“Stay Awake” by The Mammoths – A Song Feature

     The single from The Mammoths begins unassumingly, but near-tribal percussion enters a few seconds into “Stay Awake,” signaling unpredictability. The final 80 seconds, in particular, received the message. During those final seconds, a drum-driven instrumental segment leads to a fuzzed guitar hook (at 3:39) before the song dissolves into a swirling haze of 70’s psychedelia.
 
     Still, the gold in “Stay Awake” lies between those bookends. Like the power percussion, the vocals surge with energy, yet carry an undercurrent of darkness. The delivery is more aligned with Rock, but the vocals are reminiscent of Moon Taxi. Meanwhile, the guitars define an irregularly topography, sometimes light and other times eerie (for example, at 1:42).
 
      While discussing the lyrics, The Mammoths explained:  
  We wrote this song almost entirely in the studio. When it came time to write the lyrics, we wanted them to match the eerie vibe of the track. Our hometown of Austin, TX, has seen a disturbing number of bodies turn up in the Rainey Street bar district (too many for it to feel like a coincidence). Inspired by that, we wrote the lyrics from a back-and-forth perspective between the "killer" and the "victim."
 
     The Mammoths are based in Austin, Texas. The members are David Kapsner, (keyboards, vocals) Michael Jekot (guitar, background vocals), Tyler Rush (bass, background vocals), and Tim Durand (drums).
 
     “Stay Awake” by The Mammoths

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Lyrics of “Stay Awake” by The Mammoths
You were the last one
Standing in the pourin' rain
I tried to hold back
But I couldn't hide the pain
Watched you walk away
Standin' in the cold cold shame
Thought about the remedy
I thought about the dyin' game
 
Hey yeah hey
I don't wanna play no more
Hey yeah hey
I don't wanna play no more
 
Stay awake for me
Stay awake for me
 
Crossed by the wrong one
Sleepin' in a lonely place
Can't take it back
Never forget a face
Echoes of footsteps
Lost behind the quiet rain
Onto the next one
I know they'll never die in vain
 
Hey yeah hey
I don't wanna play no more
Hey yeah hey
I don't wanna play no more
 
Stay awake for me
[Repeating]