Houser and Bell ("JB") met at the University of Georgia at Athens between 1982 and 1984, and began playing music together around town as a duet. JB played solo shows as well. In the Fall of 1984, David Schools saw JB play a solo show at Abbots in Athens. Dave and JB were introduced by a mutual friend. Shortly thereafter, JB & Mike recruited Dave to play bass with them, and from Mike's nickname ("Panic"), the band name Widespread Panic was chosen. On February 24, 1985 the band played their first performance as Widespread Panic at the A-Frame house on Weymanda Court in Athens. Mike, JB, & Dave performed around Athens as a trio, occasionally utilizing local drummers. While their shows consisted primarily of cover tunes (by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Van Morrison, Bob Marley, and Traffic, among others), their repertoire did include a handful of original songs: Sleepy Monkey (the band's first original composition), Chilly Water, Space Wrangler, and Coconut (written by JB before joining the band). During this time, the trio also met vocalist Kelly Jo Davis (who is later married to blues guitarist and friend of WP, Tinsley Ellis). Kelly Jo performed frequently with the band throughout 1985 and 1986.
February 6, 1986, Mike recruited high school friend/band mate Todd Nance for a WP gig (an Aid For Africa benefit) at the Mad Hatter Ballroom in Athens, opening for Strawberry Flats (featuring John Keane). This is considered the first "official" Widespread Panic show. Todd evidently had a good time, and accepted their offer to join the band. On February 9, 1985, Mike, Dave, and JB, with Joel Morris on drums and Kelly Jo Davis on backing vocals, recorded Monkey Image (Sleepy Monkey) and Coconut Image (Coconut) at Panoramic Recording Studio in Arnoldsville GA, to be released as their first single. The 45rpm vinyl was released (in a pressing of only 500) shortly thereafter on the band's Space Baby label.
During the rest of 1986, WP played mainly in Athens, though they did branch out to venues in Macon, GA and South Carolina. Early on, they began playing every Monday night at the Uptown Lounge in Athens, a tradition that would last well into 1988. Along the way, they developed a solid batch of original tunes (in addition to the four originals that they played in 1985), including Stop-Go, C. Brown, Tie Your Shoes, Porch Song, Driving Song, Conrad, Vacation, Postcard, the instrumental Machine, and another instrumental jam that JB later adds lyrics to, titled Cardboard Box. On October 6, 1986, Texan percussionist Domingo S. Ortiz ("Sunny"), sat in with the band at the Uptown Lounge for the first time. Sunny continued to perform with the band on numerous occasions in Athens, Macon, and Atlanta, and eventually (late 1988 or early 1989) accepted the band's request for him to join as a full-time member.
During 1987, WP continued to play primarily in Georgia, while steadily spreading out to SC, NC, AL, TN, and as far north as Richmond, VA (Dave Schools' hometown). They developed a few more originals along the way, including Barstools & Dreamers, Contentment Blues, I'm Not Alone, and instrumentals L.a. (aka "Liza's Apartment"), and The Take Out. JB added lyrics to Cardboard Box, and to another instrumental titled "Puppet Song", subsequently renamed Pigeons. Cardboard Box was only played a handful of times before being dropped from the repertoire. In the Fall, the band signed with Landslide Records and recorded their first album, Space Wrangler, at John Keane's Studio in Athens. Guests on the album included Sunny on percussion, David Blackmon on fiddle, Tim White on keyboards, and Alberto Salazarte (of Athens band White Buffalo) on percussion.
In June of 1988, the first known guest appearance of producer John Keane on stage with the band occurred. Usually playing pedal steel, Keane became another regular guest at special Panic shows.
Their debut LP, Space Wrangler, established a small fan base and inaugurated several years of constant touring before the band signed to Capricorn Records and released their major label debut, Widespread Panic in 1991. After appearing with the H.O.R.D.E. tours for a few years, the band became one of the most popular new jam bands that arose in the mid-1990s. Their popularity peaked in the late 1990s/early 2000s, as their concert draw benefited from Phish's temporary hiatus. They still have a large draw in the South, where they are most popular.
Playing as many as 250 shows a year, Panic built a large fan base. True road warriors, Widespread Panic ranked among the top 50 grossing touring acts for eight years running, even without substantial radio airplay, television exposure, or promotion at retail stores. The band holds sellout records at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver (23 shows), Oak Mountain Amphitheatre near Birmingham, Ala. (17 shows), Philips Arena in Atlanta (11 shows), and UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans (18 shows). Not to mention 20 sellouts at San Francisco's Warfield Theatre, seven sellouts across the Bay at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, nine sellouts at Mud Island in Memphis, seven at Memphis' Mid-South Coliseum, and in October 2003 for the popular Halloween shows sold out two concerts at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. To celebrate the release of their first live album, Light Fuse, Get Away, Widespread Panic offered a free "CD release party" concert in the streets of hometown Athens. An estimated 100,000 fans descended on the town, transforming it into the largest CD release party in history.
