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 .
is this thing on
Todd Snider Lyrics
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In the hallway of a high school, anywhere USA
There was a bully that would pick on a different kid,
and it seemed like every day
He had this pack of back slapping buddies,
that would laugh and back him up all the way
And this screaming girlfriend who would make believe in everything he'd say
Is this thing working? Is this thing on?
Because then one day this kid, that he'd beat up a couple time before
Realized, to even his own surprise, that he probably could indeed take more
And with that he hatched an evil plan to make that devil pay
He walked up to him, in the middle of the gym,
and he found the nerve to say
"you gonna hit somebody, today? You gonna hit me too.
In fact, you're gonna hit me every day, because now I'm picking on you"
And as crazy as it all might sound right now,
I'm not stopping until I'm through
It's too late to beg for mercy
Is this thing working? Is this thing on?
Because that bully he just laughed and laughed,
of course, and so did all of his friends
And he beat that poor kid unmercifully, for days and days on end
Only….slight less impressively each time,
to that pretty girl, and all of his friends
Who would eventually, secretly, start hoping for that kid to win
So, it this thing working? Is this thing on?
You know, you'll never hear him say this now,
because he thinks we still don't know
But winning this battle every day cost our bully the war a long time ago
And of all the scars he's got to show, for every blow that kid sneaks in
The worst one is probably knowing that tomorrow he's
going to have to get up
And fight that kid again
Is this thing working? Is this thing on?
The lyrics of Todd Snider's song "Is This Thing On?" highlight the damaging effects of bullying and the unexpected consequences of standing up to a bully. The song tells the story of a bully in a high school, who would pick on a different kid everyday, while his friends and girlfriend would support him. However, one day the victim decides to fight back and makes the bully his target, challenging him to hit him every day. The bully laughs it off and beats him up severely for days on end. Despite this, the victim persists in his challenge, and the bully eventually realizes that he has lost the war, even though he wins the daily battles.
Through the lyrics of the song, the singer paints a picture of the power dynamics in high school, where the coolest kids often get away with bad behavior, while the less popular kids struggle to be accepted. The song shows how bullying can become a self-perpetuating cycle, and how standing up to a bully can have both positive and negative consequences. The bully in the song might continue to win the daily battles, but he is left with emotional scars that will last a lifetime.
Todd Snider's "Is This Thing On?" is a powerful commentary on the lasting effects of bullying in school, and the importance of standing up for oneself. The song has resonated with many listeners and has become popular among those who have experienced bullying firsthand. The song's message is one of hope and determination, encouraging victims of bullying to stay strong and persevere despite the challenges they face.
Line by Line Meaning
Is this thing working? Is this thing on?
The artist is using these particular lines as a recurring motif to emphasize a point. He repeats it incessantly throughout the song at various intervals between the story he's telling. The motif is used to suggest that a connection needs to be established because something is not quite right.
In the hallway of a high school, anywhere USA
The artist sets up the backdrop for the story. By saying 'anywhere USA,' he conveys that such bullying incidents could happen anywhere, which makes it more relatable to a broader audience.
There was a bully that would pick on a different kid,
and it seemed like every day
The story starts with the artist describing the situation where a bully would pick on a different kid every day. This description sets up the conflict that the story is going to revolve around.
He had this pack of back slapping buddies,
that would laugh and back him up all the way
And this screaming girlfriend who would make believe in everything he'd say
The artist describes the bully's sidekicks, the 'back-slapping buddies' and his helpful girlfriend who encourages him. This description provides some insights into the psyche of the bully and his motivations.
Because then one day this kid, that he'd beat up a couple times before
Realized, even to his surprise, that he probably could indeed take more
And with that, he hatched an evil plan to make that devil pay
The victim of the bullying, who had been beaten up previously, realizes that he can take more punishment than he first thought. He decides on a revenge plan that some may consider 'evil'.
He walked up to him, in the middle of the gym,
and he found the nerve to say
'you gonna hit somebody, today? You gonna hit me too.
In fact, you're gonna hit me every day, because now I'm picking on you'
The kid confronts the bully in the middle of the gym, stealing the show in the process. He tells the bully that he's going to pick on him every day until he's sufficiently humbled.
And as crazy as it all might sound right now,
I'm not stopping until I'm through
It's too late to beg for mercy
The kid's determination is unwavering, and he pledges to continue until he achieves his goal. By this point, the conflict between both parties has escalated beyond reconciliation.
Because that bully he just laughed and laughed,
of course, and so did all his friends
And he beat that poor kid unmercifully, for days and days on end
Only slight less impressively each time,
to that pretty girl, and all his friends
Who would eventually, secretly, start hoping for that kid to win
The bully laughed at the kid's plan and continues to enforce his reign of terror upon him. Despite that, the audience (and even the bully's girlfriend) secretly starts rooting for the underdog as he keeps getting 'less impressively beat up' every day.
You know, you'll never hear him say this now,
because he thinks we still don't know
But winning this battle every day cost our bully the war a long time ago
And of all the scars he's got to show, for every blow that kid sneaks in
The worst one is probably knowing that tomorrow he's
going to have to get up
And fight that kid again
By the end of the song, it's revealed that the bully, despite laughing throughout the kid's daily ordeals, bears deep emotional, and potentially physical scars. The revelation makes the listener realize that appearances can be deceiving when it comes to bullying scenarios.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: TODD DANIEL SNIDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind