<… Read Full Bio ↴Wide Mouth Mason is Shaun Verreault, Gordie Johnson, and Safwan Javed.
From the "Paris of the prairies" (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada) comes the the power trio known as Wide Mouth Mason (WMM). Currently, the lineup is comprised of Shaun Verreault, Gordie Johnson, and Safwan Javed.
The original line-up featured Shaun, Safwan, and Earl Pereira, who began playing together in 1993, and their first performances as Wide Mouth Mason coming approximately two years later. As Wide Mouth Mason, the three young men from Saskatoon began to build a fan base, the guys taking their band name from jars of the same name that they once used to drink from. In April 2010, Earl decided to pursue other musical opportunities with his band Mobadass. In February 2011, Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady) officially joined Wide Mouth Mason as bassist and vocals after helping Safwan and Shaun out in the same role on 2010 gigs.
From their beginnings performing in rural Alberta in 1995, Wide Mouth Mason has seen its fan base grow in Canada and extend to other areas of the world such as the United States and in Europe... as well as becoming one of the first North American bands to tour China in the 21st century. With each new fan gained often quick to share the discovery of Wide Mouth Mason's music with others who have yet to hear the band's music. While Wide Mouth Mason's studio catalogue provide musical snapshots of a band's journey and growth, it is the opportunity of hearing the guys perform live that is something not easily described or captured, only experienced.
Wide Mouth Mason has opened for such groups as AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, The Guess Who, and have gained more fans with each performance along the way. They've played at many different music festivals, including the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Each time the three of them perform, Wide Mouth Mason has ably demonstrated at each instance the innate ability to tailor their performance to the size of their audience and the environment created with each subtle nuance of a music fan enjoying the band's music. Wide Mouth Mason has the rare ability to not just sense the music the audience is hoping to hear but to also often surprise even the most jaded listener with their versatility and range.
Wide Mouth Mason has been a touring band for ten years, during which time they've released four major label records (Warner, and Warner/Atlantic), as well as an independent (Brownsound). They currently have a new record out on Curve Records. Their sound is influenced by a number of sources, and they've sold over 175,000 units worldwide, having received gold records twice in Canada, in addition to 7 Prairie Music Awards, 2 Canadian Radio Music Awards, 1 Western Canadian Music Award, and 2 Juno nominations.
Wide Mouth Mason has gained a plethora of accolades and notoriety for live performances in Canada, and abroad. In having played over 1000 shows, Wide Mouth Mason are seasoned performers who've earned a reputation that precedes them. The touring resume includes shows with: the Rolling Stones (5 shows--Canada/U.S.), AC/DC (28 shows--Canada/U.S.), ZZ Top (10 shows--Canada), George Thoroughgood (20 shows--Canada/U.S.), Kenny Wayne Shephard (23 shows--U.S.), the Guess Who (15 shows--Canada), Van Morrison, De La Soul, Alanis Morissette, Nickelback, Remy Shand, and countless more. The band has played the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland (twice), Nashville River Stages, and Edgefest-Canada. They were the first rock band from outside of the Pacific Rim to play concerts in China (2002).
Wide Mouth Mason have had great success at rock radio in Canada. They have had numerous top 10 and top 20 songs, including: a number 3 (Midnight Rain), a number 5 (Why), a number 7 (Smile), a number 10 (My Old Self), and a number 15 (This Mourning). The songs of Wide Mouth Mason have shown themselves to be easily embraced by radio listeners and programmers. Wide Mouth Mason has had a brilliant relationship with other media as well. Of the ten music videos they've made, all have received regular rotation on MuchMusic Canada, MuchMore Music Canada, and MTV Canada. Four videos have reached top 15 in video charting. They've earned critical acclaim throughout their career, in every territory they've set foot in.
Wide Mouth Mason has a publishing deal in place with Warner-Chappel. The band's music has been featured in feature film soundtracks, and they were chosen to perform in the blockbuster 'the Recruit' (starring Colin Farrell).
There exists a substantial and well established Wide Mouth Mason fan base. A large percentage of this fan base has forged a tight knit internet community (www.widemouthmason.net). This group has become the impetus for numerous promotional campaigns (i.e. street teams, etc.). The band also maintains a sold web presence via such sites as MP3.com, www.widemouthmason.com (the official band website), and www.widemouthmason.net (the official fan network website).
Scratch
Wide Mouth Mason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah I think I see it now
All the mommas yelling "Baby come back!"
Oil
Money
Water
Air and guns
Yelling, "Come and get it"
Yeah they had you scared and
Waiting
To scratch an itchy trigger finger
For a while now
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You're gonna
A strong arm'll come and pick it up
With a sponsor on the truck
And the cameras rolling "Baby come back!"
