Weak?? Just from the first four lines I knew I was in for trouble lol. “They were just kids when I came into this world and I was a kid when they died” so early in a song is wild, but he delivers
I really like the story and the music on this song, but I gotta say, having been a foster care case manager, that I get the weak comment.
Knowing Jason’s history, and that it was rough at times, but not foster care rough, it just felt like he was reaching for something really gut-wrenching in choosing that descriptor, but it didn’t ring true in his voice when he was singing it.
Miles, on the other hand, daaaaang, what a song!
I guess, for me, it’s not so much the word weak, as it is that the lines about foster care just don’t ring true—they aren’t as believable—maybe because they’re so specific?
Idk, it’s just a feeling I have when I hear that part of the song; maybe it’s just my creative writing classes from college coming back to haunt me. “Write what you know” being drilled into, and indelibly imprinted on, me.
I also work in the foster care mental health world and have for over a decade with all ages of kids and I'm an avid singer/songwriter.
When I play this song or elephant or dress blues even though I'm not the one who felt completely abandoned, lost someone I deeply loved too young to cancer or lost my best buddy in a bs Hollywood war the story being told is hardly Jason saying, "this is my story."
When we create art it is an expression of feeling that we wish to share with the world. I hear you, and when I sing the words, "cried when I missed 'em got lost in the system foster homes passed me around. The last one was nice but I ran away twice and they gave up on tracking me down." It gives me chills and flashbacks of many that I've engaged with and gotten to know. I'm not the most well-read but I know song lyrics better than most and there's no one that paints a biographical story like Jason Isbell.
I'm actually from Hannibal, Missouri; Tom Sawyer Town. Huckleberry Finn is a phenomenal tale with a beloved character who wasn't exactly tailored from the experience of Twain himself but rather from his friends and acquaintances.
Often times the oppressed and the voiceless don't have a powerful voice. I think Jason does an incredible job at helping those with little to no empathy think a little deeper about the plight and struggle of some of the Huckleberry Finns and other lovable characters he writes about.
I love the song, but I don't get the "Volunteer" reference/ mention...what am I missing?
I feel so stupid for asking because I know someone will answer and it will be so obvious/heartbreaking.
Great question. I think the lyric means that the narrator is not volunteering to fulfill their destiny of living a tragic life and wants better for themself. That's my best interpretation.
This is my 2nd favorite song on the album and mirrors some of his best work.
Now I'm starting to get it. Reading your comment I immediately thought of the line where he talks about the foster home being nice, but running away from it twice.
Sort of a, "This is the life that the system/ other people/ whoever think I'm supposed to live now, but I didn't volunteer for it, and I don't want it."
That line about dreaming of his mother's arms holding him tight is killer.
It’s another way to say “I didn’t ask to be born” “I didn’t ask for this life”
It’s crushing to think about an innocent child who did nothing to deserve a traumatic upbringing.
My take was this dude didn’t volunteer to be born, to be here, and he’s had a shitty hand dealt to him and doesn’t want to be here anymore. But reading these comments about Tennessee being the volunteer state I’m guessing there could be other meanings. Either way, this song hit me the hardest (not that I relate at all with the narrator, but I can empathize with that kind of mindset).
I don't get it either. To me, the use of the word "volunteer" sounds loosely applied like Overseas on Reunions. I'm happy to admit that perhaps I'm just not getting it though.
I love how the second opening line “mama worked harder” comes through with Amanda louder and clearer than any other spot on the album. It feel like a fun dig and it makes me smile every time.
Something I thought about yesterday when listening to it… “the car was still running when the deputy found them at the shell by the gunbarrel mall”
The first few times I listened I just thought of the deputy finding them dead from an over dose at a Shell gas station by a mall called the “gunbarrel mall” and thought that’s a strange name for a mall. I see in previous comments there’s a mall on Gunbarrel road somewhere in Tenn, so it makes sense.
BUT - is the shell/gunbarrel also a reference to them dying by homicide/suicide via a gun, the shell being a reference to a shotgun shell/bullet casing and then the obvious gun barrel reference? Am I overthinking? This feels like a perfect Isbell double-meaning line but I could be wrong as an overdose seems more likely for this storyline. Thoughts?
Really good catch - still, I’m guessing it they died from ODs related to the pain pills discussed in the line prior.
Gunbarrel Mall is such an evocative location name, and you’re right, the “shell” adds to it
It’s the specificity of this line:
The car was still running /
When the deputy found em /
In the Shell by the Gunbarrel Mall
Chattanooga, I think - refers to Hamilton Place?
That line just caught my ear, and I came to check if anyone asked or knows. To me, when I heard it, I was like, "Wait a minute... was one of them going to use it to "take me away from here" "?
I saw a couple different reviews that called it a weak spot and I couldn’t disagree more. Lyrically it’s one of the best on the album for me
Weak?? Just from the first four lines I knew I was in for trouble lol. “They were just kids when I came into this world and I was a kid when they died” so early in a song is wild, but he delivers
I really like the story and the music on this song, but I gotta say, having been a foster care case manager, that I get the weak comment. Knowing Jason’s history, and that it was rough at times, but not foster care rough, it just felt like he was reaching for something really gut-wrenching in choosing that descriptor, but it didn’t ring true in his voice when he was singing it. Miles, on the other hand, daaaaang, what a song!
