1997 from Clawing Back by Joe Sweeney

We thought it was forever
In 1997
When Carson walked out in that two-tone suit
No Doubt they were skankin
Less Than Jake was crankin
Reel Big Fish were selling out to boot
We had guitars on the off beat
Organs sounding so sweet
Horn sections that made us all salute

In those years before the iPhone
All the kids were playing trombone
Buying old fedoras at Goodwill
We went to every Warped Tour
Cheered at every encore
Young and poor and thoroughly fulfilled
And even though we did lose Bradley
We couldn’t feel too badly
Cause we still thought that ska could pay the bills

Oh there was ska ska ska on the radio
From Florida up to Idaho
We’d never feel cold again this music was so hot
That was the impression that we got

We thought it was forever
In 1997
But by the year 2000 it was done
But Mustard Plug kept pluggin
The Toasters kept on chuggin
Ska bands never stopped just being fun
This is happy music
And we couldn’t refuse it
Cause it makes a loser feel like they’ve won

Can you believe it
Ska ska ska on the radio
From Alaska up to Buffalo
We’d never feel cold again this music was so hot
That was the impression that we got

We’d never feel cold again this music was so hot
That was the impression that we got

• Rock
• singer-songwriter
• ukulele
• Old Orchard Beach