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."
Rebirtha
Widespread Panic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Juggling keys to a small red car
Butterflies and bombs fly close
Like she's some Disney movie star
Sipping hopes and loneliness
Since the big leagues left us dry
Birtha, rebirtha sing a sad song
First time
It's not the first time
Last time
No, I know I seen your place before
Maybe in a past life
Or maybe it was just last night
I don't know
Birtha never sang too well
But her stereo shook glass
Leather gripped our bodies
As her toes curled around the gas
Shaking loose out of Kansas
First twenty minutes in black-and-white
Birtha, rebirtha, talk to me, take to me
Ease these troubled times
Won't ever talk too much
She had those television eyes
My gaze never strayed too much
Too much past those eyes
She said, "I know a town where real life's a game
Baseball's all that's real
At night all the faces light up
As the players take the field"
First time
It's not the first time
Last time
No, I know I seen your place before
Maybe in a past time
Maybe it was just last night
Don't just know
Rebirtha strolling across the street
Juggling keys to a small red car
Butterflies and bums fly close
Like she's some Disney movie star
Sippin' hopes and loneliness
Since the big leagues left us dry
Birtha, rebirtha, sweet-talk talk 'em
Soothe these troubled times
Birtha never ever talked too much
Had those television eyes
Said, "We act like what we watch
Like what we act out most the time"
"Gonna take you to a town
Where real life's a game
Baseball is really real
At night all the spirits lighten up
As the heroes take the hill"
First time
It's not the first time
No, I know I seen your place before
Maybe in a past time
Maybe it was just last night
I don't know
The song "Rebirtha" by Widespread Panic tells the story of a woman named Birtha who is going through a difficult time in her life. She is seen strolling across the street, juggling keys to a small red car while butterflies and bombs fly around her, almost like she's in a Disney movie. The lyrics suggest that she is sipping on hope and loneliness since the big leagues left her dry. These lines could mean that she is dealing with a sense of emptiness and disillusionment that comes with the realization that life can be tough and unpredictable at times.
The singer of the song seems to have a connection with Birtha and has seen her before, maybe in a past life or just last night. He talks about how Birtha never sang too well, but her stereo would shake the glass, and her leather would grip their bodies as her toes curled around the gas pedal. The singer is trying to engage with her and get her to talk to him, maybe to ease her troubles.
In the second half of the song, Birtha suggests taking the singer to a town where real life is a game and baseball is all that's real. This could be her way of trying to help him forget his troubles and maybe find some joy in life. The song's repetitive refrain of "First time, it's not the first time, last time, I know I’ve seen your place before" reinforces the idea that these two individuals are somehow connected and have shared experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Rebirtha strolling 'cross the street
Rebirtha walks across the street.
Juggling keys to a small red car
She holds keys to a small red car.
Butterflies and bombs fly close
Like she's some Disney movie star
She feels like a Disney movie star while surrounded by beautiful and dangerous things.
Sipping hopes and loneliness
Since the big leagues left us dry
She sips on the promise of a better future while feeling lonely as opportunities dwindle.
Birtha, rebirtha sing a sad song
Soothe these troubled times
The artist asks Rebirtha to sing a song to help alleviate troubled times.
First time
It's not the first time
Last time
No, I know I seen your place before
Maybe in a past life
Or maybe it was just last night
I don't know
The singer recognizes Rebirtha and feels like he's seen her before, but he doesn't know if it was in a past life or a recent memory.
Birtha never sang too well
But her stereo shook glass
Leather gripped our bodies
As her toes curled around the gas
Rebirtha wasn't a great singer but her music was intense and made the car shake.
Shaking loose out of Kansas
First twenty minutes in black-and-white
Birtha, rebirtha, talk to me, take to me
Ease these troubled times
The artist and Rebirtha drive away from Kansas, leaving behind their old life. The artist asks her to talk to him and help him feel better.
Won't ever talk too much
She had those television eyes
My gaze never strayed too much
Too much past those eyes
Rebirtha doesn't say much, but her eyes are captivating.
She said, "I know a town where real life's a game
Baseball's all that's real
At night all the faces light up
As the players take the field"
Rebirtha tells the artist about a town where baseball is the only thing that matters, and the excitement of the game lights up the town at night.
Rebirtha strolling across the street
Juggling keys to a small red car
Butterflies and bums fly close
Like she's some Disney movie star
Rebirtha walks across the street, holding keys to her car, while beautiful and dangerous things surround her.
Sippin' hopes and loneliness
Since the big leagues left us dry
Birtha, rebirtha, sweet-talk talk 'em
Soothe these troubled times
Rebirtha drinks in hope and deals with loneliness since opportunities have run dry. The artist asks her to sweet-talk and soothe him.
Birtha never ever talked too much
Had those television eyes
Said, "We act like what we watch
Like what we act out most the time"
Rebirtha doesn't talk much, but her captivating eyes speak volumes. She believes that people tend to act like what they see on TV or what they do most of the time.
"Gonna take you to a town
Where real life's a game
Baseball is really real
At night all the spirits lighten up
As the heroes take the hill"
Rebirtha tells the singer she's going to take him to that town, where baseball is life and the players light up the town as they compete.
First time
It's not the first time
No, I know I seen your place before
Maybe in a past time
Maybe it was just last night
I don't know
The singer repeats his thoughts on recognizing Rebirtha, unsure if this is their first meeting, if he's known her in a past life, or if it was very recently.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAN SCOTT WILKINSON, MARTIN NOBLE, MATTHEW JAMES WOOD, NEIL HAMILTON WILKINSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind