Feel the southern breezes
And the southern wind
Blowin' down around the corner bend

D'Agostino's late last night I saw
A boy fifteen on the road
With nothing in his pockets
His hands to the sky
And nowhere else to go

Can you see it?
Or believe it?
To send the corner man
He's never been

So come with me
I'll show you where the
Dogwood's bloom it's true
Lost and found and lost again
To the honeysuckle blue
Bl-bl-blue

Runnin' through these caverns of gold
Runs a river of death indeed
An old hotel serves as a
Shelter for the children
In the street

Abandoned by the promised land
Set sail on their own
How much longer
Will the well
Be dry for those
Who roam

I got a ticket
In my pocket
To send the corner man
He's never been

Have you ever seen the
Blue Ridge Mountains, boy
Or the Chattahoochee
Or the honeysuckle blue
Bl-bl-blue

Come here to the promised land
Running down the world
Run down and leave me lying on the road alone
But if you got time I'll take you through
The times of love and more
Stand by my side and leave it all
Run out the door

Well I got a dream, and I got some love
And it's standing far too long
When I start something, go ahead
And it's all bound in love

Well I'm bound by law, and I'm running for you
Holding me alone
I'm lost and found and lost again
To the honeysuckle blue
Bl-bl-blue

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Lyrics submitted by drh1382, edited by bkabbott, zcullens, jepcubed

Honeysuckle Blue Lyrics as written by Kevin Gerard Kinney

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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+1
General Comment
Jason Isbell sobered up about a year before me, so my interpretation of his lyrics are always colored by that fact. That said, I think Isbell wrote this song just prior to putting down the bottle for good, and you can see in this song that he's teetering on the brink, wrestling with his demons:

"I'm too scared to ask the right questions and too tired to fill the right shoes so I'll take advantage of the blues"

It's a strange place, when you're just starting to realize you might have a problem with alcohol. To me, he's saying that he probably knows that he should quit, but he's too tired to ask the right questions. The blue is that in between, just nothingness.

"Mark me up so they can see the best of me Hold me down so I can't find a drink"

The closing stanza shows that he knows he shouldn't drink anymore, but that he will if those closest to him don't stop him. "Hold me down" is almost a plea for help -- it's perhaps Jason's first realization that he needs to ask for help.

That time in your life right before you are willing to put in all the work and effort of getting sober is a very strange place, at least it was for me. Life is sort of a haze of self-pity but also helplessness and apathy. That, to me, is what the blue is.

Reminds me of another song Isbell covered, "Rachel's Song" (written by James McMurtry):

"I probably oughta quit my drinking But I don't believe I will"

Fortunately for us, Isbell did ultimately get sober, and his best writing has emerged since. And another brief chapter without any answers blew by. For both Isbell and myself.

Jason Isbell sobered up about a year before me, so my interpretation of his lyrics are always colored by that fact. That said, I think Isbell wrote this song just prior to putting down the bottle for good, and you can see in this song that he's teetering on the brink, wrestling with his demons: "I'm too scared to ask the right questions and too tired to fill the right shoes so I'll take advantage of the blues" It's a strange place, when you're just starting to realize you might have a problem with alcohol. To me, he's saying that he probably knows that he should quit, but he's too tired to ask the right questions. The blue is that in between, just nothingness. "Mark me up so they can see the best of me Hold me down so I can't find a drink" The closing stanza shows that he knows he shouldn't drink anymore, but that he will if those closest to him don't stop him. "Hold me down" is almost a plea for help -- it's perhaps Jason's first realization that he needs to ask for help. That time in your life right before you are willing to put in all the work and effort of getting sober is a very strange place, at least it was for me. Life is sort of a haze of self-pity but also helplessness and apathy. That, to me, is what the blue is. Reminds me of another song Isbell covered, "Rachel's Song" (written by James McMurtry): "I probably oughta quit my drinking But I don't believe I will" Fortunately for us, Isbell did ultimately get sober, and his best writing has emerged since. And another brief chapter without any answers blew by. For both Isbell and myself.

Reason:

zcullenson April 09, 2015 Link
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@zcullens

@zcullens I agree with your interpretation, or at least that is how I hear it too. Actually going back and listening to many of his pre sobriety songs I hear them that way. Not sure if that is just me projecting knowing his past or if their were many little calls for help along the way. <br /> Either way great song and great artist.

jepcubedon May 08, 2015