Best known for his wry humor, Snider has been a fixture on the Americana, alt-country, and folk scene since his debut on MCA, entitled Songs for the Daily Planet, named for the bar where Snider used to play regularly in Memphis. On that album were the minor hits "Talkin' Seattle Grunge Rock Blues", a folk song about the early '90's grunge scene, featuring a band that "refused to play", and "Alright Guy", which later became the title cut of Gary Allan's 2001 album.
He released two more albums for MCA, Step Right Up and Viva Satellite, the latter often sparking colorful debate amongst fans for its comparisons to Tom Petty. He moved to John Prine's Oh Boy Records where he made Happy to Be Here, New Connection, Near Truths and Hotel Rooms, and East Nashville Skyline. That Was Me: The Best of Todd Snider 1994–1998 was released on the Hip-O label in August 2005.
Todd Snider's next studio album, The Devil You Know, was released in August 2006. It marked Snider's return to a major label, as he is now recording for New Door Records, a subsidiary of Universal Records.
The Devil You Know was named to several critics' year-end "best" lists, including a No. 33 ranking in Rolling Stone magazine's top 50 albums of the year, a No. 25 ranking by No Depression magazine, and No. 14 by Blender magazine.
Snider's songs "Late Last Night" and "I Believe You" have been recorded by the Oklahoma country-rock band Cross Canadian Ragweed. He co-wrote the song "Barbie Doll" with country star Jack Ingram.
Snider's new album, Peace Queer, is set to be released on October 14th, 2008, and will be available as a free download from Oct. 11 to Oct. 31 at http://www.toddsnider.net/store/product/1/Peace-Queer .
Betty Was Black
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Betty and Willie got it on one night
They climbed in a bottle of Tanqueray
Fell in love that very day.
They sat by the fire and listened to jazz
Had pretty little dreams like every couple has
But they had to be careful where they went out at night
′Cause Betty was black and Willie was white.
He hired a lawyer and sent Willie the bill
He said: ′Do what you want, boy, anything's fine'
′Cause from now on you ain′t no son of mine'.
And Betty′s momma, she tried to understand
But her Daddy just gave her the back of his hand
He said: 'Get out of this house, girl, don′t you ever come back'
Willie was white and Betty was black.
The next few years were difficult ones
They put up with sneers and social shuns
And then one fine year she bore a son
They named him Tad and they dreamed of a year a little less bad
When Tad could stand in a skin of brown
A valedictorian′s cap and gown
And speak of a day when the future's bright
And you could be proud to be black and proud to be white
And dream of a day when it's all right
That Betty was black and Willie was white.
Betty was black and Willie was white.
The lyrics of Todd Snider's song "Betty Was Black" tell a story of love between Betty, a black woman, and Willie, a white man. They met one night and fell in love quickly, bonding over their shared love for jazz and their dreams for the future. However, their relationship faced numerous challenges due to societal prejudice and familial disapproval.
Willie's father disowned him and cut him out of the will because he was in an interracial relationship. Despite this, Willie's resolve remained strong, as he hired a lawyer and declared his independence from his father's judgment. On the other hand, Betty also faced rejection from her own father, who physically assaulted her and kicked her out of the house for being involved with a white man.
The following years were marked by discrimination, as the couple endured sneers and social shunning from others. However, they persevered, and eventually, Betty gave birth to a son named Tad. They held onto the hope that their son would live in a world where racial equality prevailed. They dreamed of him graduating as a valedictorian, proud of his mixed heritage and optimistic about a future where race would not matter.
Overall, the song "Betty Was Black" explores the challenges faced by an interracial couple in a society plagued by racism. It emphasizes the power of love and resilience in the face of adversity, while also longing for a future where race no longer divides people.
Line by Line Meaning
Betty and Willie got it on one night
Betty and Willie had a passionate encounter on a particular night
They climbed in a bottle of Tanqueray
They consumed alcohol, specifically Tanqueray
Fell in love that very day
They fell deeply in love on that exact day
They sat by the fire and listened to jazz
They enjoyed each other's company, relaxing by the fire while appreciating jazz music
Had pretty little dreams like every couple has
Like any other couple, they had beautiful aspirations for their future together
But they had to be careful where they went out at night
Due to societal prejudice, they had to be cautious about their public outings
'Cause Betty was black and Willie was white
Their interracial relationship posed challenges and scrutiny from others
Willie's old man cut him out of the will
Willie's father disinherited him from his inheritance
He hired a lawyer and sent Willie the bill
Willie's father even made Willie pay for the legal expenses
He said: 'Do what you want, boy, anything's fine'
Willie's father disapproved of his choices and gave him freedom to make his own decisions
'Cause from now on you ain't no son of mine'
Willie's father rejected him as his son from that point forward
And Betty's momma, she tried to understand
Betty's mother made efforts to comprehend their situation
But her Daddy just gave her the back of his hand
Betty's father physically abused her, showing no understanding or acceptance
He said: 'Get out of this house, girl, don't you ever come back'
Betty's father forcefully expelled her from their home, forbidding her to return
Willie was white and Betty was black
The repeated reminder of their racial difference and the challenges it brought
The next few years were difficult ones
The following years were filled with hardships and obstacles
They put up with sneers and social shuns
They endured mocking and exclusion from society
And then one fine year she bore a son
In a positive turn of events, Betty gave birth to their child
They named him Tad and they dreamed of a year a little less bad
They named him Tad and envisioned a future where their circumstances would improve
When Tad could stand in a skin of brown
They hoped their son would grow up proud of his mixed racial heritage
A valedictorian's cap and gown
They imagined Tad graduating as a valedictorian, achieving academic success
And speak of a day when the future's bright
They anticipated a time when the future would be full of promise and hope
And you could be proud to be black and proud to be white
They yearned for a world where one could embrace and celebrate both their black and white identities
And dream of a day when it's all right
Their desire was to envision a future where their interracial relationship would be accepted and valued
That Betty was black and Willie was white
They hoped for a society where the color of their skin would no longer hinder their love and happiness
Betty was black and Willie was white
Reiterating the central theme of their racial difference and the challenges they faced
Writer(s): Will Kimbrough, Tommy Glynn Womack, Michael Grimes, Thomas C Meyer
Contributed by Kaelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.