Jacksonville Skyline

Whiskeytown

The banks of the river run through my hometown
'BOARDED ON THE dirt roads, and I scraped my knees
Well they paved the roads eventually
With neon signs and car dealerships and diners
The soldiers fill the hotels on the weekends
I saw the pretty women as I walked through town
Well, I moved away soon as I turned sixteen
Figured I was old enough to go and work a job
Well I floated down main street, pools of car lights
WOE BECAME me, wishing I was still back home
The soldiers fill the hotels on the weekends
I saw the pretty women as I walked through town
Well, Jacksonville's a city with a hopeless streetlight
Seems like you're lucky if it ever change from red to green
I was born in an abundance of inherited sadness
And .50 cent picture frames bought at a five and dime
I ended up a soldier on the weekend
Looking for a vacancy I was NEVER to find
Somewhere the night sky hangs like a blanket
Shoot it with my cap gun just to make it
Seem like stars


Lyrics submitted by rosyquill, edited by littergrrl

Jacksonville Skyline Lyrics as written by Ryan Adams

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Jacksonville Skyline song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    Ryan has said that this song is mostly autobiographical. Completely understandable. Still a great song about home, youth, growing up and how much of a struggle all of it can be! One of my favies!
    melancholyjenon August 14, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    you feel immediately that this is his most personal song, and what a song it is.
    fockeron December 05, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I know it's easy to say "such and such might be the best such and such of all time" but seriously....this song must have one of the top 5 ending lines of all time. "Somewhere the night sky hangs like a blanket, shoot it with my cap gun just to make it seem like stars" It paints such a meaningful vision, and it almost seems out of place in the song. It's 100% perfect.
    z4ckm0rrison July 15, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Oh well ... I must say, I'm from Germany, 33 years of age, and, wow, how wonderful Ryan Adams fits my personal life ... for every situation he has the perfect matching song ... this one is really one of his alltime greatest, saddest, deepest and loneliest tunes ever ... Hope to be in Nashville sometime ... never was there, but long to be ... Nice greets!
    Silvahearton December 04, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    My favorite Whiskeytown song, such an excellent song.
    Andrewonfireon December 14, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    ME TOO.
    tbsbrandnewdcjewon July 30, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    jacksonville, nc is where Adams is from, he hated it as a kid growing up and couldnt wait to leave, its an army town (hence the references of that)...this song is painful to listen to sometimes but Ryan can really paint a picture with his words, pure brillance
    Boomsyon August 30, 2007   Link

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