In August 2002, founding guitarist Michael Houser lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. George McConnell, a long time friend of the band and former Beanland,a Mississippi roots band, member joined in Houser's wake. After Hermann had joined Panic in 1992, McConnell often sat in whenever Panic played in the south. Friends for the past 15 years, Panic and McConnell had often played on the same bill for nearly as long. That longstanding relationship made him the natural choice to continue on with Panic after Michael Houser's death from pancreatic cancer in August of that year. "It's all about chemistry," Schools said. "We've been friends for 15 years." At the end of the summer tour, Panic went back to the studio to record Ball, a testament that, as Houser wished, they would continue as a band.
On August 2, 2006, the band announced that George McConnell would no longer be playing with the band. John Keane, friend and co-producer of many of the bands albums, provided guitar support for the remainder of the tour, along with Sam Holt. Both had been featured contributors in Widespread Panic concerts since the beginning of the Summer 2006 tour. The following day, the band announced that guitarist Jimmy Herring, who had previously been a member of the 1990s band the Aquarium Rescue Unit and had toured with The Allman Brothers Band and members of The Grateful Dead, would join the band, beginning with the first show of the Fall 2006 tour at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.
The band has sold over 3 million albums, and released a total of 15 CDs and five DVDs (including Live at Oak Mountain, which is certified Gold).
In June 2006, their 9th and most recent studio album, Earth to America, was released. Earth to America was recorded with Terry Manning in Nassau, Bahamas at the beautiful Compass Point Studios.
In late 2006, Fayetteville, NC native Jimmy Herring took over the reins of the lead guitarist in the band, kicking off their fall tour with three nights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York.
Panic’s 7th annual New Year’s shows on December 30 and 31 of 2007, marked their 15th and 16th sellout performance at Philips Arena.
The band released their 10th album, Free Somehow, on February 12, 2008. It, too, was recorded with producer Terry Manning at Compass Point Studios.
Following the release of the new studio album, Widespread Panic began to release vintage concert performances from the Widespread Panic Archives. Carbondale 2000 was released on June 10, 2008, followed by Valdosta 1989 released on February 24, 2009, and Huntsville 1996 released on June 23, 2009. The band will continue to dig into their show archives, which encompasses the past 25 years, and release these shows as multi-track recordings.
June 27, 2008, marked the band's 32nd sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheater. This was more than any other band in the venue's history. Mayor John Hickenlooper proclaimed Friday, June 27 "Widespread Panic Day" in the City and County of Denver. The same year, Widespread Panic was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September 20.
The band continued to tour throughout the rest of 2008 and the spring of 2009. In the summer of 2009, Widespread Panic teamed up with fellow southern rockers, The Allman Brothers to do a summer and fall co-headlining tour.
In March 2010, it was announced that Widespread Panic would be releasing a new album entitled Dirty Side Down on May 25, 2010. The band is also releasing Live in the Classic City II, containing music from its 2000 shows.
On September 29, 2010, Widespread keyboardist Jojo Herman announced that the band would be going on hiatus in 2012. In an interview with the Vanderbilt Hustler, Herman explained, "Next year will be our 25th anniversary. After that, we're probably going to call it (quits) for awhile. So we're looking forward to next year and going out on a high note."
Let's Get the Show on the Road
Widespread Panic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the curtain take a bow
New Haven just a rendezvous to take you to
A lover who was then but never now
And Susan paid the lady
Who called the players' song
Just a figurine of stagehand reveries
Let's get the show on the road, babe
The spotlight's on the stage
Somehow it seems that I heard these words before
Did you forget to turn the page?
Just remember what they told you
About how the show goes on
How can you come back if you've never been away?
How can you sing without a song?
And today is for sale and it's all you can afford
Buy your own admission
The whole things got you bored
Well the Lord chooses the good ones
And the bad ones use the Lord
Let's get the show on the road, babe
Won't you take a look a round?
It seems so easy climbing to the top
You better know the way back down
I can't believe you really stumbled
But I always knew you'd fall
It seems so easy to say I knew you when
I'd rather it was not at all
And today is for sale and it's all you can afford
Buy your own admission
The whole things got you bored
Well the Lord chooses the good ones
And the bad ones use the Lord
The lyrics to Widespread Panic's song "Let's Get the Show on the Road" appear to be about the world of entertainment and the struggles that come with trying to make it big while staying true to oneself. The first verse sets the stage for the journey, with the singer urging the listener to "get the show on the road" and take a bow at the start, as if the journey has already begun. The mention of New Haven as a rendezvous point suggests that this journey is not just a physical one, but an emotional one as well, perhaps involving a relationship that is no longer there.
The second verse seems to be referencing the behind-the-scenes world of the entertainment industry. The mention of Susan paying the lady who called the players' song is mysterious, but could be a reference to someone paying off a promoter or agent to get ahead. The line "just a figurine of stagehand reveries" suggests that these people are just pawns in the larger scheme of things, and that those who are "up-and-coming" may not be as innocent as they seem.
The chorus repeats the phrase "let's get the show on the road" and suggests that the journey is taking place "onstage" or in the public eye. The line "did you forget to turn the page?" implies that something has been missed or overlooked, and that the singer is urging the listener to pay attention and be present in the moment. The third verse delves deeper into the struggle of staying true to oneself in the entertainment world. The line "how can you come back if you've never been away?" suggests that success may require playing a character or persona that is not really who the performer is. The line "how can you sing without a song?" emphasizes the need for authenticity and originality, even in a world where imitation is often rewarded.
The final verse repeats the idea that "today is for sale" and suggests that the entertainment industry is not always what it seems. The line "the bad ones use the Lord" implies that some people will do anything to get ahead, even invoking religion to manipulate others. The final line about knowing the way back down suggests that the journey to success is not one-way, and that it is important to remember where you came from.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's get the show on the road
It's time to start the show and get things moving.
At the curtain take a bow
Acknowledge the audience and take a bow when the show is over.
New Haven just a rendezvous to take you to
A meeting place to take you to another destination.
A lover who was then but never now
Someone who was once a lover, but not anymore.
And Susan paid the lady
Susan paid the female who called the song for the players.
Who called the players' song
The lady who called the song for the game or show was paid by Susan.
Just a figurine of stagehand reveries
A small ornamental statue inspired by the dreams of stagehands.
I guess up-and-coming can't be that wrong
It's not wrong to be ambitious and want to rise to success.
The spotlight's on the stage
The focus of attention is on the stage where the performance is happening.
Somehow it seems that I heard these words before
These words seem familiar and have been heard before.
Did you forget to turn the page?
Did you forget to move on from the past and turn to new beginnings?
Just remember what they told you
Remember what they said about how the show must go on.
About how the show goes on
About how the performance must keep going despite any issues, errors or challenge.
How can you come back if you've never been away?
How can you make a comeback if you have not taken any break or faced any obstacles in the first place?
How can you sing without a song?
How can you deliver an excellent performance without proper preparations, practice or the necessary props?
And today is for sale and it's all you can afford
Today is for sale, but you have a limited budget and cannot afford much.
Buy your own admission
Purchase your own ticket or entry.
The whole things got you bored
The event or situation is not as exciting or interesting as you hoped.
Well the Lord chooses the good ones
The Lord selects deserving good ones for success or rewards.
And the bad ones use the Lord
The less deserving or undeserving people manipulate the Lord or his teachings for their gain.
Won't you take a look a round?
Will you look around and observe your surroundings?
It seems so easy climbing to the top
Achieving success and reaching the peak often appears easy but is quite challenging.
You better know the way back down
It's important to know how to handle failure or changes and not get stuck when things don't work out.
I can't believe you really stumbled
I'm surprised that you made a mistake or faced a setback.
But I always knew you'd fall
I always knew that you were likely to fall or fail eventually.
It seems so easy to say I knew you when
It's effortless to claim I knew or supported you when you were less successful or famous.
I'd rather it was not at all
I'd rather things didn't happen or I didn't know you at all.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stacey Adams
No better tribute to the talent of Michael Stanley than to cover his songs. RIP Michael.
Tree
LOVE this song!!! Even though they didn't write it, they certainly did it justice!!!
flabeachcomber
It's good. But MSB cannot be beat on this one. Especially the way Michael Stanley sings it.
Big Mac
Great, great song. Godspeed Michael Stanley.
Seventysounds
Good version, but in my opinion the original from Michael Stanley can not be beat.
Wandering Crow
Seventysounds True but I love both Stanley for the more laid back and wsp for more upbeat
hazard x
I saw Michael Stanley Band live in 1976-77 ish....small 3200 seat venue. Excellent show!!! I love W.P. and a lot of the time their cover is more enjoyable than the original but in this case, I agree with you, the original is my favorite. That said, I have replayed this version three times just now.
Mike Chavez
I remember hearing this for the first time on live from the classic city. It's one of my all time faves amongst so many other songs this group has put out. I'm so grateful to have been introduced to WSP. A musical companion in my life for the last 21 years. Hopefully many more. Thanks for the tunes and memories.
Thomas Hall
Been since the summer of 98 I been listening.Raliegh NC that summer my first show they just get better with age like good wine
Denise Dalton
"I grew up making out to this song"~JB ❣️