Yeah made my day as well it's always cool seeing someone hear Ska for the first time i took a friend to a SKA gig she had never heard it before that night also she used to be a jazz/hip hop dancer when she went up front of stage for a dance i could see her having trouble with with the off beat and once she had a handle on it she was SKANKING IT WAS AWESOME TO WACHT AFTER THE GIG SHE WAS A BIT PISSED /DRUNK. DRIVING HER HOME I SAID WITHOUT THINKING CARINA GIRL YOU WERE SKANKING HARD OUT TONIGHT AND FAST AS A SPEEDING BULLET SLAP I'M NOT AN F ING SKANK THAT SLAP WAS BURNING FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR DID I MENTION SHE USED TO HOLD THE RANK OF BLACK Belt in shotokan karate we still laugh about it years later
ONE OF US! ONE OF US! The "knock on wood" thing is a superstition for when you're talking about other people's misfortunes. It's about not inviting that tragedy into your own life. It's also a good way to remind people that, as the song (partially) says, "there, but for the grace of God, go I" (ie. bad shit can happen randomly, and you could be next, so have some compassion for those suffering now. Don't treat the pain of others as entertainment).
That's a hard call late 70s English two tone is pretty hard to match and then go back way back to the Skatalites Stranger Cole who i meet year's ago and he gave me the set list and signed it Desmond Dekker. Toots and the maytals even uncle Bob marley was a rude boy
The Bosstones put out a lot of fun ska/ska-influenced music. "Where'd you go?" is definitely another one Lex would 100% love. "Royal Oil" and "Rascal King" are great as well.
These guys were so fun to see live. Entire band seemed like they were pure energy on stage. Wasn't a fan before I saw them the first time, became a huge fan after that.
Yep, this is definitely a ska song- which makes it interesting that you said it had a “tropical” vibe, because ska originated in Jamaica. And yeah, the Bosstones are a fun band. They’ve been around for a long time now. And they have the interesting distinction of having a band member who does nothing but dance. Apparently, he used to hang out at their practices and would always dance, and it got the band’s energy going so much that they decided to make him a permanent member. Oh, and their lead singer, Dickey Barrett, is the announcer on Jimmy Kimmel.
Where was the term reggae used in the initial comment? Oh wait, it’s not. So while you’re right. You just felt the need to say something to appear correct, and OP was wrong, but that’s not the case. He never claimed reggae came before ska.
The story that I had heard was that when they first started performing Ben Carr wasn't old enough to get into the bars they would play at, but if he was a member of the band they'd let him in, so they made him the Bosstone.
This is a song about a friend of Dickie, the lead singer, testing positive for AIDS. "Knock on wood" is the test then he says "Not a coward just never been tested..." Really deep song for how amazingly upbeat it is
I was just thinking about putting in a request for this song this very morning, and lo and behold! I agree, it's a song about gratitude - he's never had it as bad as many out there, he's not sure how he'd deal with the same awful situations, and he's glad he's not (yet) had to find out. Add the terrific ska beat behind it, and it's one of my favourite songs - especially as an alarm clock, gets me up and going on days when few other things will. Keep on doing what you're doing, guys!
I so happy you guys reacting to The Mighty Mighty. My brother recently passed away and this was one of our favorite bands to listen to and see. Thanks guys. I’m sorry I didn’t watch the live stream.
I use to do a Radio show 5 or 6 days a week and ended every show with the BOSSTONES song You Gotta Go. My dog would hang out for the whole show and as soon as I started that song she would stand and stretch and head for the door, she knew we were done.
Just gonna point out, this band is so good, is so tight... after almost 30 years they are almost the same lineup. It's friends playing music together for their whole lives. They have a full band member who doesn't pay any instruments. He doesn't sing either. He dances. On stage. And in the studio. Every time. He's credited on studio albums just like live ones. THAT's how you treat your friends!
Ben Carr according to wikipedia he's credited as dancer, backing vocals, percussion, tour manager and "Bosstone" (1983-2004, 2007-2022) so basically the friend who isnt very talented but is extremely reliable.
@@Toastybees BEES AND TOAST yes my family is from the island of Barbados calypso soca and Ska was early forms of west Indian music my grandfather has the old 33s records of traditional west Indian folk music
@@makomarquis makomarquis that's the beginning but after the music started to take shape then the traditional sounds that makes up Ska reggae calypso soca music there's even an east indian influence because Trinidad and Tobago have a large Indian population that mix with the black Trinidadians Nicki Manji is a Cooley a half black half Indian Trinidadian i was born on the island of Barbados so any form of Caribbean music was imported back & forth through out the west indies and the UK.
The chorus of this song is probably the most misunderstood part because... most people don't realize there should be a comma after "had to, knock on wood..." He's answering his verse, which is a question. Example: "Have you ever been close to tragedy or been close to folks who have? I never had to,...knock on wood..." The rest of the verse includes his internal reflection if he did would he be able to handle it. "I'm not a coward, I've just never been tested. I'd like to think that if I was, I would pass." Give it another listen with this in mind and the song makes A LOT more sense. The message will be quite clear. Thank you for letting us be a part of your musical journey. Watching you discover this great music reminds me of when my mind was blown by this stuff years ago! Regards, from Orlando!
