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 .
Cheatham Street Warehouse
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An old piano playing just out of tune
To the buzz of the heat through the telephone line
Some kind of song about a bottle of wine
I knew it was you by the sound of your feet
Pushing the pedals and keeping the beat
We're a million miles away from those days now
You can't get me wrong
I know how to keep you here
Where you know you belong
In a song
A Cheatham Street Warehouse honky tonk song
The kind Billy Joe just can't get wrong
I'm gonna carve my name in the bar
Hope that you can hear it where you are
And wherever you are I'll be hoping you know
Wherever I am I'm missing you so
No longer a million miles away from anything
You can't get away from me
You can't get me wrong
I know how to keep you here
Where you know you belong
In a song
Working on the last few lines last night
Trying to find a way to make it end alright
Telephone rang – it was you
You asked if I was working on anything new
I didn't have the heart to tell you about
The one I think I'm finishing up right now
No longer a million miles away from anything
You can't get away from me
You can't get me wrong
I know how to keep you here
Where you know you belong
In a song
The Todd Snider song "Cheatham Street Warehouse" seems to be a nostalgic ode to an old honky-tonk venue in San Marcos, Texas where Snider cut his teeth performing in the early 1990s. The song conjures a vivid scene of waking up in the late afternoon, hearing a solo piano playing out of tune and the buzz of the heat through the phone line. The lyrics evoke memories of that place, of a particular song about a bottle of wine, and of being a million miles away from those days. However, Snider assures that you can't get away from him because he knows how to keep you in a song, in a place where you belong.
The chorus of the song seems to reflect Snider's conviction that music has the power to bind us to people and places we love, even when separated by time and distance. He sings about carving his name in the bar of the Cheatham Street Warehouse, hoping that whoever he misses can hear him, and wherever he is, he's missing them. The song's final verse suggests that Snider is still writing and performing, maybe working on a new song, but he knows he can't escape the pull of his old haunts and memories.
Overall, "Cheatham Street Warehouse" seems to be a sweet and wistful tribute to a musical home that shaped who Snider is today, and to the connections between artists and their audiences that transcend physical boundaries.
Line by Line Meaning
Waking up late in the afternoon
I slept in past noon and woke up late in the afternoon, feeling lazy and unproductive.
An old piano playing just out of tune
I heard the sound of an old piano, but it was slightly out of tune or off-key.
To the buzz of the heat through the telephone line
I could hear the sound of the heat buzzing through the telephone line, giving a sense of discomfort and unease.
Some kind of song about a bottle of wine
The music playing had lyrics about a bottle of wine, which gave a nostalgic and emotional feeling to the scene.
I knew it was you by the sound of your feet
I recognized you by the sound of your footsteps, as you walked in the room.
Pushing the pedals and keeping the beat
You started playing the piano, using the pedals to control the sound, while staying on beat with the rhythm of the music.
We're a million miles away from those days now
We reminisced about the past and our memories together, but now we are far away from those happy times.
A Cheatham Street Warehouse honky tonk song
The song playing was a classic honky tonk tune often heard at the historic Cheatham Street Warehouse music venue.
The kind Billy Joe just can't get wrong
This song is so good that even the famous musician Billy Joe couldn't mess it up if he tried.
I'm gonna carve my name in the bar
I want to leave my mark on this place, so I plan to carve my name into the bar or leave some kind of lasting memory.
Hope that you can hear it where you are
I want you to know that I am thinking of you even when you are not here, and that you will hear my message or remember me when you return.
And wherever you are I'll be hoping you know
No matter where you are or what you are doing, I will always be hoping that you remember me and our time together.
Wherever I am I'm missing you so
Even when I am far away or busy with other things, I miss you so much and wish you were here with me.
Working on the last few lines last night
I spent some time last night working on the final few lines of a song or poem I am writing.
Trying to find a way to make it end alright
I struggled to come up with a satisfying ending for my creative work and wanted to make sure it wrapped up perfectly.
Telephone rang – it was you
You called me on the phone, interrupting my creative work, but I was happy to hear from you nonetheless.
You asked if I was working on anything new
You were curious about what I was up to creatively and wanted to know if I had any new projects in the works.
I didn't have the heart to tell you about
I didn't want to disappoint you, so I didn't have the courage to tell you that I was working on a different project than the one you asked about.
The one I think I'm finishing up right now
I am close to completing a new creative work that I am proud of and excited to share with you.
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steakhousemints
That might be my new favorite Todd Snider record! Top notch!
Bryan Mannoia
thanks for sharing!!