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 .
Big Finish
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Should I stay?
And we both know you thought you knew
What I was just about to say
But you didn’t know, and you always think you do
I’ll tell ya, I been looking back over my shoulder
It’s not you that I’ve got to blame
If I could do this all over, I wouldn’t do nothing the same
It seemed like the right thing at the time
It seemed like the right thing at the time
I try to remember, it helps me forget
The older I get
The older I get the more I worry that the more I worry the older I get
And yet, I still worry
Ain’t that about a son of a bitch, I tell ya
Some people can’t take no for an answer
Some people can’t even take yes for an answer
I can’t say for sure how I end up here but if I had to guess, I guess…
It seemed like the right thing at the time
It seemed like the right thing at the time
Tryin’ to find some kinda way to cope
You’ve got to admit it ain’t the despair that gets you
It’s the hope
When I found myself with in Bozaga with these car keys
I just naturally assumed that I could drive
It seemed like the right thing at the time
It seemed like the right thing at the time
In Todd Snider's song "Big Finish," the lyrics describe a sense of regret and uncertainty in decision-making. The singer is questioning whether they should stay in a situation, implying that they may have made the wrong choice in the past. The line "you always think you do" suggests that the singer is addressing someone who may believe they know what the singer is about to say or do, but they truly don't. The singer admits that they have been looking back over their shoulder and realizes that they shouldn't blame the person they are addressing for their current situation. They acknowledge that if they could do things differently, they wouldn't do anything the same.
The repetition of the line "It seemed like the right thing at the time" suggests that the singer made a decision based on what they believed was the best choice at that moment, but now they understand that it may not have been the right decision in the long run. The singer reveals that they worry more as they get older, but worrying doesn't change anything. The line "It ain’t the despair that gets you, It’s the hope" suggests that the singer believes that hope can be more damaging than despair when it ultimately leads to disappointment. The final stanza reveals that the singer found themselves in a situation where they assumed they could drive with someone else's car keys, even though they may not have been in the right condition to handle it.
Line by Line Meaning
Take your time, tell me slow
Please speak slowly so I can understand what you're saying.
Should I stay?
I'm unsure if I should remain in this situation or leave.
And we both know you thought you knew
You believed you understood what I was going to say, but you were mistaken.
What I was just about to say
I was about to express something important.
But you didn’t know, and you always think you do
Despite thinking you have all the answers, you're often mistaken.
I’ll tell ya, I been looking back over my shoulder
I've been reflecting on my past experiences.
It’s not you that I’ve got to blame
I can't fault you for what's happened.
If I could do this all over, I wouldn’t do nothing the same
Looking back, I would have done things differently.
It seemed like the right thing at the time
I made decisions based on what seemed correct at the moment.
Tryin’ to find some kinda way to cope
I'm attempting to deal with hardships in my life.
You’ve got to admit it ain’t the despair that gets you
It's not being miserable that's difficult to cope with.
It’s the hope
Holding onto hope can be challenging and painful when it doesn't come to fruition.
When I found myself with in Bozaga with these car keys
I realized I was in an unexpected, potentially dangerous situation.
I just naturally assumed that I could drive
Despite knowing the potential danger, I made the rash decision to attempt to drive.
Some people can’t take no for an answer
Individuals can struggle to accept refusal or rejection.
Some people can’t even take yes for an answer
Some people remain doubtful or suspicious, even when given confirmation or agreement.
I can’t say for sure how I end up here but if I had to guess, I guess…
I'm uncertain how I found myself in this situation, but I can speculate.
The older I get
As I age.
The older I get the more I worry that the more I worry the older I get
As I age, I become more anxious, and the more anxious I become, the more I age.
And yet, I still worry
Despite my awareness of my worrying, I still can't stop or diminish it.
Ain’t that about a son of a bitch, I tell ya
It's frustrating and maddening.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: TODD DANIEL SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind