But Anyway

This week's edition of Retro Friday features the band Blues Traveler, and the song But Anyway.

The band Blues Traveler originated in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1987. The band exhibits influences from a variety of music genres, including blues-rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock, soul, and Southern rock. They are known for extensive use of segues during their live performances.

Currently, the group consists of singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band in 1999 following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan.

While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles which include: "But Anyway", "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994.

Continuing on with last week's theme, But Anyway is another song that I love as a result of "the" band that my best pal K and I were "Band-Aids" for in college. Blues Traveler had done a college tour in 1990 for the album that But Anyway was on, but I did not really get into their music until "the" college band that we were following started playing the song But Anyway. It seemed like such a great anthem for us during our senior year, too. Yes, we were still going on dates with guys (duh, we were still in college!), but it wasn't like we were actually going to get serious with anyone so close to graduation, so But Anyway kind of became our song.

To help you understand why ... here are the lyrics!

I lied I told I love her
She did not care but anyway
I told her we'd still be friends
And she did not care but anyway
I tried last week to call her
She wasn't home but anyway
I think I'll spend my life alone
I really don't care right now,
but anyway
It's a state of affairs
and a state of emotions
the kind of thing that you must understand
I tell you one thing
You tell me another
We walk away, maybe then shake hands

I'm quitting cigarette smoking
It's bad for me but anyway
I don't think the TV was joking
When it told me this but anyway
The newsman said not to sit on strange toilet seats
It's my life he's trying to save but anyway
I found out that I got eye cancer
Too many television waves but anyway
It's a state of affairs
and a state of emotions
the kind of thing that you must understand
I tell you one thing
You tell me another
We walk away, maybe then shake hands

Some day the answer will find us
Quite a long shot but anyway
I think the past is behind us
Be real confusing if not but anyway
I put all my hope in tomorrow
It's gonna be great I can tell anyway
I see a new, a new day dawning
I like to sleep late, oh well, but anyway
It's a state of affairs
and a state of emotions
the kind of thing that you must understand
I tell you one thing
You tell me another
We walk away, maybe then shake hands

It really is a silly little song, and it always brings a smile to my face whenever I hear it! "The" band that we followed in college used to play quite often at this little bar called "Bridge Mc Guire's Filling Station" and I can still picture in my mind them playing But Anyway, and us dancing around (like complete fools I might add)!

Okay ... enough of my memory lane blabbering! Here's a little Blues Traveler and But Anyway for your listening pleasure!



Cheers!

(Luv ya K!)