Dave Matthews Band - Don't Drink The Water (Letterman)

[Korn4th]

just love he's passionate trance like voice - ROCK ON BROTHER

[christopherz3]

this song is HARDCORE!!! sound like a cannon... bass line is awesome too!

[gnargnaraway1]

@DrumsFoDaSoul probs cause hes sober lol

[Starved4Truth]

Was he nervous????

[AtmaRising]

badass tune. chills

[MrSnoopy2a]

hmm... perhaps the sweater vest was a bad choice?

[1111mAc1111]

@MrSnoopy2a wow what are hte chances i came across this same video hahha

[stewartcj1]

@MrSnoopy2a i dont know...letterman's studio feels like its about 55 degrees

[aceofbass131]

it's about Cortez the killer, in the Central Park concert he couples this song with a song called "cortez the killer."

[giftsbizarredotcom]

I look at it kinda open-ended.....But I take it as big shot America standing over other countries...

[awbjr9871]

I love the way the play this song live now. It's a little more uptempo and haunting the new way. Subtle changes that make a huge positive difference. It was a great song before, and is even better now.

[justbuch1]

It's about the greed of man, and the prejudice of race to race.There are heavy refernces to nature, and I want your chunck of it. It reminds me of when Christopher Columbus sailed the seas and discovered our new land - and said it's mine - not the natives

[mood54]

Manifest destiny and whatever horrors go with that selfish, arrogant thought.... 'there's blood in the water'.

[TAMAvsDW]

what is this song really about

[Swtchbck009]

@TAMAvsDW

It's about the british coming into america and expecting the native americans to leave. It's really horrible how they treated the native americans who were really, and still are today, actually quite peaceful people. I come from both English and Native American descent, and this truly disgusts me.

[samstanley]

@Swtchbck009 pretty sure it's about the colonization of south africa

[Swtchbck009]

@samstanley He probably meant it both ways.

[rmassie11]

@TAMAvsDW Don't drink the water!!!!! Never stand alone, always surround yourself with good ppl...... Don't drink the water...

[mrhoffame]

Few bands these days actually put ture creativity into music. I mean really creativity...your artist like Prince, Seal, and Dave Mathews bands. I mean it's just when you hear something from them you can't help but wonder..How in the world did they come up with that? This song is so strange, odd, and yet musically beautiful!!

[rachfry]

Wow, this song has morphed into something so different. The band kills this song live.

[SlapperMcBride]

I love listening to this song. Live at Central Park is the best version IMO (EQ wise)

[DrumsFoDaSoul]

You can hear in Dave's voice that he is nervous.

[godlydrmr]

Yea, he does sound a little shaky

[ZhasX3]

@DrumsFoDaSoul Or he knows it's too loud...

[DrumsFoDaSoul]

They can always turn down microphones.....

[ZhasX3]

Of course they can. Somestimes they just don't. I've heard some pretty horribly EQ'd concerts. On tv shows like this they somtimes amp up the vocalists mic because it's more commercial, because he IS pretty damn loud in this show...

[zt322]

great song, i agree lilwane and nicklebacks suck. dmb fo life

[doozer84]

I think the point mattdougmouse was trying to make is that if all music were on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest... the Nickelbacks and Lil Waynes of the world would be 2's and 3's... and DMB would be somewhere between 8-10... it used to be that 80-90% of what we heard on the radio and on TV was at least a 6 or 7, so it's too easy now to get into making music and jump on a trend... especially in a post-punk world where you don't actually have to be able to play or sing exceptionally.

[TerryKrumps]

i agree. But being able to sing exceptionally wasn't always the issue. It was more about making a good song. Today's songs really aren't that great and are more about trends as you say. Bob Dylan and Hendrix weren't close to being the best singers, but were exceptional songwriters. The passion that Dave has in his singing and heartfelt lyrics is what makes him such a powerhouse.

[Foible237]

True.

[whales75]

You couldn't be more right!

[stoneydanyahoo]

absolutely brilliant. i have heard this song over a hundred times and this version still gave me chills... wow. just brilliant.

[michaelfeldman91]

yea for sure this one is right when teh album came out so this is one of the first if not the very first attempt of DDTW. this is before theyve had time to expierement with the lyrics and tones like they eventually do with all there songs.

[jackpaice]

they went there a lot didnt they? :D

[wwrjd1523]

next week theyll be on twice

[freakofmusique]

I Freakin' Love This Song So Much!!!!!!!!!!

[bikerbutterfly]

11 years ago and still WONDERFUL.

LOVE DMB

PEACE

[BortLicensePlates]

Don't worry mattdougdmuse, now-a-days we have people like 'Lil Wayne" on the cover of Rolling Stone being called a 'genius'. Turn your TV's off. (unless Dave is on of course)

[meandyfizz]

you got it man

[mattdougdmuse]

*sigh*... he is so f-ing amazing... god, if only all musicians could be like that.

[stevo0665]

if all musicians were like him then he wouldn't be exceptional

[JorisKoolen]

Where the hill is Bèla!?!?

[infract2007]

Its about english talking to the natives...as if you didnt already know...and I am not native...man!!! the focus and emotions in his voice are off the charts

[TEEDUB2440]

hell yeah the emotion in his voice is simply amazing

[infract2007]

thatès one of the most powerful songs and performances and concept ever...FUCKIN A

[coons1327]

boyd with his crazy hair

and whats with the pair of eyes on carters bass drum

dave does not look comfortable at all especially at the end you're right

[DoraAnderson]

I recall immediately after this performance, in which many people including myself noticed that he appeared ill, it was being said that Dave was suffering from some tummy flu or something at that time, but decided to do this show anyway in spite of feeling like crap. I remember the day after this show, I played my vcr tape (!!) for my daughter and her friends, and we looked at the end over and over, and we were sure that he nearly doubled over in pain.

[deepsky23]

dave was sooooo young here. look at how much hair hes got! hes too awesome for words.

[BigSax1984]

In regards to the comment that "Dave doesn't look comfortable", the fact that Letterman keeps his studio at 50 degrees may have something to do with that. I know a stage manager who worked with Verticle Horizon (he knows Carter actually) and he told me that it was a nightmare to keep instruments in tune and musicians comfortable in this environment.

BTW, is Paul Schafer playing the piano/banjo parts here? At first I thought that Bela or Butch was hiding somewhere, but look at 1:20.

[Cowboy311z]

Move on..........Is his theme...He does it with respect..."And as you go I will spread my wings"...As too say I will use this land as mine now.........

[LAHockey2121]

i like dave better when he can scream his lungs out, but still a good video

[bobthebuilder892001]

haha Dave ran into LeRoi.

[poopies474]

i thought you meant dave matthews but you mean dave letterman

[DJRezN]

once again dont forget its about the devastating effecct f the settlers coming to america. and the destruction that followed

[ep5249]

wow, its amazing how much Daves voice has evolved in ten years. And the band. Their like good wine man, only better with age.

[GuamIsGood]

Where's the beginning of the song? The lyrics that setup the song are missing...lame. Good performance though. I wonder if they played the whole thing but The Late Show cut it or what.

[theconn234]

come out, come out, no use in hiding. Thats the beginning of the song

[woodyrfn]

whether he was great in 98 or not he did have some trouble with the falsettos in this performance. and whats up with dmb fans trying to always prove their knowledge, just sit back and enjoy...who knows how much longer they will be touring enjoy while it lasts im sure gonna miss it

[hupbla87]

thank you for uploading this! i have been trying to find this for a while now! :)

[jjdo50]

I am not gonna lie. Even though this awesome Dave does seem to be uncomfortable.

[SAM135073]

are you kidding. listen to DMB Live In Chicago 1998. It's amazing. Especially this song

[shannon6833]

I think every DMB fan tends to hear their songs differently and feel completely different emotions from them. That's why they've stood the test of time. If everyone were affected in the same way, kinda boring right? And I'm sure these postings wouldn't exist either - nothing to discuss! :)

[shannon6833]

Doesn't seem like he's actually 'found' his groove yet, back in '98.

[MRoane41]

Yeah, definitely.

And his vocal skills aren't nearly as great as they are. Its like he's trying to hit those high notes, but he barely misses them. He tends to nail them now

[bbr89]

LMAO You clearly know nothing about DMB and their history. Go watch the Dreamgirl video a few more times and talk about shit you know.

[MRoane41]

I do know alot about DMB actually.. he barely missed the high note. He nails it everytime now.. perhaps it was just this performance

[bbr89]

As he's gotten older his ability to hit the high notes has declined actually. He was still in his prime in '98. Maybe you don't think he hit it perfectly during this performance but the rest of the year he was spot on. He misses the falsetto notes often now or doesn't even try them anymore. For example, he rarely tries to hit the high notes in Ants anymore, he just yells.

[Budsom22]

I'm hard for that vinyl BTCS

[buhbuhbuhbwright]

this version seems a little less powerful and slower than their later shows of the song

[drummer1364]

It's a lot closer to the album version.