I'm a bit surprised that this album doesn't have more comments about it, especially considering that lyrically this is one of the greatest albums of our generation, and Isbell has become a phenomenal songwriter.
The one thing I've noticed in this album is that Jason has this unique ability to create songs that are both perfectly universal and also painfully and beautifully personal. Obviously one of the big stories for Isbell and this album is his newfound sobriety, paired with the love of his life, Amanda Shires.
However, there's something important to note when interpreting Isbell's songs, and it comes directly from him: "For a lot of folks who get sober, the process of getting and staying sober becomes their higher power, and it becomes a religion that sort of consumes a whole lot of them. I just don't think that that's necessary. I think that that can be a side note rather than the story of your life." Additionally, he also notes that he's never been much of a religious man, and didn't feel the need to become religious in order to become sober. His lyrics come across in a very agnostic, but also stoic manner, which creates some powerful, but simple messages that as I said, apply to everyone. Now the song.
[On a lark]
[On a whim]
[I said there's two kinds of men in this world and you're neither of them]
[And his fist]
[Cut the smoke]
[I had an eighth of a second to wonder if he got the joke]
Simple at first glance here. Perhaps a personal experience of Isbell making a witty joke to some guy (perhaps in a bar), saying he's not a man, for whatever reason. This is also a metaphor for the situation of the breakup he's about to experience; your actions will sometimes result in painful consequences. However, and we'll see this at the end of the song, the world isn't ending and there's always hope for a brighter future.
[And in the car]
[Headed home]
[She asked if I had considered the prospect of living alone]
The story can be interpreted as Isbell getting in the car with his woman headed home. I don't necessarily subscribe to this song being told in a chronological order, however. But quite simply, this is the general way of how woman break up with men; not direct at first, but you know what she's getting at.
[With a steak]
[Held to my eye]
[I had to summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye]
[And another brief chapter without any answers blew by]
Isbell likely suffered a breakup after this "bar fight", so he probably did have a steak held to his eye. But it can also represent the painful feeling you experience whilst being broken up with. It's that moment when you know it's over and she hasn't actually said anything, thus needing to "summon the confidence" to stay strong while she says the words. Then, a very important lyric is mentioned here, "another brief chapter", as Isbell's maturity shows here demonstrating that it's only a small part of his life. However, it's still one of those moments that we end up looking for answers for a while to understand the why?
[And the songs that she sang in the shower]
[Are stuck in my head]
[Like "Bring Out Your Dead"]
["Breakfast In Bed"]
To Isbell, one of the things that he loved about this woman was her singing in the shower. But the songs also represent the things that you remember a woman by, and that after a breakup you simply cannot stop thinking about.
[And experience robs me of hope]
[That she'll make it back home]
[So I'm stuck on my own]
[I'm stuck on my own]
Again, the maturity here shows that he knows it's pointless to hope of any reconciliation. When it's over, it's over. Now he's on his own again.
[In a room]
[By myself]
[Looks like I'm here with a guy that I judged worse than anyone else]
After it's all happened, the man is alone inside his mind just thinking. The irony here is that he's alone yet with a guy that he judges (and is judged by) meticulously, himself. No is harder on us than ourselves, and we're not tougher on anyone than ourselves.
[So I pace]
[And I pray]
[And I repeat the mantra's that might keep me clean for the day]
For Isbell, he has to talk himself into not descending into alcohol and drugs. For others, oftentimes it is alcohol that will be a common solution to heartbreak. It can also be inactivity, obsessive thinking, or other unhealthy behaviors.
[And the songs that she sang in the shower all ring in my ear]
[Like "Wish You Were Here"]
[How I wish you were here.]
Back to obsessing over the woman and missing here. The littlest things can remind you of her, such as the name of a Pink Floyd song which she enjoyed to sing.
[And experience robs me of hope]
[That you'll ever return]
[So I breathe and I burn]
[I breathe and I burn]
Again, he knows she's never coming back. Not sure of the meaning of "breathe and burn"; perhaps it just means to continue living (breathe) and doing what he needs to do (burn, as in burning oil?).
[And the church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please]
[And the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees.]
My favorite part of the song; where hope springs for life, rather than the woman. The first line may be both optimistic or cynical, but this is the line I'm most unsure of. As a nonreligious individual, I interpret it saying some folks are content with some religious sermon, whereas he is not.
Frost is synonymous with the cold, which is the opposite of fire/heat and passion. In love, it represents loneliness and heartbreak. But the beauty of this is Isbell saying, "yes my heart aches, but it could be worse." The frost on the ground is colder and more miserable than the frost on the trees; there is always someone out there who has just experienced something much worse and they are envious of your situation. This is a great transition to "Relatively Easy", the final (and to me, the best) track of the album.