God thinks you ought to do it
Television get you to it
Stuff it in your mouth you blew it
Yeah they had you scared and
Waiting
To scratch an itchy trigger finger
Won't you try it now
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You're gonna
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You're gonna
Oh
Is it back
On again
I've seen this one
Here's the part
They fall in love
It's all alright
In black and white
A perfect girl
A perfect boy
A silver spoon
A pretty toy
It's just enough
It's just enough
It's just enough
It's just enough
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You're gonna
Waiting
And the joker's got 'em rolling in the aisles now
Waiting
To scratch an itchy trigger finger won't you try it now
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You'll scratch it off
You're gonna
The lyrics to Wide Mouth Mason's song Scratch appear to be about the destructive nature of greed and how it leads people to sacrifice their own well-being and values for a chance at wealth and power. The opening line "Stand back the wreck is going down" suggests an impending disaster, possibly related to the themes of money, oil, water, air, and guns mentioned in later lines. The phrase "All the mommas yelling 'Baby come back!'" could be interpreted as a warning to those who have given into greed, urging them to abandon their destructive pursuits before it is too late.
The chorus "You'll scratch it off, you're gonna" seems to refer to the itch of temptation that comes with the lure of wealth and power. The verses suggest that this itch is being manipulated by outside forces such as the media and corporations, who are pushing individuals to scratch their itch and give into their greed. The line "God thinks you ought to do it, television get you to it" suggests a critique of the way that religion and the media can be used to justify and promote destructive behavior.
The bridge "Is it back, on again" seems to reference the cycle of destruction that results from greed, where individuals keep pursuing wealth and power even though it leads to disaster. The line "They fall in love, it's all alright - in black and white, a perfect girl, a perfect boy" could be interpreted as a reference to the way that the media often glorifies wealth and power, presenting it as the key to a perfect life.
Overall, the lyrics to Scratch seem to offer a warning about the dangers of greed and the importance of resisting the temptation to pursue wealth at any cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand back the wreck is going down
Get out of the way, because things are about to fall apart
Yeah I think I see it now
The singer has finally recognized the impending disaster
All the mommas yelling "Baby come back!"
People are realizing the severity of the situation and begging for help or safety
Oil
One of the many resources that people value and are willing to fight for, even to the point of destruction
Money
Another resource that motivates people to act recklessly, with greed as their only guide
Water
A valuable and limited resource that people will go to great lengths to secure for themselves at the expense of others
Air and guns
Two distinct yet equally powerful elements that can cause devastation or provide protection
Everybody want a piece
There is fierce competition for these resources, and everyone wants a share
Yelling, "Come and get it"
People are advertising their willingness to fight for these resources and daring others to challenge them
Yeah they had you scared and
The people in power have used fear to manipulate others and convince them to act in certain ways
Waiting
Many people have been biding their time, anticipating the opportunity to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs
To scratch an itchy trigger finger
There are people who are itching for a chance to use violence and force to get what they want
For a while now
This desire has been building up for some time, and people have been preparing themselves accordingly
You'll scratch it off
People will eventually act on these desires and resort to violence and aggression
A strong arm'll come and pick it up
Those in power will swoop in and seize the resources that others have fought for
With a sponsor on the truck
This ruthless seizing of resources is often sponsored by corporations or other powerful entities
And the cameras rolling "Baby come back!"
The media will spin the situation to make it seem like they are on the side of the people, even as they exploit the chaos for their own benefit
God thinks you ought to do it
There are those who will use religion to justify their actions and convince others to follow their lead
Television get you to it
The media will use manipulation and propaganda to control the masses and convince them to act in certain ways
Stuff it in your mouth you blew it
Those in power will use force to suppress dissent or opposition from those who realize they have been deceived
Oh
The situation has become dire and there seems to be little hope
Is it back
Despite the chaos and destruction, the cycle of exploitation and abuse is likely to continue
On again
The situation will repeat itself, with powerful individuals and organizations continuing to benefit at the expense of the many
I've seen this one
The artist has observed this pattern of violence and exploitation before, and knows that it is unlikely to end anytime soon
Here's the part
The singer understands the sequence of events that will unfold and can predict what will happen next
They fall in love
The media will try to distract people with shallow, unrealistic fantasies of happy endings and true love
It's all alright
Despite the destruction and loss of resources, the people in power will claim that everything is fine and under control
In black and white
The media will simplify and distort the truth, presenting everything in binary terms of good vs. evil, us vs. them
A perfect girl
The media will depict women as idealized objects of desire, rather than people with their own thoughts and feelings
A perfect boy
Men will be portrayed as strong and heroic, but also emotionally stunted and unable to connect meaningfully with others
A silver spoon
Those born into wealth and privilege will continue to reap the benefits of a rigged system, while the less fortunate struggle to survive
A pretty toy
The people in power will continue to treat resources as frivolous playthings, rather than valuable necessities
It's just enough
The people in power will attempt to placate the masses with small, meaningless concessions, while still hoarding the lion's share of resources for themselves
And the joker's got 'em rolling in the aisles now
Those in power will use humor or distraction to deflect criticism and keep the public from noticing the true extent of their corruption
Won't you try it now
Those who have been waiting to seize resources will eventually reach their breaking point and resort to violence and aggression
Contributed by Liliana N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.