For some reason i never got into a lot of the 90's ska, but i did always love this song, and Goldfinger, Suicide Machines, and Voodoo Glow Skulls. Thats some quality ska.
There's so much phenomenal ska to check out. Operation Ivy, Rancid, Streetlight Manifesto/Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Madcaddies, etc.
👍🏻For the Voodoo Glow Skulls! At one of their shows in the early 90s, the singer wondered outloud to the audience "I don't know why they always book us with ska bands. I f*****g HATE ska. It sounds like f*****g circus music". Then proceeded to lay down the punky skank.
@@gregclarke2183 Catch-22, Expendables, No Doubt, Pietasters, Rx Bandits, Capdown, Interrupters, Random Hand. I couldn't even pick one song from most of them. Let's hope they just go all the way down the skahole, lol.
@@psilocinesthesia the Specials, the Busters, the Aquabats, the Skoidats, etc. Haha! Ska is as diverse as rock. The Planet Smashers have always been my fav though. Canadian ska legends!
Love this song. Fun stuff from the 90s. "I've never been tested by hard times, knock on wood, but I know others who have and I wonder if I would rise or fall?" That's the question that I get from this song. My dad was tested by war, but my military service was in peacetime. My grandfather was born in a earth dugout on a farm in Kansas and he made a life for himself and ended life a very good man. My life has been one of ease, in relative terms. Would I pass those tests? Or worse? That's the question.
This song was ALLLLLL over alt-rock radio in the summer of 97. I was on a road trip, Indiana to Rhode Island, and that was one of a handful of songs that we just heard *everywhere* that summer. Including MTV. For a band that had been playing for years, especially in the New England area, it was a big deal. I met Dicky, their lead singer, at a festival a few years later. While I was talking to the guys from Flogging Molly, he just came over to tell them good job on their set. He was cool...talked to all of us, signed my ticket stub, said he liked my Misfits and Dead Kennedys tattoos. haha He definitely was a punk type guy, even though he wore a tie on stage. He always had a punk kind of grit to his vocals.
In this episode of Brad & Lex, lets get giddy! That mighty Mighty Bosstones sound is the sound that sounds off like an alarm under the couch couples as*es bringing Lex to "bop" mania with included forearm and "shoulder work". Brad steers the ship but doesn't rock the boat too much but isn't reluctant to offer his signature "side to side sway".
To clear up the confusion: You knock on wood so things don't get worse as they are already bad, and the singer is mentioning that he isn't sure how people in certain positions can rise up to the occasion and that scares him and he hopes he is never asked to do that as well because things would have to be really bad for him to need to rise up but he will do his best if called to action. He respects the ones who can rise up and he even knows a few of them and he is in awe of the drive to push through even if things are getting worse around you. It's a really great song that I think shaped most of the people who listened to and internalized the meaning behind the lyrics.
Favourite band , even have a Bosstones Tattoo. Songs about being thankful that you've never experienced the hardships that others have and wondering how you would react if you were in their shoes.
My all-time favorite band! Sadly I just read a notice that they are officially retired. I wish I could have seen them live just one more time! The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were major players in the 3rd wave ska movement of the 90's (which included bands like No Doubt). They blended the elements of both ska and punk to produce that unique sound! I highly recommend checking out their cover of the song "Simmer Down", "Where did you go", "Old School off the Bright" and "Don't Know how to Party". If you enjoyed "The Impression that I Get", you won't be disappointed!
@@stephenmcnamara8318 I just read not long ago that Dicky was in a new band with some other vaccine-afeared folks that were no longer with their old bands, like the drummer from Offspring (can you imagine being vocally anti-vax when the lead singer of your band did his PhD dissertation on the mRNA properties of the HIV virus? Hold whatever views you want, but geez, be aware of your surroundings).
There was a very, very, very short lived new era "Big Band" phase in the mid 90's with groups such as Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Reel Big Fish, etc hitting the scene. I grew up with my Grandfather play Big Band music (Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, etc) so naturally this style was a hit with me immediately.
The Butler University Pep Band plays this at every basketball game. The song is about him having a privileged life and not being in a situation where he has had to knock on wood for luck just to get by. He is basically saying he has had it pretty easy in life, and he is wondering how he would respond if he had to face real hardships like he has seen others experience.
Tonic - if you could only see Live - lighting crashes Gin blossoms - found out about you Train - meet virgina Vertical horizon - everything she wants Sarah maclahlan - possesion (live) Building a mystery
For Tonic I have to go with Mountain, Train would be "Free" Seeing Sarah Maclachlan live is amazing. Her voice is just as good as it is out of the studio in person. Same with Natalie Merchant. Saw both of them at Lilith Fair in the same show it was incredible.
i'm not very knowledgeable about popular culture but if i understand it correctly knocking on wood is depending on luck. so the song is about him being glad he's never needed luck. he's never been in a situation where you simply cant do anything to help yourself, for example having a relative in the hospital in critical condition.
@@sprybug Like I said, I'm not sure we ever found that new sound we were looking for back then. I think we gave up and just went with drum machines behind auto tune.
You lucky little %@&£!!!! MY first concert was with my dad late 1974 I was almost 5 years old he took me to see dinosaurs fossils Jurassic rock yip you guessed it the eagles i have forgiven him for that BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WILL NEVER EVER NEVER X 90000.00000.00000 FORGIVE HIM FOR!!!! HE TOOK MY UNCLE WALTER WHO LIKES CLASSICAL MUSIC TO WESTERN SPRINGS STADIUM IN 1979 TO SEE UNCLE BOB (BOB MARLEY) THEN TWO YEARS LATER HE TOOK UNCLE WALTER TO THE LOGAN CAMPBELL CENTRE TWICE FIRST TO SEE THE CLASH AND THE NEXT GIG THERE WAS DEVO MY UNCLE WALTER WASN'T FUSSED BY ANY OF THEM7 F£&@!!! IF I HADN'T LOST MY NUTS ALREADY YEARS AGO I'D GIVE THE RETARDED ONE ( THAT'S ALLWAYS THE LEFT) TO SEE TH THE CLASH. MY 15 YEAR OLD SON (MY OLDEST) HIS FIRST NAME IS STRUMMER MIDDLE NAME IS CLASH LAST NAME PALACE MIGHT GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT JOE STRUMMER AND THE MIGHTY MIGHTY CLASH MENT TO ME
@@heathcornbeef yeah my friend won tickets to this show from the radio station (probably WCCC?) and we saw the Bosstones at a place called The Sports Palace in New Britain CT. It was April of '93. I remember them having a giant couch with a trampoline on the stage.... it was a crazy show! I was hooked after that and we saw the Bosstones play a bunch of times over the next couple of years... almost 30 years later and I'm still a fan!
@@XravensunsetX 93 was the year i saw them here in AOTEAROA New Zealand so 29 years ago doesn't seem that long ago but my back eye's and leg's confirmed it was a long time ago I was 23 now 52 still got a mohawk will until i can't grow hair across my dome
17? Damn. First time I heard them I was 19 back in 1990. "Devils Night Out" Album. Yes this whole album is awesome. Not too many bands produce entire albums where every song is awesome this one is right up there!
Indeed. Ska-Core, The Devil, And More EP was the first CD I ever purchased... in 1994. My family just got a CD player, and I was into some radio stuff, as well as a little bit of ska/punk from my older sister (Operation Ivy, Bad Religion, Descendents). I was browsing the punk section of my local record store, and because I only had like 8 bucks, Ska-Core was one of the only CDs I could afford. I recognized their name from somewhere (don't remember where), but at only $6, I bought the EP. After the first 30 seconds of "Someday I Suppose", I was hooked. Been my favorite band since. RIP MMB.
I love these guys, born in 2007 and had my dad introduce me to them throughout my childhood years. Definitely one of my favorite bands, next to Reel Big Fish and Violent Femmes
"You know, I really love that Neil Diamond. Especially that song they sing at the, uh, the Red Sox games. It's just so infectious. You just can't help but sing along" -Donny-
This is my sons favorite song. We don’t listen to much ska in our house but The Bosstones are definitely frequently played. It’s a shame that they broke up recently.
Loved these guys. Did a few load in's for them back in the mid 90's. Great live band. Good guys.. Remember them opening for the band Live (not good guys) and blew them off the stage. You don't want to follow the Bosstones. So much energy. Glad they made it as big as they did but they should have been even bigger.
I always took the "Never had to knock on wood" to mean that they have never had to knock on someones door, never had to reach out and ask for help... it also matches with the message of the verses.
You've gotta think about how "knock on wood" is used in conversation. It's an interjection that's not connected to the rest of the sentence. Same in the song--"I've never had to (knock on wood) but I know someone who has." And it's connected to the verse in that what he's "never had to" do is to be close to tragedy/have the odds stacked up so high.
Welcome to the world of Ska bands! Great introductory pick. Wish I had more recommendations for you, but I'm a tourist here myself. I did always like this particular song, though. Edit: The blend of all the different instruments is really cool, but what really I love that this band has one dude that just does nothing but dance his ass off.
Hay guy's check out THE BEAT song to have a crack at is STAND DOWN MARGARET GREAT ENGLISH SKA... WHILE YA THERE CHECK OUT THE SPECIALS SONG TO HAVE A CRACK AT IS Ghost TOWN
One of the best live bands I've seen and I've seen them about a dozen times. They control the energy of the crowd like few bands can. Watch a few live vids. One dude's job in the band is to just dance.
Ska is if you mixed Reggae, Punk and Big Band Swing in a pot and threw it against a wall as hard as you can. It's fun, melodic and full of great energy! So stoked you discovered these guys. Maybe this is the start of going down the punk rabbit hole!
