In a relatively short time period, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, Tommy Castro has gone from playing local venues to international fame. For at least two years, he has even been a part of the B.B. King Festival Tour, which this year played thirty-nine different domestic venues. He has also been the house band on NBC-TV’s Comedy Showcase, for three seasons. Working as the house band on NBC’s Comedy Showcase, airing after Saturday Night Live, only boosted his visibility and name value. Castro’s music has also been featured in network television programs such as “Nash Bridges” and “The Young and the Restless.” He has won regional awards and has been featured on the cover of a national blues magazine, “Blues Revue.”
Born and raised in San Jose, CA, Castro started playing guitar at the tender age of ten. Initially inspired by Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, and Elvin Bishop, he started the inevitable journey into the roots of his heroes and discovered and quickly became enamored of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and Freddie King. His vocal styling came from constant listening to Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Otis Redding.
Castro spent many years playing with bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. Castro joined Warner Brothers artists The Dynatones in the late 1980s. The much-loved rocking soul band had a huge fan base and toured the U.S. constantly. He honed his chops with the band on the road for two years, performing live all across the country and backing major artists like Carla Thomas and Albert King.
Returning to San Francisco, he formed the Tommy Castro Band in 1991, which was named Club Band Of The Year for the Bay Area in 1993, and again in 1994. Regular band members have included Randy MacDonald (bass/vocals), Keith Crossan (saxophone/vocals), Billy Lee Lewis (drums/vocals), and Chris Sandoval (drums/percussion).
In 1997, he won Bammies for Outstanding Blues Musician and for Outstanding Blues Album for his debut release on Blind Pig Records, Exception to the Rule. The band continued to record with Blind Pig over several albums. Can’t Keep A Good Man Down received continuous airplay and regular fan requests on well over 400 radio stations nationwide.
Live at the Fillmore was released in early 2000, and with everyone from industry insiders to B.B. King singing his praises, Castro appeared to be headed for bigger and better things. Blind Pig closed the books on their association with Castro in 2002 by releasing the career retrospective The Essential Tommy Castro.
In 2001 the Tommy Castro Band moved over to 33rd Street Records for Guilty Of Love and then to Heart And Soul for 2003’s Gratitude, a cover album of Castro’s greatest heroes, followed by Triple Trouble (with Jimmy Hall and Lloyd Jones) later that same year from Telarc.
The eclectic flavour of 2005’s Soul Shaker, marking his return to Blind Pig, featured more original compositions from Castro, who wrote or co-wrote all the tracks. Although horns and guitars still dominated, the fusion was more varied. Notable tracks included the wistful “Anytime Soon” and “The Crossanova”, characterised by Crossan’s funky flute.
Tommy Castro and his brilliant band have captured a hold of legions of fans and critics alike around the world with their mesmerizing blend of rock, blues and Memphis soul. On the next release – Painkiller – they continued to explore the boundaries of American roots music.
On this CD, Castro teamed up with producer John Porter, renowned for his work with a Who’s Who list of artists such as Los Lonely Boys, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Santana, B.B. King, Elvis Costello, adn Buddy Guy. Said Castro, “When I started looking for a producer, I realized that John had produced some of my favorite records of the last ten years. After working with him in the studio, I understand now why that is. With John, everything just seems to be right; all the parts work and flow together.” With the Tommy Castro Band anchoring the sessions, Porter fashioned a most tasteful album from the many talented parts of Castro’s patented rock ‘n’ soul music. Special guests Coco Montoya, Angela Strehli, David Maxwell, and Teresa James join the fun.
In 2009, Alligator Records has set an August 11 street date for Hard Believer, the label debut from Tommy Castro.
It Is What It Is
Tommy Castro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I′ve been obnoxious, I've been unconscious
I′ve been all kinds of things that are hard to spell
I've been unruly, speaking truly
I've been so cool I can hardly even stand myself
I′ve been a monster without a sponsor
I′ve been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
And when my mixture was right, I was a nice bunch of guys
I am what I am 'cause I ain′t what I used to be
It is what it is 'cause it ain′t what it used to be
I was a mover, I was a shaker
You had a girlfriend, I'd try to snake her
I've been mysterious, I′ve been delirious
I′ve been so weird, it would have killed a normal man
I wanted money, I wanted power
I want a monument, kind of like the Eifel Tower
I've been lost at sea, I′ve been lost in space
And when I fall in love, I fall all over the place
I am what I am 'cause I ain′t what I used to be
'Cause it it what it is but it ain′t what it used to be
Now you can go on forever making the same mistakes
Stand up on your hind legs and change your fate
Go on and do it 'til you finally see
What it is that it was that you don't want to be
Yeah!