[And the songs she sang in the shower are stuck in my mind]
[Like "Yesterday's Wine", like yesterday's wine]
[And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again]
[Without thinking of them]
[Without thinking of them]
Despite all that, those memories of her are still in your thoughts. And every time you think of certain songs, they'll always be associated to you with her.
One of the greatest and to me, uplifting, "breakup" songs ever written. Please share your thoughts with me.
Most of this song is fairly clear, but you did a great job with a few lines that I didn't quite get. One of them is the "church bells" line. I thought he was saying something along the lines that people that are easy to please are still in relationships and getting married (ringing church bells), but I think your interpretation may be correct.
Most of this song is fairly clear, but you did a great job with a few lines that I didn't quite get. One of them is the "church bells" line. I thought he was saying something along the lines that people that are easy to please are still in relationships and getting married (ringing church bells), but I think your interpretation may be correct.
Hey, no one interpretation is necessarily correct! It can be different for each person. I actually could see it being about marriage as well. Perhaps he's talking about how many people are willing to settle in relationships and settle for a marriage - instant gratification for many people.
Hey, no one interpretation is necessarily correct! It can be different for each person. I actually could see it being about marriage as well. Perhaps he's talking about how many people are willing to settle in relationships and settle for a marriage - instant gratification for many people.
Another way of saying "she wasn't right for me, and it's best it ended sooner than later."
Another way of saying "she wasn't right for me, and it's best it ended sooner than later."
Well done, I agree with most of this analysis and appreciate the thoughts on lyrics that I had no interpretation for. I had always assumed he was speaking to his father in the opening line. I think now that the bar fight is more likely. I always wondered what "the "two kinds of men" were and what the joke was. I guess that will remain a mystery. "I breathe and I burn" I assumed was referring to love which continues to burn in him. I think the "church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please" is a...
Well done, I agree with most of this analysis and appreciate the thoughts on lyrics that I had no interpretation for. I had always assumed he was speaking to his father in the opening line. I think now that the bar fight is more likely. I always wondered what "the "two kinds of men" were and what the joke was. I guess that will remain a mystery. "I breathe and I burn" I assumed was referring to love which continues to burn in him. I think the "church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please" is a reference to other couples who marry, who are willing to accept more troubles and liive with less expectations or hopes.
I'm a bit surprised that this album doesn't have more comments about it, especially considering that lyrically this is one of the greatest albums of our generation, and Isbell has become a phenomenal songwriter.
The one thing I've noticed in this album is that Jason has this unique ability to create songs that are both perfectly universal and also painfully and beautifully personal. Obviously one of the big stories for Isbell and this album is his newfound sobriety, paired with the love of his life, Amanda Shires.
However, there's something important to note when interpreting Isbell's songs, and it comes directly from him: "For a lot of folks who get sober, the process of getting and staying sober becomes their higher power, and it becomes a religion that sort of consumes a whole lot of them. I just don't think that that's necessary. I think that that can be a side note rather than the story of your life." Additionally, he also notes that he's never been much of a religious man, and didn't feel the need to become religious in order to become sober. His lyrics come across in a very agnostic, but also stoic manner, which creates some powerful, but simple messages that as I said, apply to everyone. Now the song.
[On a lark] [On a whim] [I said there's two kinds of men in this world and you're neither of them]
[And his fist] [Cut the smoke] [I had an eighth of a second to wonder if he got the joke]
Simple at first glance here. Perhaps a personal experience of Isbell making a witty joke to some guy (perhaps in a bar), saying he's not a man, for whatever reason. This is also a metaphor for the situation of the breakup he's about to experience; your actions will sometimes result in painful consequences. However, and we'll see this at the end of the song, the world isn't ending and there's always hope for a brighter future.
[And in the car] [Headed home] [She asked if I had considered the prospect of living alone]
The story can be interpreted as Isbell getting in the car with his woman headed home. I don't necessarily subscribe to this song being told in a chronological order, however. But quite simply, this is the general way of how woman break up with men; not direct at first, but you know what she's getting at.
[With a steak] [Held to my eye] [I had to summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye] [And another brief chapter without any answers blew by]
Isbell likely suffered a breakup after this "bar fight", so he probably did have a steak held to his eye. But it can also represent the painful feeling you experience whilst being broken up with. It's that moment when you know it's over and she hasn't actually said anything, thus needing to "summon the confidence" to stay strong while she says the words. Then, a very important lyric is mentioned here, "another brief chapter", as Isbell's maturity shows here demonstrating that it's only a small part of his life. However, it's still one of those moments that we end up looking for answers for a while to understand the why?
[And the songs that she sang in the shower] [Are stuck in my head] [Like "Bring Out Your Dead"] ["Breakfast In Bed"]
To Isbell, one of the things that he loved about this woman was her singing in the shower. But the songs also represent the things that you remember a woman by, and that after a breakup you simply cannot stop thinking about.
[And experience robs me of hope] [That she'll make it back home] [So I'm stuck on my own] [I'm stuck on my own]
Again, the maturity here shows that he knows it's pointless to hope of any reconciliation. When it's over, it's over. Now he's on his own again.
[In a room] [By myself] [Looks like I'm here with a guy that I judged worse than anyone else]
After it's all happened, the man is alone inside his mind just thinking. The irony here is that he's alone yet with a guy that he judges (and is judged by) meticulously, himself. No is harder on us than ourselves, and we're not tougher on anyone than ourselves.
[So I pace] [And I pray] [And I repeat the mantra's that might keep me clean for the day]
For Isbell, he has to talk himself into not descending into alcohol and drugs. For others, oftentimes it is alcohol that will be a common solution to heartbreak. It can also be inactivity, obsessive thinking, or other unhealthy behaviors.
[And the songs that she sang in the shower all ring in my ear] [Like "Wish You Were Here"] [How I wish you were here.]
Back to obsessing over the woman and missing here. The littlest things can remind you of her, such as the name of a Pink Floyd song which she enjoyed to sing.
[And experience robs me of hope] [That you'll ever return] [So I breathe and I burn] [I breathe and I burn]
Again, he knows she's never coming back. Not sure of the meaning of "breathe and burn"; perhaps it just means to continue living (breathe) and doing what he needs to do (burn, as in burning oil?).
[And the church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please] [And the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees.]
My favorite part of the song; where hope springs for life, rather than the woman. The first line may be both optimistic or cynical, but this is the line I'm most unsure of. As a nonreligious individual, I interpret it saying some folks are content with some religious sermon, whereas he is not.
Frost is synonymous with the cold, which is the opposite of fire/heat and passion. In love, it represents loneliness and heartbreak. But the beauty of this is Isbell saying, "yes my heart aches, but it could be worse." The frost on the ground is colder and more miserable than the frost on the trees; there is always someone out there who has just experienced something much worse and they are envious of your situation. This is a great transition to "Relatively Easy", the final (and to me, the best) track of the album.
[And the songs she sang in the shower are stuck in my mind] [Like "Yesterday's Wine", like yesterday's wine]
[And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again] [Without thinking of them] [Without thinking of them]
Despite all that, those memories of her are still in your thoughts. And every time you think of certain songs, they'll always be associated to you with her.
One of the greatest and to me, uplifting, "breakup" songs ever written. Please share your thoughts with me.
Most of this song is fairly clear, but you did a great job with a few lines that I didn't quite get. One of them is the "church bells" line. I thought he was saying something along the lines that people that are easy to please are still in relationships and getting married (ringing church bells), but I think your interpretation may be correct.
Most of this song is fairly clear, but you did a great job with a few lines that I didn't quite get. One of them is the "church bells" line. I thought he was saying something along the lines that people that are easy to please are still in relationships and getting married (ringing church bells), but I think your interpretation may be correct.
Hey, no one interpretation is necessarily correct! It can be different for each person. I actually could see it being about marriage as well. Perhaps he's talking about how many people are willing to settle in relationships and settle for a marriage - instant gratification for many people.
Hey, no one interpretation is necessarily correct! It can be different for each person. I actually could see it being about marriage as well. Perhaps he's talking about how many people are willing to settle in relationships and settle for a marriage - instant gratification for many people.
Another way of saying "she wasn't right for me, and it's best it ended sooner than later."
Another way of saying "she wasn't right for me, and it's best it ended sooner than later."
@HiddenMusic I originally took the church bell line the same way you did, but now I'm thinking I like the way @lemmy999 put it.
@HiddenMusic I originally took the church bell line the same way you did, but now I'm thinking I like the way @lemmy999 put it.
Such a a great songwriter
Such a a great songwriter
@HiddenMusic I took "church bells" to be wedding bells. But that's just me.
@HiddenMusic I took "church bells" to be wedding bells. But that's just me.
Well done, I agree with most of this analysis and appreciate the thoughts on lyrics that I had no interpretation for. I had always assumed he was speaking to his father in the opening line. I think now that the bar fight is more likely. I always wondered what "the "two kinds of men" were and what the joke was. I guess that will remain a mystery. "I breathe and I burn" I assumed was referring to love which continues to burn in him. I think the "church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please" is a...
Well done, I agree with most of this analysis and appreciate the thoughts on lyrics that I had no interpretation for. I had always assumed he was speaking to his father in the opening line. I think now that the bar fight is more likely. I always wondered what "the "two kinds of men" were and what the joke was. I guess that will remain a mystery. "I breathe and I burn" I assumed was referring to love which continues to burn in him. I think the "church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please" is a reference to other couples who marry, who are willing to accept more troubles and liive with less expectations or hopes.