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 .
Sideshow Blues
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gave my car to my mechanic, I ain't seen it since
My phone is always ringing, when I want to be alone
They try and sell me everything from Heaven to cologne
Everybody's got an offer I can't refuse
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
It's all a big commercial; It's a video of a man
They make up all these issues, I never understood
If I thought I could change things I'd run out to Hollywood
But it's hard to kick the door down wearing seven dollar shoes
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
I've got them sideshow blues
I want to tame the lions
These center ring rich kids ain't even trying
From college to the big top they take the best positions
While I'm out in this tent with these freaks and musicians
While I'm out in this tent with these freaks and musicians
I'm moaning them sideshow blues
I try to tell my girlfriend she's the only one that I've got
This chick I hardly knows keeps on telling her she's not
She got a loaded pistol, she waves it all the time
Says some times you gotta kill a boy to keep his ass in line
Well that's the way she sees it, she says she saw it on the news
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
See people play satanic records, and you don't know when they'll freak
From quiet kid to maniac to movie of the week
We're killing over cocaine, dying over sex
We're bowing down and praying to who'll ever cuts the check
When I go to church on Sunday, I can't help sleep in the pews (that's what I do)
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
It's a circus people...Step Right Up
In Todd Snider's song Sideshow Blues, the artist portrays a sense of frustration and disillusionment towards the modern world. The lyrics reflect on the constant bombardment of advertisements and the feeling of being constantly manipulated and sold to. Snider sings about how his landlady treats him poorly despite paying rent, how he cannot escape people trying to sell him everything from heaven to cologne and how he cannot even be alone with himself. All of these things are causing him to feel suffocated and trapped, as if he's been born into a circus sideshow.
The lyrics then proceed to comment on the entertainment industry and the obsession with money and power that overwhelms it. Snider even expresses his desire to tame the lions in the center ring, a metaphor for gaining control of his life and succeeding in the face of the chaos. The artist also touches on the way in which people view the world, with some being overly paranoid while others are too caught up in their own lives to pay attention to the world around them.
Overall, Sideshow Blues offers a unique insight into the frustrations and challenges that people face in modern society. The constant battle against consumerism, social norms, and the entertainment industry can often leave people feeling lost and unfulfilled.
Line by Line Meaning
My landlady treats me like I don't pay my rent
My landlady treats me as though I am a defaulter, no matter that I pay my rent properly
Gave my car to my mechanic, I ain't seen it since
My mechanic took my car and hasn't returned it to me
My phone is always ringing, when I want to be alone
People keep calling me when I desire personal time
They try and sell me everything from Heaven to cologne
People keep trying to sell me things that I do not need, ranging from religious items to fragrances
Everybody's got an offer I can't refuse
People are making irresistible offers that I cannot decline
It's a circus out here mama, Your baby's got the sideshow blues
The entire situation is quite chaotic, making me stressed and anxious, and making me feel like an entertainer or clown in a sideshow
It's all a big commercial; It's a video of a man
Everything seems to be advertising, promoting, or selling something, like an infomercial or a music video
It's a plot to put an end to my attention span
The whole ordeal seems to be a conspiracy to wear down my focus and concentration
They make up all these issues, I never understood
People create problems out of nothing that I do not comprehend
If I thought I could change things I'd run out to Hollywood
If I believed that I could make a difference in the world, I would pursue a career in the entertainment industry
But it's hard to kick the door down wearing seven dollar shoes
It's difficult to make any significant changes when you are not in a position of power or privilege
I've got them sideshow blues
I feel like an outsider or oddity in my current situation
I want to tame the lions
I aspire to be in the center of the action and control or dominate the situation
These center ring rich kids ain't even trying
Those who are already in the spotlight are not putting any effort to keep it or maintain it
From college to the big top they take the best positions
Those who are privileged and influential get the most desirable jobs and places in society
While I'm out in this tent with these freaks and musicians
Meanwhile, I am struggling and working hard in the sidelines with bizarre and creative people
I'm moaning them sideshow blues
I am lamenting and complaining about my current plight as a sideshow performer
I try to tell my girlfriend she's the only one that I've got
I attempt to convince my partner that she is the most important person in my life
This chick I hardly knows keeps on telling her she's not
However, an acquaintance of mine is persistently trying to persuade her otherwise
She got a loaded pistol, she waves it all the time
This acquaintance is aggressive and intimidating, often displaying a weapon
Says some times you gotta kill a boy to keep his ass in line
She believes that sometimes it is necessary to use lethal force to intimidate or enforce discipline upon someone
Well that's the way she sees it, she says she saw it on the news
She justifies her violent tendencies by stating that she learned it from current events or media
See people play satanic records, and you don't know when they'll freak
People listen to music with controversial or dark themes, and it is difficult to predict when it will provoke extreme behavior
From quiet kid to maniac to movie of the week
People's behavior can transform from subtle or normal to outrageous, which could lead to being the subject of a sensationalistic TV program
We're killing over cocaine, dying over sex
People are engaging in destructive or risky behavior in pursuit of their vices, which can lead to violence and death
We're bowing down and praying to who'll ever cuts the check
People are worshiping money and power, blindly following those who hold the wealth or control the resources
When I go to church on Sunday, I can't help sleep in the pews (that's what I do)
Even when I seek solace or guidance from religion, I find myself feeling apathetic, uninterested, or sleepy during religious services
It's a circus people...Step Right Up
The entire society seems to be one big circus, and everyone is welcome to participate or spectate, just like at a sideshow
Lyrics © KEITH SYKES MUSIC
Written by: TODD SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind