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 .
Late Last Night
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm feelin' like I usually feel after I feel alright
I don't wanna hear another word about mornin'
I can't take the light
Well could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
You see there's something inside this world that's gone so wrong
There's a gap between the rich and the poor a million miles long
But could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
I was down at the bar like the fool I am
Dancin' on the table to Son of Slam
I met a whole lotta people that I still don't know
I just rolled in an hour ago
Could you try to keep it down?
Try to keep it down
Try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night
I don't wanna hear about this Lollapalooza tour
Man I just woke up and where I am I couldn't say for sure
I ain't the kinda guy to come and break all your records
But then again I might,
Well could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
I was down at the bar like the fool I am
Dancin' on the table to Son of Slam
I met a whole lotta people I still don't know
I just rolled in an hour ago
Could you try to keep it down?
Try to keep it down,
Try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night
Try to keep it down,
Try to keep it down,
Well could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
Yeah
Well could you try to keep it down?
Try to keep it down,
Well could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last,
I was up all night last night
"Late Last Night" by Todd Snider is a song about the aftermath of a wild night out and the desire to retreat from the chaos of the world. The singer begs those around him to keep the noise level down as he was up late the previous night dancing on tables and meeting new people. He is feeling the after-effects of the night and just wants some peace and quiet. However, in the midst of his request, he reflects on the state of the world, particularly the gaping divide between the rich and the poor. He acknowledges the importance of activism and fighting for change but asks if it could wait until after he has had a chance to recover from his late night.
The song can be interpreted in different ways. On the surface, it appears to be a simple request for silence. But it can also be seen as a comment on the need for balance and retreat in times of chaos. The singer is not ignoring the problems of the world, but is asking for a moment of calm before addressing them. He is saying that sometimes, in order to fight for change, we need to take care of ourselves first.
Overall, "Late Last Night" is a cleverly written song that addresses the balance between activism and self-care. It acknowledges the importance of fighting for change while recognizing the need for rest and retreat.
Line by Line Meaning
Well could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
Asking someone to be quiet because the singer stayed up late the night before.
Now I'm feelin' like I usually feel after I feel alright
The singer is feeling tired or hungover from staying up late the night before.
I don't wanna hear another word about mornin'
The singer doesn't want to hear about morning because they are tired.
I can't take the light
The artist is sensitive to bright light because they stayed up late the night before.
You see there's something inside this world that's gone so wrong
The artist believes that there are problems in the world.
There's a gap between the rich and the poor a million miles long
The singer is concerned about the wealth inequality in society.
I dig the fact that you and your friends wanna stand up and make it right
The singer respects and supports activism to address societal issues.
But could you try to keep it down I was up kinda late last night?
Asking someone to be quiet so that the artist can rest because they stayed up late the night before.
I was down at the bar like the fool I am
The artist went to a bar the night before.
Dancin' on the table to Son of Slam
The artist was dancing on a table to a specific song.
I met a whole lotta people that I still don't know
The singer met new people at the bar that they don't remember or know.
I just rolled in an hour ago
The artist arrived home one hour ago from the bar.
I don't wanna hear about this Lollapalooza tour
The singer is not interested in hearing about a music festival.
Man I just woke up and where I am I couldn't say for sure
The singer wakes up confused and disoriented from staying up late and drinking the night before.
I ain't the kinda guy to come and break all your records
The singer is not likely to be a record-breaking person.
But then again I might
The artist is open to the possibility of achieving greatness.
Try to keep it down
The artist is asking for quiet again.
Well could you try to keep it down I was up all night last night
The singer reiterates their request to be quiet because they stayed up all night the night before.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TODD SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind