I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Cocaine flame in my bloodstream
Sold my coat when I hit Spokane
Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes
In the early morning rain
Lately, my hands they don't feel like mine
My eyes been stung with dust, I'm blind
Held you in my arms one time
Lost you just the same
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face-down in a ditch
Booze in my hair, blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
Ah, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
Been so long since I seen your face
Or felt a part of this human race
I've been living out of this here suitcase for way too long
A man needs something he can hold onto
Nine-pound hammer or a woman like you
Either one of them things will do
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in a ditch
Booze in my hair, blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
Sold my coat when I hit Spokane
Bought myself a hard pack of cigarettes
In the early morning rain
Lately, my hands they don't feel like mine
My eyes been stung with dust, I'm blind
Held you in my arms one time
Lost you just the same
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face-down in a ditch
Booze in my hair, blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
Ah, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
Been so long since I seen your face
Or felt a part of this human race
I've been living out of this here suitcase for way too long
A man needs something he can hold onto
Nine-pound hammer or a woman like you
Either one of them things will do
Jolene
I ain't about to go straight
It's too late
I found myself face down in a ditch
Booze in my hair, blood on my lips
A picture of you, holding a picture of me
In the pocket of my blue jeans
Still don't know what love means
Still don't know what love means
Jolene
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
La, la, la, la, la, la, la
Jolene
Lyrics submitted by the_aloof, edited by JAlPrufrock
Jolene Lyrics as written by Ray Lamontagne
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song speaks rugged truth to me. When I listen to this song and then listen to Trouble, I can't help but thing the woman that saved the character portrayed in this song and won't let him go in that song might be Jolene from this song. To me this kind of adds depth to the story of this song. There are some beautiful lyrics in this song that speaks worlds to me, like: "Been so long since I seen your face or felt a part of this human race" and: "A man needs something he can hold onto a nine pound hammer or a woman like you, either one of them things will do". The imagery he gives of waking up in a ditch, bleeding, smelling of booze is palpable, and the fact that it seems that the only thing that seems to matter is the picture of her holding a picture of him is quite touching. I ponder on the reason why the girl in the picture is holding a picture of him instead of having a picture taken with him instead. The mispronunciation of Spokane seems to add to the story, in that he is definately not from the northwest. The description of the weather and climate of Spokane is poetic to me in the details. Since I have had the experience of going to the Spokane are during the fall when it was dusty and dry and waking up with a light rain. This song haunts me. I can't stop hearing the lyrics go through my head. It is as if it were to be saying to me "but for the grace of God (or whatever higher power that there might be)there go I"
I'm wondering if she's holding a picture of him because he's never around (and the listener can posit any number of reasons why that is: he's a musician on the road or a junkie as others have discussed). It evokes the feeling that she's always thinking of him even though he's never really there.