Tim Armstrong “Wake Up” (Side One, Track One)
Artist: Tim Armstrong
Album: A Poet’s Life
Side One Track One: “Wake Up”
Marking his fortieth year on planet earth Rancid frontman Tim Armstrong released his first solo album this year entitled A Poet’s Life. The long awaited album celebrates lighthearted ska and delves heavily into melodica-based dub. “Wake Up” delivers a fairly mediocre lyrical base, the chorus being repeated generously in spite of the song’s two verses; but Armstrong’s music has never been heavily swayed by his writing. That thought is a bit humorous considering the album’s title, but when thinking back to his time spent in Operation Ivy, The Transplants or even his ongoing position in Rancid Armstrong has never really been considered that much of a street poet.
Should Have Been Side One Track One: “Into Action”
A Poet’s Life is ultimately carefree sounding as a whole despite its occasionally downtrodden lyrical base. Not to say that “Wake Up” doesn’t get the job done, but the uptempo ska of “Into Action” would have created a much better starting point for the album as it lends a considerable amount of energy to the mix. Additionally Canadian pop singer, and über-contemporary of Avril Lavigne, Skye Sweetnam contributes to the track showcasing the pop sensibilities that go hand in hand with Armstrong’s lighter side.
Tim Armstrong “Wake Up” Lyrics
Wake up you son of a bitch, I wanna know who you’re with. And why do you roll in and night at like six in the morning? I say wake up my love of mine, why do you spend your time with these guys that don’t love you the way that I do.
This time things gonna be changin’, start a new, rearranging. I got a new girl I’m seein’, just like the last one just like the first one. Live for today not tomorrow, keep movin’ away from sorrow, ain’t one to beg or borrow. So listen to me.
Wake up you son of a bitch, I wanna know who you’re with. And why do you roll in at night at like six in the morning? I say wake up my love of mine, why do you spend your time with these guys that don’t love you the way that I do.
Phone call no mistakin’, she starts her head shakin’, eyes open now I’m awake and I’m gonna take it day by day now. Gettin’ high good times rollin’, on the side cities showin’, off somewhere new to be goin’. So keep movin’.
Wake up you son of a bitch, I wanna know who you’re with. And why do you roll in at night at like six in the morning? I say wake up my love of mine, why do you spend your time with these guys that don’t love you the way that I do.
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Picked up his album a few weeks back. I hadn’t heard anything off of it before. I was expecting some heavy punkish stuff which I like. Instead I got mellow reggaeish stuff which I also like. Pretty good cd.
Not bad all around, but…
I was, and still am, a bit hard pressed in terms of listening to the album the entire CD all the way through due to its repetitiveness. Sure, one could say that for the most part, thematic statements aside, much of ska and reggae is repetitive, but this sort of melded together as tracks progressed. I too was expecting more of a harder sound (what has Armstrong done that hasn’t at least touched on it?) though I wasn’t entirely distressed by the result.
i like tim armstrong. sounds like this is the first time that he address his break up from brody dahl. I caught his video on imf.com, the international music feed. they have a decnt catalog of music from artist all ’round the world.
didnt know what to expect, took a bit of listening, but have grown to love this. especially wake up, into action grates on me considerably now.
i think the simplicity is part of the charm. in my car, hungover, drifting off to sleep or getting drunk. this album makes me smile.
if you like it check out the aggrolites.
x
The first time I heard this album I didn’t think twice about it and didn’t really care for it. Months later, I needed a good pick me up and realized I hadn’t heard it in a while and I absolutely love all of Armstrong’s work. So I put it on and it became an instant part of my rotation. It’s simplistic while staying brilliant, where the poetry lies in knowing what he’s talking about and trying to say without him needed to ever actually say it. It’s remarkably more poetic than most musicians who are labeled as poets due to it’s easy going style yet underlying context to every song. Very reminiscent of Joe Strummer’s work with the Mescalaros in how it contrasts his work with The Clash yet doesn’t fall short for a single note.