Troy Andrews is the younger brother of trumpeter and bandleader James Andrews . Growing up in New Orleans' Treme neighborhood, "Trombone Shorty" was participating in brass band parades as a child, carrying his trombone even before his arms were long enough to reach all the positions of the slide. Andrews was a bandleader by the age of 6. Originally attracting attention for his youth, by his teens he was attracting attention for his musical virtuosity as well.
He attended the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA). And as a graduate he joined the ranks of others like Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., Irvin Mayfield and Nicholas Payton.
In 2005, he was a featured member of Lenny Kravitz's horn section for a world tour that shared billing with acts such as Aerosmith.
Six weeks after the levees failed in New Orleans on August 29, 2005, some of the city's greatest musicians came to Austin, Texas, to record a benefit CD called Sing Me Back Home at Wire Studios with producers Leo Sacks and Ray Bardani. With their lives in storm-tossed transition, the all-star collective was christened The New Orleans Social Club. Andrews was the featured guest on "Hey Troy, Your Mama's Calling You," a tribute to "Hey Leroy, Your Mama's Calling You" which was a Latin-jazz-soul hit for the Jimmy Castor Bunch on Smash Records in 1966. Andrews also performed on "Where Y'At" as part of The Sixth Ward All-Star Brass Band Revue featuring Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers.
In London, during the summer of 2006, Andrews began working with producer Bob Ezrin and U2 at Abbey Road Studios. This association led to Andrews performing with U2 and Green Day during the re-opening of the New Orleans Superdome for the NFL’s Monday Night Football pre-game show.
To wrap up 2006, Andrews appeared on the NBC television series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Leading a group of New Orleans musicians, he performed the holiday classic "O Holy Night" which drew such an enthusiastic response from viewers that NBC released the single for free download on their web site.
Kicking off 2007, New Orleans’ premier music magazine, Offbeat, named Andrews their Performer of the Year. He also garnered honors as Best Contemporary Jazz Performer.
As of 2009, his current project is Orleans Avenue, a funk/pop/hip-hop mix including musicians Mike Ballard on bass, Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax, Clarence "Trixzéy" Slaughter on tenor sax, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, and Dwayne "Big D" Williams on percussion.
Get The Picture
Trombone Shorty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some get the good, good loving, some got soul
Some get fame, some get greed
But if you got faith, you get what you need
You get what you need, you get what you need
You get what you need
Some people are real loud, some don't say a thing
some people drive, some people?
Some got the blues, I play the funk
(I play the funk) I play the funk
(I play the funk) I play the funk
And when we get to other side, we can't hide
We can't get any richer (Oh, no)
And when you're 6 feet down below
It doesn't matter what's you know
Get the picture, get the picture
The lyrics of Trombone Shorty's "Get the Picture" portray a striking reality of inequality in our society. The song begins with the assertion that some have money and gold, some have love and soul, while others have to suffice with fame and greed. However, according to the artist, those who have faith get what they need. The repetition of this line emphasizes the essence of having faith and being content with what one has instead of always striving for more. He is questioning the values and priorities of society that are often placed on material possessions.
Furthermore, the lyrics describe how some people are extroverted, while others tend to be introverted who accept whatever comes their way. People drive, but as the song suggests, not everyone knows where they are headed. Some may have the blues, but Trombone Shorty counteracts that by playing the funk, emphasizing the importance of not dwelling on melancholy feelings. Therefore, if life gives you the blues, play the funk
In conclusion, the song promotes the idea of appreciating what we have, being content with it, and trying to spread joy in life, embodied in the lyrics "get the picture." Overall, the song highlights the idea of contrasting values in society, with materialistic ideals placed high, and individualism often over community.
Line by Line Meaning
Some got the money, some got the gold
There are people who are lucky enough to have money or gold.
Some get the good, good loving, some got soul
Some people are lucky enough to have love or soul.
Some get fame, some get greed
Some people are famous or greedy.
But if you got faith, you get what you need
However, if you have faith, you will get everything you need.
You get what you need, you get what you need
Having faith guarantees that you always get what you need.
You get what you need
With faith, you always get what you need.
Some people are real loud, some don't say a thing
There are people who are loud and expressive, while others are quiet and reserved.
Some people take what others bring
Some people happily take whatever they are given.
some people drive, some people?
Some people are driving towards their goals, while others may not be as driven.
Some got the blues, I play the funk
Some people may be blue, but I choose to play the upbeat and lively funk music.
(I play the funk) I play the funk
I choose to play the energizing and lively funk music.
(I play the funk) I play the funk
Funk music is what I choose to play.
And when we get to other side, we can't hide
When we die, we cannot hide from the consequences of our actions.
We can't get any richer (Oh, no)
We cannot accumulate wealth after we die.
And when you're 6 feet down below
When you're buried underground.
It doesn't matter what's you know
Your knowledge and skills become irrelevant after you die.
Get the picture, get the picture
Understand the message – life is about having faith and being happy, not about accumulating money, fame or possessions, as everything is pointless when you die.
Writer(s): Pete Murano, Anders Osborne, Raphael Saadiq, Troy Michael Andrews
Contributed by Luke W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hugo Gonçalves
on Fallin'
Linda música ��