey Summers
@Rae McStay You're now up to 24 years and counting...way to go!! Good choice for your wedding dance. Can't go wrong with TTWS.
My spouse and I are up to 18 years. She's battling breast cancer, so once she beats it, we're going to have a big blowout for our 20th!! We have some very big shoes to fill, as my parents just passed 51 years, her parents are going to his 46 this fall, and my grandparents hit 65 years before they passed away. Big shoes to fill!! The best status symbol is a long and happy marriage. Many happy returns!!
Kia Sophia
An Awesome wedding song! Good Choice!
Chris James
The best under rated unexplored unpopularized band of the 90s in a generation that needed it the most. The loss is unimaginable.
Mario Gutierrez
They still tour -- mostly small venues. I have tix to see them two weeks from now.
A HEALTHY POUR
He plays here is Santa Barbara. He lives here.
Geoff Brandenburg
Yes.