Hate It Here

i don't think he likes it there.

This is my favorite from Sky Blue Sky.

In a recent interview JT was asked if this song was pessimistic, and if it had anything to do with his marriage. Jeff's response was a laugh and, this isn't a direct quote, but something along the lines of "No way, I think its hilarious" and "My wife called this 'the joke song' because I don't even know how to fold a shirt" and "I honestly think its one of funniest things I've ever written"

One more reason I love Jeff, even when he's this famous he doesn't take music too seriously.

i love the way jeff sings the "what am i going to do..." part.

I know it totally sounds as if he's singing about a woman, but the first time I heard this song I thought of kicking drugs. He just came out of re-hab and quit smoking so I thought it was plausible. LIke he's saying I'm trying to keep myself busy by doing all these chores, but you're still on my mind. It's hard to quit. Anybody else get that impression?

i like the kickin drugs theory--i don't know if that was jeff's intention, but the lyrics are certainly fitting. one of the oddest notions when you're quitting is that you will never, under no circumstance, do it again. sure, it's easy to fathom a month or two clean, but to see a whole clean life ahead of you--to know that the drugs won't be there to live with you anymore--it can be overwhelming. and certainly hate-able.

"What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold? What am I gonna do when I run out of lawn to mow? What am I gonna do if you never come home?" Pure poetry.

"Keeping things clean doesn't change anything" I can definitely relate to this line.

I think this is a "love song" - not necessarily written out of personal experience. When I'm writing songs, sometimes thoughts and words and ideas just come out of nowhere, and you pursue them, and you end up with a song that's great, but not at all what you had intended to write, or thought you had intended to write.

So I'm glad to hear that Jeff can't even fold a shirt. Nonetheless, it's a great love song that tells a story, follows a path, and who says you have to write songs about yourself?

Love the scenic world's quote!

well I take the sad love song view and not the drug au revoir theory. love the line of him calling her mom, and mom saying what she has to, but giving her own sad farewell in saying take care. the way he sings it just makes it ridiculously cool.