Ooh, do some '80s ska bands - The Specials, The English Beat, Madness, The Skatellites...good stuff! My favorites: "Ghost Town" by The Specials and Mirror in the Bathroom by The English Beat (known in the UK as just "The Beat"). And "One Step Beyond" by Madness was one of the early videos in regular rotation on MTV when it first went on the air in the '80s.
Some slightly deeper cuts: Let's Face It or Wonderful Day For The Race have some great lyrics that sadly still ring true today. They also have some good covers of Detroit Rock City by KISS and Simmer Down by Bob Marley
I'm so glad Brad & Lex are doing SKA I love SKA ReelBigFish Bostones Mad candies Less than jake The Interrupters Rancid Streetlight manifesto Catch 22 Operation ivy The toasters The Sucide machines etc etc ect A lot of great ska out there
I was wondering when someone was gonna react to SKA music lol. It's definitely a catchy genre of tunes.... a combination of reggae, Caribbean, jazz ,R&B mixed in with some rock elements and you've got SKA
I got to see them at a tiny club in Riverside CA called Spanky's Cafe. It was quite an experience getting blasted directly in the face by a firing squad of horns.
Lex enthusiastically said, "SKA!" That just made my day.
Yeah made my day as well it's always cool seeing someone hear Ska for the first time i took a friend to a SKA gig she had never heard it before that night also she used to be a jazz/hip hop dancer when she went up front of stage for a dance i could see her having trouble with with the off beat and once she had a handle on it she was SKANKING IT WAS AWESOME TO WACHT AFTER THE GIG SHE WAS A BIT PISSED /DRUNK. DRIVING HER HOME I SAID WITHOUT THINKING CARINA GIRL YOU WERE SKANKING HARD OUT TONIGHT AND FAST AS A SPEEDING BULLET SLAP I'M NOT AN F ING SKANK THAT SLAP WAS BURNING FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR DID I MENTION SHE USED TO HOLD THE RANK OF BLACK Belt in shotokan karate we still laugh about it years later
ONE OF US! ONE OF US!
The "knock on wood" thing is a superstition for when you're talking about other people's misfortunes. It's about not inviting that tragedy into your own life. It's also a good way to remind people that, as the song (partially) says, "there, but for the grace of God, go I" (ie. bad shit can happen randomly, and you could be next, so have some compassion for those suffering now. Don't treat the pain of others as entertainment).
@@michaelccozens if it's not PUNK SKA OR REGGAE IT'S ASSVOMIT!!!
Yeah! Check out some Streetlight Manifesto. You'll love it, Lex.
You know the song is about AIDS
90’s SKA was the best. Bosstones, Reel Big Fish, Aquabats, and Save Ferris were so fun to see live.
That's a hard call late 70s English two tone is pretty hard to match and then go back way back to the Skatalites Stranger Cole who i meet year's ago and he gave me the set list and signed it Desmond Dekker. Toots and the maytals even uncle Bob marley was a rude boy
Less than jake
Madness? The Specials?
Ska never dies!
It keeps coming back like the Herp! ;)
The Selecter in 1980 was the best. This may be the best of the 90's ska though.
The Bosstones put out a lot of fun ska/ska-influenced music. "Where'd you go?" is definitely another one Lex would 100% love. "Royal Oil" and "Rascal King" are great as well.
Ska had like a 5 year run in the 90s. Never really took off though
I'm 43.. I listened to a bunch of stuff before with fondness and reverence. And a bunch since then. But I have such a soft spot for 90s Ska..
These guys were so fun to see live. Entire band seemed like they were pure energy on stage. Wasn't a fan before I saw them the first time, became a huge fan after that.
Check out their song “Rascal King”.
I second that!
3rd
Yeah…. That’s an absolute banger!
I second this completely
My last name is Rasco. I've just convinced myself over the years that they say, "Rasco King," in the song. Haha
This was huge back around the 98 x-games, one of the most up beat songs. Bosstones rock.
Yep, this is definitely a ska song- which makes it interesting that you said it had a “tropical” vibe, because ska originated in Jamaica. And yeah, the Bosstones are a fun band. They’ve been around for a long time now. And they have the interesting distinction of having a band member who does nothing but dance. Apparently, he used to hang out at their practices and would always dance, and it got the band’s energy going so much that they decided to make him a permanent member.
Oh, and their lead singer, Dickey Barrett, is the announcer on Jimmy Kimmel.
I believe Ben Carr is the Boss Tone.
wow dude sorry to be the one to tell you but, erm, ska came before reggae.
Where was the term reggae used in the initial comment? Oh wait, it’s not. So while you’re right. You just felt the need to say something to appear correct, and OP was wrong, but that’s not the case.
He never claimed reggae came before ska.
They *were around for a long time. :(
The story that I had heard was that when they first started performing Ben Carr wasn't old enough to get into the bars they would play at, but if he was a member of the band they'd let him in, so they made him the Bosstone.
This is a song about a friend of Dickie, the lead singer, testing positive for AIDS. "Knock on wood" is the test then he says "Not a coward just never been tested..." Really deep song for how amazingly upbeat it is
Was looking for this before I said it! You’re right. Didn’t even know till a friends dad told me and the song made so much sense after that.
Eu não sabia disso 😢
I was just thinking about putting in a request for this song this very morning, and lo and behold! I agree, it's a song about gratitude - he's never had it as bad as many out there, he's not sure how he'd deal with the same awful situations, and he's glad he's not (yet) had to find out. Add the terrific ska beat behind it, and it's one of my favourite songs - especially as an alarm clock, gets me up and going on days when few other things will. Keep on doing what you're doing, guys!
A song that comes up a lot in conversation about bands like this is Less Than Jake "All my Best Friends are Metalheads."
This is a must
Yup, that is an amazing gateway song into Ska, but is also great on its own merits.
Time to get ya self some SKANKING PUNKROCK FRIEND'S CUZZIE metal is for making kitchen utensils and car's not music
I so happy you guys reacting to The Mighty Mighty. My brother recently passed away and this was one of our favorite bands to listen to and see. Thanks guys. I’m sorry I didn’t watch the live stream.
I’m definitely loving you guys bringing in the ska music.
I use to do a Radio show 5 or 6 days a week and ended every show with the BOSSTONES song You Gotta Go. My dog would hang out for the whole show and as soon as I started that song she would stand and stretch and head for the door, she knew we were done.
Saw them in Ft Lauderdale in the 90s. Awesome show. Been a fan forever
Just gonna point out, this band is so good, is so tight... after almost 30 years they are almost the same lineup. It's friends playing music together for their whole lives.
They have a full band member who doesn't pay any instruments. He doesn't sing either. He dances. On stage. And in the studio. Every time. He's credited on studio albums just like live ones. THAT's how you treat your friends!
Ben Carr
according to wikipedia he's credited as dancer, backing vocals, percussion, tour manager and "Bosstone" (1983-2004, 2007-2022)
so basically the friend who isnt very talented but is extremely reliable.
Ska is a mixture of calypso and jazz but what the British musicians did was add a punk rock vocal style but it's roots are jamaican
Did you know ska is actually older than reggae?
@@Toastybees BEES AND TOAST yes my family is from the island of Barbados calypso soca and Ska was early forms of west Indian music my grandfather has the old 33s records of traditional west Indian folk music
R&B was also pivotal in the Ska sound, especially early on in Jamaica.
@@makomarquis makomarquis that's the beginning but after the music started to take shape then the traditional sounds that makes up Ska reggae calypso soca music there's even an east indian influence because Trinidad and Tobago have a large Indian population that mix with the black Trinidadians Nicki Manji is a Cooley a half black half Indian Trinidadian i was born on the island of Barbados so any form of Caribbean music was imported back & forth through out the west indies and the UK.
The chorus of this song is probably the most misunderstood part because... most people don't realize there should be a comma after "had to, knock on wood..."
He's answering his verse, which is a question. Example: "Have you ever been close to tragedy or been close to folks who have? I never had to,...knock on wood..."
The rest of the verse includes his internal reflection if he did would he be able to handle it. "I'm not a coward, I've just never been tested. I'd like to think that if I was, I would pass."
Give it another listen with this in mind and the song makes A LOT more sense. The message will be quite clear.
Thank you for letting us be a part of your musical journey. Watching you discover this great music reminds me of when my mind was blown by this stuff years ago!
Regards, from Orlando!
Crazy how much a comma completely changes the lyrics. I never realized it, thanks!
I think some of the - not only best instrumentals, but best lyrics I've read,
real poetry
Saw the Bosstones a couple times in the 90s during festivals that passed through Tulsa. Saw many of the great 90s alternative rock bands that way.
For some reason i never got into a lot of the 90's ska, but i did always love this song, and Goldfinger, Suicide Machines, and Voodoo Glow Skulls. Thats some quality ska.
There's so much phenomenal ska to check out. Operation Ivy, Rancid, Streetlight Manifesto/Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Madcaddies, etc.
Reel Big Fish, the Planet Smashers, the Slackers, the Toasters, Less Than Jake, etc.
👍🏻For the Voodoo Glow Skulls! At one of their shows in the early 90s, the singer wondered outloud to the audience "I don't know why they always book us with ska bands. I f*****g HATE ska. It sounds like f*****g circus music". Then proceeded to lay down the punky skank.
@@gregclarke2183 Catch-22, Expendables, No Doubt, Pietasters, Rx Bandits, Capdown, Interrupters, Random Hand. I couldn't even pick one song from most of them. Let's hope they just go all the way down the skahole, lol.
@@psilocinesthesia the Specials, the Busters, the Aquabats, the Skoidats, etc. Haha!
Ska is as diverse as rock.
The Planet Smashers have always been my fav though. Canadian ska legends!
@@gregclarke2183 I think I'd have to say that Mad Caddies are my favorite, just because I always put them at the start of any ska playlist.
Love her initial reaction! Like oooohhh! This is fun!!!
He is speculating on if he could be a hero in an unbelievably tough situation, but hopes he never has to.
