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 .
Stuck On The Corner
Todd Snider Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vice president of human resources or somethin'
He stood up and made a speech about how we would
All have to work even harder now
I thought harder, now, harder than what?
I would give anything to get up and walk but of here but I'm
Chorus:
I'm lookin them over, I can't see a difference
Makin money out of paper, makin paper out of trees
We're makin so much money we can hardly breathe
You oughta hear the shit that I get from my daughter
She says that she can't stand the sight of the car I bought her
I'd be moonlightin forever to buy a ragtop
Her and her mother spend my money pretty much non-stop
They're trying to break me for the sake of the neighborhood
They want to make everyone up and down the street
To think that we're doing good, but I'm
(Chorus)
I didn't even want to study economics
My parents made me cause they said it would be practical
I can't make my kids do a goddamn thing I tell them to
My kid's an unrepentant radical
He is as unimpressed by the glass in my cubicle
As I am secretly impressed by his ability
To look at everything so completely irresponsibly
(Chorus)
You know I had to throw a little back at Mr. Handelmann
Drove home from work as mad as I've ever been an' then
I moved the kid out of the driveway, you know he didn't
He left me everything, I said, what would you know
You're lookin at the man about to buy a kid a ragtop
I said What are you driving? a popsickle you little punk!
And now I'm
(Chorus)
The lyrics of Todd Snider's song Stuck on the Corner seem to express the frustration and disillusionment of a working-class man with his job and daily life. In the first verse, the singer is clearly unimpressed by a corporate speech made by the vice president of human resources, who urges the employees to work harder without providing any clear reason for it. The phrase "stuck on the corner of Sanity and Madness" in the chorus encapsulates the singer's feeling of being trapped in a meaningless routine, where the line between rationality and insanity becomes blurred. The theme of economic exploitation reinforces this idea, as the singer observes the absurdity of making money out of paper and destroying trees in the process.
In the second verse, the singer's frustrations extend to his personal life, as he laments being unable to please his daughter and wife, who have expensive tastes and want to keep up appearances in their neighborhood. The pressure to conform and impress others is evident here, as the singer feels stuck in a cycle of debt and consumerism. The third verse reveals the generational gap between the singer and his son, who is more interested in political activism and rejecting the values of mainstream society. The irony is that the father envies the son's ability to see the world with fresh eyes and reject the system that he himself is trapped in.
Overall, Stuck on the Corner is a poignant commentary on the emptiness and absurdity of modern capitalism, as seen from the perspective of an ordinary worker. The song highlights the dissonance between the rhetoric of success and progress, and the realities of exploitation, alienation, and despair that underlie it.
Line by Line Meaning
You know that goddamn kiss-ass Handelmann
Referring to a certain Mr. Handelmann who is considered to be a brown-noser.
Vice president of human resources or somethin'
He holds a high position in the company, perhaps in HR.
He stood up and made a speech about how we would
He made a speech talking about how they all have to work really hard from now on.
All have to work even harder now
Everyone in the company is expected to work even harder than before, which is unclear since the current workload is quite demanding already.
I thought harder, now, harder than what?
He is wondering what else he could possibly do at work, since he is already putting in his best effort.
I would give anything to get up and walk but of here but I'm
He is considering leaving his job to get away from the demanding work environment but he is currently stuck here.
Chorus:
The repeated part of the song is introducing the recurring theme of being stuck at the intersection of sanity and madness.
Stuck on the corner of Sanity and Madness
He is stuck between making a living and maintaining his feeling of sanity amidst the chaos of work.
I'm lookin them over, I can't see a difference
He can't tell the difference between sanity and madness, as it seems to him they are one and the same because of the nature of his job.
Makin money out of paper, makin paper out of trees
Their company is involved in the paper business where they make money but ironically, they end up destroying forests to make paper.
We're makin so much money we can hardly breathe
Their company is focusing too much on making money that they are neglecting their well-being and work-life balance.
You oughta hear the shit that I get from my daughter
A reflection of his own life and how his family is affected due to his job.
She says that she can't stand the sight of the car I bought her
His daughter is disappointed with the present he got her and he feels bad about it.
I'd be moonlightin forever to buy a ragtop
He would work a second job for the longest time just to afford a convertible car for his daughter.
Her and her mother spend my money pretty much non-stop
His wife and daughter are spending his money way too freely, making him feel like he is not being appreciated enough.
They're trying to break me for the sake of the neighborhood
His family is trying too hard to keep up appearances and impress their peers in the neighborhood, rather than being happy with what they have.
They want to make everyone up and down the street
They want to show off their wealth and status to the neighbors.
To think that we're doing good, but I'm
Although they might be doing well financially, it's taking too much of a toll on him.
Chorus:
The chorus repeats again to signify this ongoing theme of him being stuck in this state of chaos and confusion.
I didn't even want to study economics
He didn't have any interest in economics. He studied it because his parents wanted him to pursue a practical degree.
My parents made me cause they said it would be practical
He chose to study economics because his parents pressured him to think practically about his future.
I can't make my kids do a goddamn thing I tell them to
He has no control over his children's lives and behavior.
My kid's an unrepentant radical
His child doesn't conform to his societal norms and is living life as an unapologetic radical.
He is as unimpressed by the glass in my cubicle
He is impressed by his son's lack of interest in material possessions, even going so far as to be unimpressed by his father's fancy work cubicle.
As I am secretly impressed by his ability
He is secretly envious of his son's freedom to live life as he pleases, without societal pressure or expectations.
To look at everything so completely irresponsibly
His son has the ability to look at life without any sense of responsibility or urgency, and this impresses him.
Chorus:
The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the importance of the intersection between sanity and madness.
You know I had to throw a little back at Mr. Handelmann
He probably insulted Mr. Handelmann, telling him off for his cringe-worthy speech.
Drove home from work as mad as I've ever been an' then
After his altercation with Mr. Handelmann, he drove home mad and feeling low.
I moved the kid out of the driveway, you know he didn't
His son refused to move his car from the driveway, causing him further distress.
He left me everything, I said, what would you know
He is being facetious with his son, implying that he doesn't know anything about life yet.
You're lookin at the man about to buy a kid a ragtop
He's going to such great lengths to buy his daughter a convertible car, just to appease her.
I said What are you driving? a popsickle you little punk!
He continues to be snarky with his son, making a joke about his small car.
And now I'm
The song closes with him still feeling stuck and uncertain about how to get past his current situation.
Contributed by Charlie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mama Doe Deer
Damn it, man! Every time I think I've seen and/or heard all you've got, the universe puts a bow on some good karma credits and I get to see something new! Well, to me, not everyone else but, "Hooray!" , because I have found a lot of joy, empathy, comfort, heartache, and a sort of kinship/friendship within your stories, whether spoken or sung, because there is an honesty in them, unvarnished biographical truth. A-freaking-mazing as always, Mr. Snider!
radarlove007
I'm stuck on the same corner. Great song.
Kenneth Laatz
Just pre ordered "Storyteller"... you are the best Todd!!
Patrick Meeks
Excellent Tape .. Good, good stuff ...
Jeremy James
Gotta love Vince's little twist on it too!