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).
Good Intentions
Toad the Wet Sprocket Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
It seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
And it's hard to rely on my own good senses
When I miss so much that requires attention
Have to laugh at myself sometimes
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
For all the things I've left behind
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I'm not afraid things won't get better
But it feels like this has gone on forever
You have to cry with your own blue tears
Have to laugh with your own good cheer
And it's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
It seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
And imagining the world outside
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I can't be hard on you
'Cause you know I've been there too
Learned a lot of things from you
Oh, when life gives little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
And when everyone is cold as ice
I clinch my fists and close my eyes
Imagining the world outside
And I can see that I'm not blind
Toad The Wet Sprocket's "Good Intentions" communicates the struggle between relying on one's own intuition and past decisions versus acknowledging past mistakes and moving forward. The first verse describes the singer's internal conflict: while they usually make the right choices, they are plagued by a head full of things they cannot mention, likely regrets or secret feelings. This dichotomy of good intentions and internal turmoil continues in the second verse, where the singer admits to missing things that require their attention but also recognizes their own blindness.
The chorus offers little relief, asking for a reprieve for the things left behind, and acknowledges the cyclical nature of life. The singer is positive that they are not blind, perhaps implying that they can see the good in themselves and others, but also expressing the feeling of being stuck in the same patterns over and over again. The bridge suggests that life is tough for everyone, and although the singer cannot be hard on others because they have been there, too, they seek reprieve amidst the coldness of life.
Overall, "Good Intentions" by Toad The Wet Sprocket delves into the complexities of relying on one's intuition and past decisions while grappling with one's shortcomings and hoping for a change.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hard to rely on my good intentions
I struggle to trust my well-meaning actions.
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
When my mind is weighed down with secrets and unspoken thoughts.
Seems I usually get things right
In general, I make the correct decisions.
But I can't understand what I did last night
I'm unsure what happened during my recent actions.
When I miss so much that requires attention
I regret that I fail to notice details that need my focus.
Have to laugh at myself sometimes
I find humor in my own shortcomings at moments.
And I can see that I'm not blind
I realize that I have clear vision of my own mistakes and actions.
For all the things I've left behind
I feel regretful for the things I've neglected or left unfinished.
There's little relief
I find little comfort in the current state of things.
Give us reprieve
We need some time to rest and recover from life's struggles.
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I am confident that I am aware of my situation and surroundings.
But it feels like this has gone on forever
It seems like the current hardship will never end.
You have to cry with your own blue tears
You must experience pain and sadness in order to heal.
Have to laugh with your own good cheer
You must find joy and positivity from within yourself.
'cause you know I've been there too
I empathize with your struggles because I've experienced similar situations.
Learned a lot of things from you
I've gained insight and knowledge from your experiences.
But life gives little relief
Life often offers few moments of comfort or ease.
And when everyone is cold as ice
When others seem unemotional and unfeeling.
I clinch my fists and close my eyes
I become inwardly focused and determined.
Imagining the world outside
I mentally escape my current situation by picturing a different reality.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dean Dinning, Glen Phillips, Randel Guss, Todd Nichols
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny hooker
Good Intentions
It's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
Seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
It's hard to rely on my own good senses
When I miss so much that requires attention
Have to laugh at myself sometimes
And I can see that I'm not blind
There's little relief
Give us reprieve
For all the things I've left behind
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I'm not afraid things won't get better
But it feels like this has gone on forever
You have to cry with your own blue tears
Have to laugh with your own good cheer
It's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
Seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
There's little relief
Give us reprieve
Imagining the world outside
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I can't be hard on you
'cause you know I've been there too
Learned a lot of things from you
But life gives little relief
Give us reprieve
And when everyone is cold as ice
I clinch my fists and close my eyes
Imagining the world outside
But I can see that I'm not blind
DTC DTC
Lyrics
It's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
It seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
And it's hard to rely on my own good senses
When I miss so much that requires attention
Have to laugh at myself sometimes
And I can see that I'm not blind
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
For all the things I've left behind
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I'm not afraid things won't get better
But it feels like this has gone on forever
You have to cry with your own blue tears
Have to laugh with your own good cheer
And it's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
It seems I usually get things right
But I can't understand what I did last night
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
And imagining the world outside
I'm positive that I'm not blind
I can't be hard on you
'Cause you know I've been there too
Learned a lot of things from you
Oh, when life gives little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
And when everyone is cold as ice
I clinch my fists and close my eyes
Imagining the world outside
And I can see that I'm not blind
Alex Harris
It's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
Seems I usually get things right, but I can't understand what I did last night
And it's hard to rely on my own good senses
When I miss so much that requires attention
I have to laugh at myself sometimes and I can see that I'm not blind
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
For all the things I've left behind, I'm positive that I'm not blind
I'm not afraid things won't get better
But it feels like this has gone on forever
You have to cry with your own blue tears, have to laugh with your own good cheer
And it's hard to rely on my good intentions
When my head's full of things that I can't mention
Seems I usually get things right, but I can't understand what I did last night
There's little relief
Give us reprieve, oh
And imagining the world outside and I'm positive that I'm not blind
I can't be hard on you
'Cause you know I've been there too
Learned a lot of things from you
Oh, but life gives little release
Give us reprieve, oh
And when everyone is cold as ice
I clinch my fists and close my eyes
Imagining the world outside and I can see that I'm not blind
https://www.facebook.com/lvngubrthlss
Rhiannon Hoffman
love this song
My stepbrother had a funny thing happen at a Toad the Wet Sprocket concert
back when he was about 17. He was watching the opening band, a guy came to
stand next to him and said "You like these guys? I think they're pretty
good, huh?" My brother said "Yeah, they're good, but I'm here for Toad."
The guy said "Oh yeah? Me too!" Laughed and gave by SB a bro punch to the
arm. My SB looked over at the guy and realized it was Glen Phillips(the
lead singer) He'd been talking to. He said "Hey! You...you're..." Glen
waved and walked away to the backstage
Jon Zilkow
Heard this song playing at the local super market about a week ago. Such a great song. Brought back many fond memories from that era. This band didn’t get enough recognition. Great stuff.
Ray Finkle
Lol I'm in the supermarket watching this video now. Open comments and yours is first 😆
Can’t Tell You
@Ray Finkle to be fair, this is a band whose genre is listed as “supermarket music” on the charts
Kelly Rhoads
Heard this in supermarket and came to my car to look it up. I looked up “good intentions lyrics “
Sunshine
Haven't heard this song in years, but I caught it the other day on satellite radio, and boy did it take me back in an instant!
Isabela Razo
This is my favorite Toad the Wet Sprocket song. Just gives me all the words to my thoughts... "It's hard to rely on my good intentions... when my head's full of things that I can't mention..."
toriboy25
"But I can't understand what I did last night"
Tommy Boy
The start of 2022 and this song still cuts through me.
Guns and lawnmowers
I keep hoping that one day I'll wake up and somebody will drop me back off in the 80s and I can relive the 80s and 90s because boy they were good times
drumsNstuff79
Same here! Looking up 90's stuff I found a blog post on girls fashion from back in the day.. man did girls dress cute back then! Totally brought be back to my huge high school crush on the pretty girl in my grade, Katie, and all the hp dresses she wore. She was the first girl I saw wear knee high socks , like Alicia Silverstone did in clueless, and man did she look amazing. She wore this back and red plaid super tight short miniskirt, babydoll blouse, and black knee high socks with funky heels that day and it is burned into my brain forever.. sigh Teacher totally tried to bust her for her skirt being "too short" lol.. best school day ever!