Love this song. Fun stuff from the 90s. "I've never been tested by hard times, knock on wood, but I know others who have and I wonder if I would rise or fall?" That's the question that I get from this song. My dad was tested by war, but my military service was in peacetime. My grandfather was born in a earth dugout on a farm in Kansas and he made a life for himself and ended life a very good man. My life has been one of ease, in relative terms. Would I pass those tests? Or worse? That's the question.
This song was ALLLLLL over alt-rock radio in the summer of 97. I was on a road trip, Indiana to Rhode Island, and that was one of a handful of songs that we just heard *everywhere* that summer. Including MTV. For a band that had been playing for years, especially in the New England area, it was a big deal.
I met Dicky, their lead singer, at a festival a few years later. While I was talking to the guys from Flogging Molly, he just came over to tell them good job on their set. He was cool...talked to all of us, signed my ticket stub, said he liked my Misfits and Dead Kennedys tattoos. haha He definitely was a punk type guy, even though he wore a tie on stage. He always had a punk kind of grit to his vocals.
Oh yeah! Love some ska and ska punk. Please bring more of these :)
In this episode of Brad & Lex, lets get giddy! That mighty Mighty Bosstones sound is the sound that sounds off like an alarm under the couch couples as*es bringing Lex to "bop" mania with included forearm and "shoulder work". Brad steers the ship but doesn't rock the boat too much but isn't reluctant to offer his signature "side to side sway".
To clear up the confusion: You knock on wood so things don't get worse as they are already bad, and the singer is mentioning that he isn't sure how people in certain positions can rise up to the occasion and that scares him and he hopes he is never asked to do that as well because things would have to be really bad for him to need to rise up but he will do his best if called to action. He respects the ones who can rise up and he even knows a few of them and he is in awe of the drive to push through even if things are getting worse around you. It's a really great song that I think shaped most of the people who listened to and internalized the meaning behind the lyrics.
This is the song that got me into punk rock at 15. Will always have a soft spot for the Bosstones.
Favourite band , even have a Bosstones Tattoo. Songs about being thankful that you've never experienced the hardships that others have and wondering how you would react if you were in their shoes.
My all-time favorite band! Sadly I just read a notice that they are officially retired. I wish I could have seen them live just one more time! The Mighty Mighty Bosstones were major players in the 3rd wave ska movement of the 90's (which included bands like No Doubt). They blended the elements of both ska and punk to produce that unique sound! I highly recommend checking out their cover of the song "Simmer Down", "Where did you go", "Old School off the Bright" and "Don't Know how to Party". If you enjoyed "The Impression that I Get", you won't be disappointed!
not sure the break up will be permanent - they got p*ssed that Dicky showed some love to some unvaxxed thing....Rona broke up too many freindships
@@stephenmcnamara8318 I just read not long ago that Dicky was in a new band with some other vaccine-afeared folks that were no longer with their old bands, like the drummer from Offspring (can you imagine being vocally anti-vax when the lead singer of your band did his PhD dissertation on the mRNA properties of the HIV virus? Hold whatever views you want, but geez, be aware of your surroundings).
Crazy, this band literally just announced yesterday that they were parting after 30yrs!
There was a very, very, very short lived new era "Big Band" phase in the mid 90's with groups such as Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Reel Big Fish, etc hitting the scene. I grew up with my Grandfather play Big Band music (Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, etc) so naturally this style was a hit with me immediately.
Bosstones have been around a lot longer than that and still around
What’s great about this song is that it sounds fairly upbeat but when you really listen it’s also really deep.
Where have you young people been hiding from the oast Not To Know …. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 😂😂😂😂😂😂 welcome to Great Music from the PAST !! 👍❤️✨
My favorite ska band! This song is a classic!
My 21st birthday was spent listening to these guys, The Offspring, & The Living End on top of a parking garage in Pontiac, MI. It was pretty epic.
The Butler University Pep Band plays this at every basketball game.
The song is about him having a privileged life and not being in a situation where he has had to knock on wood for luck just to get by.
He is basically saying he has had it pretty easy in life, and he is wondering how he would respond if he had to face real hardships like he has seen others experience.
Tonic - if you could only see
Live - lighting crashes
Gin blossoms - found out about you
Train - meet virgina
Vertical horizon - everything she wants
Sarah maclahlan - possesion (live)
Building a mystery
For Tonic I have to go with Mountain, Train would be "Free" Seeing Sarah Maclachlan live is amazing. Her voice is just as good as it is out of the studio in person. Same with Natalie Merchant. Saw both of them at Lilith Fair in the same show it was incredible.
i'm not very knowledgeable about popular culture but if i understand it correctly knocking on wood is depending on luck.
so the song is about him being glad he's never needed luck. he's never been in a situation where you simply cant do anything to help yourself, for example having a relative in the hospital in critical condition.
so blessed that i got to see them live in 94!
I've always been a huge fan of this song. Thanks so much for reacting to this one!
ah man nice! you really don't see too many reacting to the Bosstones, love it! Applaud you guys 👏
This is their most popular/radio firiendly hit but Where'd Ya Go and Someday I Suppose are musts. The Bosstones are super fun, esp live
You Left Right, Way Too Many Stars, Simmer Down (cover).
