The Gaslight Anthem

High Lonesome

23 Meanings

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High Lonesome Lyrics

So the ambulances came
They took your pulse and packed up your things
And the papers read
Some boys forget what the heartache brings

And the pounding in the street
Was your heart in 4/4 time
And the taste of defeat
Was never too far from your mind

And Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
I always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis
And in my head there's all these classic cars and outlaw cowboy bands
I always kinda sorta wished I was someone else

So gravity came
And stole the temple that the schoolboys praised
And the crowd shuffled in
You're getting drinks for the same boys who once bought you everything

And the powder on the bar was just this one time
The powder on the bar was just this one night
And only to get by

And there were southern accents on the radio as I drove home
And at night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
It's a pretty good song, maybe you know the rest
Baby, you know the rest

And Maria came from Nashville with a suitcase in her hand
Always kinda sorta wished I looked like Elvis
And in my head there's all these classic cars and outlaw cowboy bands
I always kinda sorta wished I was someone else

When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound
When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound
When our boots they hit the ground
They made a high and lonesome sound

When our boots they hit the ground
Down from the clouds
They made a high and lonesome sound

Submitted by

eltroyo11 On Jul 10, 2008

The '59 Sound

I'da Called You Woody, Joe

Here's Looking at You, Kid

Great Expectations

Old White Lincoln

So the ambulances came
They took your pulse and packed up your things
And the papers read
Some boys forget what the heartache brings

And the pounding in the street
Was your heart in 4/4 time
And the taste of defeat
Was never too far from your mind

So gravity came
And stole the temple that the schoolboys praised
And the crowd shuffled in
You're getting drinks for the same boys who once bought you everything

And the powder on the bar was just this one time
The powder on the bar was just this one night
And only to get by

And there were southern accents on the radio as I drove home
And at night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet
It's a pretty good song, maybe you know the rest
Baby, you know the rest

When our boots they hit the ground
Down from the clouds
They made a high and lonesome sound

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g4laxy

2013-06-12 23:39:22

eltroyo11

Submitter

2008-07-10 19:13:32

23 Meanings

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Cover art for High Lonesome lyrics by Gaslight Anthem, The

by lovenightandrock

15y ago

I think the song is about dealing with the clash of dreams and reality. The speaker is in love Maria and thats why he wants to look like Elvis (Counting Crows say she is looking for a boy who looks like Elvis) and also has the double meaning of him wanting to be famous. I think thats why he feels bad when Maria turns to drugs "And the powder on the bar was just this one time, The powder on the bar was just this one night, Only to get by". By the whole idea is that one of them (or both) wants to make it as a musician "Was your heart in 4/4 time" means that their heart is music. And the whole thing is that the dream is not working out but he wants it to "And in my head there's all these classic cars, And outlaw cowboy bands". Also the reference to "Souther Accents" has double meaning, one is Maria is homesick for the south and also that Tom Petty is someone who has the life the speaker wants "I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else". That is the same as the reference to Springsteen "And at night I woke up, With the sheets soaking wet, It's a pretty good song, Maybe you know the rest" it means both that he is feeling that way and also that he wishes he was Springsteen. As for the end I am not sure what the high and lonesome sound means. It probably is a reference to bluegrass but I think it also means this empty sound, like how life is empty without a dream. Lastly I read a review a while ago that mentions the honesty of gaslight's lyrics. Reading the lyrics does not do the line "I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else" justice. When you hear it it really seems like some sort of confession you would only say to a close friend. Oh gaslight is totally amazing! I really love the idea of the heart being in 4/4 time. Totally a great line!

I think the song is about dealing with the clash of dreams and reality. The speaker is in love Maria and thats why he wants to look like Elvis (Counting Crows say she is looking for a boy who looks like Elvis) and also has the double meaning of him wanting to be famous. I think thats why he feels bad when Maria turns to drugs "And the powder on the bar was just this one time, The powder on the bar was just this one night, Only to get by". By the whole idea is that one of them (or both) wants to make it as a musician "Was your heart in 4/4 time" means that their heart is music. And the whole thing is that the dream is not working out but he wants it to "And in my head there's all these classic cars, And outlaw cowboy bands". Also the reference to "Souther Accents" has double meaning, one is Maria is homesick for the south and also that Tom Petty is someone who has the life the speaker wants "I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else". That is the same as the reference to Springsteen "And at night I woke up, With the sheets soaking wet, It's a pretty good song, Maybe you know the rest" it means both that he is feeling that way and also that he wishes he was Springsteen. As for the end I am not sure what the high and lonesome sound means. It probably is a reference to bluegrass but I think it also means this empty sound, like how life is empty without a dream.
Lastly I read a review a while ago that mentions the honesty of gaslight's lyrics. Reading the lyrics does not do the line "I always kinda sorta wish I'm someone else" justice. When you hear it it really seems like some sort of confession you would only say to a close friend. Oh gaslight is totally amazing! I really love the idea of the heart being in 4/4 time. Totally a great line!

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by punkkid6312

18y ago

i love how it quotes Round Here by Counting Crows

maria came from nashville with a suitcase in her hand, she said she'd like to meet a boy who looked like elvis

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by forgottensmiles

18y ago

It quotes Bruce Springsteen as well. The line "at night i wake up with the sheets soaking wet" is from "I'm on Fire". Quite a few of their songs have Springsteen references

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by brick2.0

16y ago

Actually it isn't so much about suicide as it is about getting older and the death of your childhood dreams. The second stanza really brings it home. Gravity take her body that used to bring all the boys to her and now she's stuck working at the bar where the boys would buy her drinks. ANd from there it's lines of cocaine to get by, but its always just for tonight.

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by rmfnord

14y ago

Surprised no one's mentioned, "crowd shuffled in" is a straight reference to Billy Joel's Piano Man, "It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday / and the regular crowd shuffles in." So she's working in the most depressing bar in the world.

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by lovenightandrock 14y ago

I can't believe I missed that one! As much as I listen to Billy Joel I should have caught it. But if it is a reference to PIano Man then that is totally adding to my point about them trying to make it big in music. The song Piano Man is suppose to be about Joel before he made it big, and how he was too talented to be stuck in a bar "they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, and say man what are you doing here?"

by joshLISTED

14y ago

I think it's about chasing stardom but then reality hits.

Maria was popular in her hometown (You're getting drinks for the same boys, Who once bought you everything) and probably seemed talented in her small town, but once she left town to follow her dreams she realized that she was just like everyone else who chases stardom. That's what I get from the second verse. Maybe she kills herself because her dreams are dead or something?