SOLO
I was a outlaw, I was an in-law
I was a scapegoat; that was the last straw
I hit the highway, singing "My Way"
But it wound up sounding like "You′ll Never Walk Alone"
I had a story, reflected glory
That′s the way I've been seen for most of my life
I heart the laughter up in the rafters
But I never, ever thought the joke was on me
I am what I am ′cause I ain't what I used to be
It is what it is ′cause it ain't what it used to be
Oh, yeah. No more, no more
It is what it is, baby. It ain′t what it used to be. No, no, no
Yeah, yeah
I am what I am, baby
Tommy Castro's song "It Is What It Is" is a narrative of the singer's past life experiences and the things he has done in his life. The lyrics express a message of self-acceptance, self-awareness, and being accountable for one's actions. Castro sings about the times when he has been a monster without a sponsor, delirious, mysterious, and when he wanted to be famous, and have money and power. He admits to being obnoxious, unconscious, and all sorts of things that are hard to spell. However, he takes responsibility for his past actions and declares, "I am what I am 'cause I ain′t what I used to be, it is what it is 'cause it ain′t what it used to be." The lyrics also urge listeners to change their habits and avoid repeating past mistakes to create a better future.
In summary, Tommy Castro's "It Is What It Is" is a song about accepting oneself and acknowledging the past, the good and the bad, and moving forward. It is a reminder to be responsible for one's actions and take accountability, ultimately leading to a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve been obnoxious, I've been unconscious
I have behaved rudely and careless without paying attention to my actions and its consequences
I’ve been all kinds of things that are hard to spell
I have been so erratic and inconsistent that it's hard to explain my behavior
I've been unruly, speaking truly
I've been disobedient, but my words have been honest and truthful
I've been so cool I can hardly even stand myself
I've been so confident and relaxed about myself that it's hard to tolerate
I’ve been a monster without a sponsor
I've been behaving like a monster without anyone to support or guide me
I've been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
I’ve displayed two sides of my personality, one being good and the other being evil, like in the novel “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”
I've been a goner, I’ve been a loner
I’ve been lost and alone, without the presence of anyone to support or guide me
And when my mixture was right, I was a nice bunch of guys
When my thoughts and actions were in harmony, I was a great person to be around
I am what I am 'cause I ain’t what I used to be
My past experiences shaped who I am today and I have changed as a person since then
It is what it is 'cause it ain’t what it used to be
The current situation or reality is not the same as it was in the past
I was a mover, I was a shaker
I was a person who influenced and impacted events, situations or people around me
You had a girlfriend, I'd try to snake her
I would try to steal someone's girlfriend from them
I’ve been so weird, it would have killed a normal man
I’ve been so eccentric and odd in my behavior that it would have been difficult for someone normal to handle
I wanted money, I wanted power
I desired wealth and control over people or things
I want a monument, kind of like the Eifel Tower
I aspire to have something grand and iconic, like the Eiffel Tower, as a tribute to myself
I’ve been lost at sea, I've been lost in space
I’ve been in situations where I was completely lost and confused, without direction or purpose
And when I fall in love, I fall all over the place
I tend to lose control and become infatuated when I am in love
Now you can go on forever making the same mistakes
You have the option to continue making repetitive errors for an indefinite period
Stand up on your hind legs and change your fate
Take a stand and change your future by taking control and making better decisions
Go on and do it 'til you finally see
Keep persisting until you see a positive outcome or change in yourself
What it is that it was that you don't want to be
Identify and change the characteristics or qualities that you dislike about yourself
I was a outlaw, I was an in-law
I’ve been lawless and also part of a family or group by law
I was a scapegoat; that was the last straw
I’ve been made a scapegoat or the fall guy, and that was the final and unbearable negative event
I hit the highway, singing 'My Way'
I escaped or left quickly, singing Sinatra's famous song 'My Way'
But it wound up sounding like 'You'll Never Walk Alone'
My attempt to be strong and independent ended up sounding like the emotional song 'You'll Never Walk Alone'
I had a story, reflected glory
I had a narrative or experience, and the resulting credit or admiration reflected back onto me
But I never, ever thought the joke was on me
I’ve been oblivious to the fact that the situation or joke was directed towards me and my shortcomings
No more, no more
I don't want to experience that again, never again
It is what it is, baby. It ain’t what it used to be. No, no, no
The present reality is not what it was in the past
Yeah, yeah
An exclamation for support or agreement
I am what I am, baby
I am who I am, and I am satisfied with that
Writer(s): Turner Stephen Bruton, John Fleming
Contributed by Caden T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.