I forgot this even existed. Man...it was anything goes in the 90s. The world was looking for a new sound and I'm not sure we ever found it.
See, I like that. That whole huge variety, genre pool got watered down on the radio once the 2000's hit and just has never recovered.
@@sprybug Like I said, I'm not sure we ever found that new sound we were looking for back then. I think we gave up and just went with drum machines behind auto tune.
@@sprybug I agree...... Except I would argue that it didn't really start getting bad until 2005ish
This is a cool song melodically, but with a powerful message...
yep - unusually honest and introspective about weakness and inexperience. It always stood out to me.
One of the greatest Ska punk bands EVER! 🎸🥁🎤🎺🎷
"We Will Fall Together" by Streetlight Manifesto is a great Ska song too!
Absof*ckinlutely!!
Hell yes!! The Bosstones were my very first concert way back in the 90s, when I was 14 or 15. They're so much fun!!
You lucky little %@&£!!!! MY first concert was with my dad late 1974 I was almost 5 years old he took me to see dinosaurs fossils Jurassic rock yip you guessed it the eagles i have forgiven him for that BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WILL NEVER EVER NEVER X 90000.00000.00000 FORGIVE HIM FOR!!!! HE TOOK MY UNCLE WALTER WHO LIKES CLASSICAL MUSIC TO WESTERN SPRINGS STADIUM IN 1979 TO SEE UNCLE BOB (BOB MARLEY) THEN TWO YEARS LATER HE TOOK UNCLE WALTER TO THE LOGAN CAMPBELL CENTRE TWICE FIRST TO SEE THE CLASH AND THE NEXT GIG THERE WAS DEVO MY UNCLE WALTER WASN'T FUSSED BY ANY OF THEM7 F£&@!!! IF I HADN'T LOST MY NUTS ALREADY YEARS AGO I'D GIVE THE RETARDED ONE ( THAT'S ALLWAYS THE LEFT) TO SEE TH THE CLASH. MY 15 YEAR OLD SON (MY OLDEST) HIS FIRST NAME IS STRUMMER MIDDLE NAME IS CLASH LAST NAME PALACE MIGHT GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT JOE STRUMMER AND THE MIGHTY MIGHTY CLASH MENT TO ME
@@heathcornbeef yeah my friend won tickets to this show from the radio station (probably WCCC?) and we saw the Bosstones at a place called The Sports Palace in New Britain CT. It was April of '93. I remember them having a giant couch with a trampoline on the stage.... it was a crazy show! I was hooked after that and we saw the Bosstones play a bunch of times over the next couple of years... almost 30 years later and I'm still a fan!
@@XravensunsetX 93 was the year i saw them here in AOTEAROA New Zealand so 29 years ago doesn't seem that long ago but my back eye's and leg's confirmed it was a long time ago I was 23 now 52 still got a mohawk will until i can't grow hair across my dome
She loves everything. It’s great. Every one should be so positive
One of my all time favorite bands. FINALLY got to see them live a couple years ago at Punk Rock Bowling and they were *amazing* ♡
This is a good rabbit hole to go down. This entire album was excelent
Ooooh. A little bit of "Ska". I LOVE "Ska" ❤ 😍 🎤🥁🎸🎷
I remember this song from clueless, but I wasn’t aware who wrote it.
These guys are wicked i saw them about 20 years ago fun band great music. Lex you got it the off beat of SKANKEN GOOD SKA
This entire album is spectacular!
It defined 17 year old me.
17? Damn. First time I heard them I was 19 back in 1990. "Devils Night Out" Album. Yes this whole album is awesome. Not too many bands produce entire albums where every song is awesome this one is right up there!
@@jeffcocco7123 I first heard them when I was 13 in ‘94…Question the Answers.
Another amazing album!
Indeed.
Ska-Core, The Devil, And More EP was the first CD I ever purchased... in 1994. My family just got a CD player, and I was into some radio stuff, as well as a little bit of ska/punk from my older sister (Operation Ivy, Bad Religion, Descendents). I was browsing the punk section of my local record store, and because I only had like 8 bucks, Ska-Core was one of the only CDs I could afford. I recognized their name from somewhere (don't remember where), but at only $6, I bought the EP. After the first 30 seconds of "Someday I Suppose", I was hooked. Been my favorite band since.
RIP MMB.
I love these guys, born in 2007 and had my dad introduce me to them throughout my childhood years. Definitely one of my favorite bands, next to Reel Big Fish and Violent Femmes
Love this band love this song. Makes me bounce.
Hit me in my heart. I need more please. The band is so good.
I love 90s-early 2000s Ska & Swing. Takes me back, good time memories.
my confession! one of my favorite songs of the 90s!
SKA!!! You should do more of this
Get it on. Gotta get it on. No choice but to get it on. Mandate: get it on!
One of my all time faves. Brings me back to my high school days.
This is such a great song...I've loved it since I first heard it years ago!
