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 .
Statistician's Blues
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
99 percent think we're 3 percent 100 percent of the time.
64 percent of all the world's statistics are made up right there on the spot
I don't know what you believe but I do know there's no doubt
I need another double shot of something 90 proof, I got too much to think about.
Too much to think about
Too much to figure out
Stuck between hope and doubt
It's too much to think about.
They say 92 percent of everything you learned in school was just bullshit you'll never need
84 percent of everything you got you bought to satisfy your greed
Because 90 percent of the world's population links possessions to success
Even though 80 percent of the wealthiest 1 percent of the population drinks to an alarming excess
More money, more stress.
It's too much to think about
Too much to figure out
Stuck between hope and doubt
It's too much to think about, pick it now.
84 percent of all statisticians truly hate their jobs
They say the average bank robber lives within say about 20 miles of the bank that he robs
There's this little bank not far from here I've been watching now a while
Lately all I can think about's how bad I wanna go out in style.
And it's too much to think about
It's too much to figure out
Stuck between hope and doubt
It's too much to think about, that's right
It's too much to think about, amen
It's too much to think about, mm-mm.
The lyrics to "Statistician's Blues" by Todd Snider speak to the frustration and confusion that can come from trying to make sense of statistics and the various pieces of information that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Snider critiques the way that statistics are often presented as objective and irrefutable, when in reality they can be easily manipulated or outright fabricated. He also questions the value of much of what we learn or acquire in life, suggesting that our society's emphasis on material possessions and outward success can be a hollow pursuit. The refrain of the song, "Too much to think about," captures the overwhelming nature of trying to make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
Experts claim that only a few people use a small percentage of their brains
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
The rest of the people use a little amount of their brain, which is not very efficient
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
The songwriter does not know if he belongs to the smarter or the less smart group of people
99 percent think we're 3 percent 100 percent of the time
Most people think that they are not very smart most of the time
64 percent of all the world's statistics are made up right there on the spot
A large percentage of global statistics are made up on the spur of the moment
82.4 percent of people believe 'em whether they're accurate statistics or not
A significant percentage of people trust and believe statistical data despite its accuracy
I don't know what you believe but I do know there's no doubt
The songwriter is unsure about the listener's beliefs but confident about the doubt in statistical data
I need another double shot of something 90 proof, I got too much to think about
The songwriter needs a drink as he has too much to ponder over
Too much to think about
The songwriter is overwhelmed by too many thoughts
Too much to figure out
The songwriter is unable to solve the issues that he is facing
Stuck between hope and doubt
The songwriter is undecided and confused between two conflicting emotions
They say 92 percent of everything you learned in school was just bullshit you'll never need
Most of what people learn in school is of no practical use in their lives
84 percent of everything you got you bought to satisfy your greed
People buy most possessions out of their greed or materialistic needs
Because 90 percent of the world's population links possessions to success
Most people believe that owning things is a sign of being successful
Even though 80 percent of the wealthiest 1 percent of the population drinks to an alarming excess
Ironically, a significant number of wealthy people engage in excessive drinking despite their riches
More money, more stress
Having more money leads to more stress in one's life
84 percent of all statisticians truly hate their jobs
The vast majority of statisticians dislike their profession
They say the average bank robber lives within say about 20 miles of the bank that he robs
Observers suggest that most bank robbers live near the places they rob
There's this little bank not far from here I've been watching now a while
The songwriter has been observing a nearby small bank for some time
Lately all I can think about's how bad I wanna go out in style
The songwriter is fascinated with the idea of robbing the bank
That's right
Affirmation of the previous line
Amen
Endorsement of the previous line
Mm-mm
An expression of unclear or mixed feelings
Contributed by Lila D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
bluesoulone
One of the most underrated singer songwriter's alive today...
Joseph Schlichting
bluesoulone so TRUE ✌️
jysmtl
I’m 90% sure that there’s a 90% chance that’s true.
Jasber
The dude is amazing. I hope he reads this so he ups his statistics
Colton Morris
Most definitely!!
Kerby Mudd
Word!
RobMacKendrick
If this guy had been singing in the 60s, he'd be an American icon now. He's my icon all the same.
Mark Garrido
RobMacKendrick well said mate
Pastor Troy
like John Prine?
stiggy
Haha.