"You know, I really love that Neil Diamond. Especially that song they sing at the, uh, the Red Sox games. It's just so infectious. You just can't help but sing along"
-Donny-
Their song "Someday I Suppose" is cool too.
This is my sons favorite song. We don’t listen to much ska in our house but The Bosstones are definitely frequently played. It’s a shame that they broke up recently.
Great band to see live, sucks they announced they broke up a couple of days ago. Definitely recommend checking out more of their music
Loved these guys. Did a few load in's for them back in the mid 90's. Great live band. Good guys.. Remember them opening for the band Live (not good guys) and blew them off the stage. You don't want to follow the Bosstones. So much energy. Glad they made it as big as they did but they should have been even bigger.
Thank you 😘😊😊
The official video is very high energy with the entire band dancing. It's great!
Awesome. Lex explained the song to Brad. Nice to see things change every once in a while.
Man, this song is a time, vibe, and place. I'm still in love with you, Lex! ❤
Love Lex's vibe as ever- born to love good music. The bass playing on this song is outstanding.
Great to see Lex discovering ska music, and the joy it gives her.
Yes!! I've been Waiting for This! 🥳🥳🥳
Immediately reminds me of playing the PS1 game "Rogue Trip, vacation 2012" what memories as a kid 🖤🖤🖤🔥🤘
I always took the "Never had to knock on wood" to mean that they have never had to knock on someones door, never had to reach out and ask for help... it also matches with the message of the verses.
You've gotta think about how "knock on wood" is used in conversation. It's an interjection that's not connected to the rest of the sentence. Same in the song--"I've never had to (knock on wood) but I know someone who has." And it's connected to the verse in that what he's "never had to" do is to be close to tragedy/have the odds stacked up so high.
@@mikeholmes1459 actually that makes more sense
Welcome to the world of Ska bands! Great introductory pick. Wish I had more recommendations for you, but I'm a tourist here myself. I did always like this particular song, though.
Edit: The blend of all the different instruments is really cool, but what really I love that this band has one dude that just does nothing but dance his ass off.
Madness and Frankie Goes to Hollywood did it in the early 80s.
Hay guy's check out THE BEAT song to have a crack at is STAND DOWN MARGARET GREAT ENGLISH SKA... WHILE YA THERE CHECK OUT
THE SPECIALS SONG TO HAVE A CRACK AT IS
Ghost TOWN
Great song. Probably my favorite Ska song.
One of the best live bands I've seen and I've seen them about a dozen times. They control the energy of the crowd like few bands can. Watch a few live vids. One dude's job in the band is to just dance.
Ska is if you mixed Reggae, Punk and Big Band Swing in a pot and threw it against a wall as hard as you can. It's fun, melodic and full of great energy! So stoked you discovered these guys. Maybe this is the start of going down the punk rabbit hole!
Ooh, do some '80s ska bands - The Specials, The English Beat, Madness, The Skatellites...good stuff! My favorites: "Ghost Town" by The Specials and Mirror in the Bathroom by The English Beat (known in the UK as just "The Beat"). And "One Step Beyond" by Madness was one of the early videos in regular rotation on MTV when it first went on the air in the '80s.
Thank you for covering such a humongous range of music. You guys rock! thank you :)
Some slightly deeper cuts: Let's Face It or Wonderful Day For The Race have some great lyrics that sadly still ring true today. They also have some good covers of Detroit Rock City by KISS and Simmer Down by Bob Marley
My favourite member of this group is the hype guy who's only job is to dance on stage with the band. He often steals the show when you see them live.
HFS!!! Bosstones. You guys rock.
Damn, I forgot about this song! Haven't heard it in forever!
You two are perfect.
One of my Favorites from the 90's Check out Helluva hat, Simmer down, Royal Oil. Such a fun band to see live as well. Can't wait to see them again.
Literally minutes after posting this I heard that the Mighty Mighty Bosstones are no more......very sad day!!
I'm so glad Brad & Lex are doing SKA I love SKA ReelBigFish
Bostones
Mad candies
Less than jake
The Interrupters
Rancid
Streetlight manifesto
Catch 22
Operation ivy
The toasters
The Sucide machines etc etc ect
A lot of great ska out there
Someone once said that ska was the music a 12 year old boy hears in his head when the mozzarella sticks get to the table and... Yeah.
My girl is getting that same hit of dopamine so many of us get whilst listening to this song ❤
One of the best Ska-Core bands out there (hard core Ska). Great pick.
Lex giggles FTW
No one is as cute as Lex. Love to watch her reactions... so pure.
I was wondering when someone was gonna react to SKA music lol. It's definitely a catchy genre of tunes.... a combination of reggae, Caribbean, jazz ,R&B mixed in with some rock elements and you've got SKA
I got to see them at a tiny club in Riverside CA called Spanky's Cafe. It was quite an experience getting blasted directly in the face by a firing squad of horns.
oh man that brings back memories ... or shows at The Barn @ UC Riverside? Good times!
The Hippos - He Said. One of the best ska punk songs out there