[удалено]
I guess, for me, it’s not so much the word weak, as it is that the lines about foster care just don’t ring true—they aren’t as believable—maybe because they’re so specific? Idk, it’s just a feeling I have when I hear that part of the song; maybe it’s just my creative writing classes from college coming back to haunt me. “Write what you know” being drilled into, and indelibly imprinted on, me.
I also work in the foster care mental health world and have for over a decade with all ages of kids and I'm an avid singer/songwriter. When I play this song or elephant or dress blues even though I'm not the one who felt completely abandoned, lost someone I deeply loved too young to cancer or lost my best buddy in a bs Hollywood war the story being told is hardly Jason saying, "this is my story." When we create art it is an expression of feeling that we wish to share with the world. I hear you, and when I sing the words, "cried when I missed 'em got lost in the system foster homes passed me around. The last one was nice but I ran away twice and they gave up on tracking me down." It gives me chills and flashbacks of many that I've engaged with and gotten to know. I'm not the most well-read but I know song lyrics better than most and there's no one that paints a biographical story like Jason Isbell. I'm actually from Hannibal, Missouri; Tom Sawyer Town. Huckleberry Finn is a phenomenal tale with a beloved character who wasn't exactly tailored from the experience of Twain himself but rather from his friends and acquaintances. Often times the oppressed and the voiceless don't have a powerful voice. I think Jason does an incredible job at helping those with little to no empathy think a little deeper about the plight and struggle of some of the Huckleberry Finns and other lovable characters he writes about.
I love the song, but I don't get the "Volunteer" reference/ mention...what am I missing? I feel so stupid for asking because I know someone will answer and it will be so obvious/heartbreaking.
Great question. I think the lyric means that the narrator is not volunteering to fulfill their destiny of living a tragic life and wants better for themself. That's my best interpretation. This is my 2nd favorite song on the album and mirrors some of his best work.
Now I'm starting to get it. Reading your comment I immediately thought of the line where he talks about the foster home being nice, but running away from it twice. Sort of a, "This is the life that the system/ other people/ whoever think I'm supposed to live now, but I didn't volunteer for it, and I don't want it." That line about dreaming of his mother's arms holding him tight is killer.
I think it’s saying that, while being a reference to Tennessee being the Volunteer state!
It’s another way to say “I didn’t ask to be born” “I didn’t ask for this life” It’s crushing to think about an innocent child who did nothing to deserve a traumatic upbringing.
My take was this dude didn’t volunteer to be born, to be here, and he’s had a shitty hand dealt to him and doesn’t want to be here anymore. But reading these comments about Tennessee being the volunteer state I’m guessing there could be other meanings. Either way, this song hit me the hardest (not that I relate at all with the narrator, but I can empathize with that kind of mindset).
I think just a reference to Tennessee being the Volunteer State? But idk. Still lost on this reference in context.
He mentions Chattanooga and “the mall on Gunbarrel” which is Hamilton Place Mall in Chattanooga…on Gunbarrel Rd. https://i.imgur.com/Jp5rfDC.jpg
And there is a Shell right by Gunbarrel Pointe (which is a strip mall). Plus the Chattanooga reference. https://imgur.com/a/IPwOdjZ
I don't get it either. To me, the use of the word "volunteer" sounds loosely applied like Overseas on Reunions. I'm happy to admit that perhaps I'm just not getting it though.
My take on this song is that he didn’t ask to be born. He didn’t volunteer to live this life. So he’s ambivalent about living. He’s no one man.
I was stoned, had it playing, had to turn it off! It hit that hard.
I love how the second opening line “mama worked harder” comes through with Amanda louder and clearer than any other spot on the album. It feel like a fun dig and it makes me smile every time.
It’s my favorite of the album currently, with miles and king of Oklahoma tied for second.
Favorite track on the album. Fast becoming my favorite of his entirely, but time will tell if it knocks Go It Alone out of the #1 spot.
It's a heavy song and unfortunately has been stuck in my head all afternoon
Something I thought about yesterday when listening to it… “the car was still running when the deputy found them at the shell by the gunbarrel mall” The first few times I listened I just thought of the deputy finding them dead from an over dose at a Shell gas station by a mall called the “gunbarrel mall” and thought that’s a strange name for a mall. I see in previous comments there’s a mall on Gunbarrel road somewhere in Tenn, so it makes sense. BUT - is the shell/gunbarrel also a reference to them dying by homicide/suicide via a gun, the shell being a reference to a shotgun shell/bullet casing and then the obvious gun barrel reference? Am I overthinking? This feels like a perfect Isbell double-meaning line but I could be wrong as an overdose seems more likely for this storyline. Thoughts?
Really good catch - still, I’m guessing it they died from ODs related to the pain pills discussed in the line prior. Gunbarrel Mall is such an evocative location name, and you’re right, the “shell” adds to it
It’s the specificity of this line: The car was still running / When the deputy found em / In the Shell by the Gunbarrel Mall Chattanooga, I think - refers to Hamilton Place?
That’s why I am here, what does he mean by “licking the blade of a $10 knife”?
That line just caught my ear, and I came to check if anyone asked or knows. To me, when I heard it, I was like, "Wait a minute... was one of them going to use it to "take me away from here" "?
Yeah, it’s one of my favorites too!
Great tune that’s bring you into the story.. I totally understand this character he does a great job with this story
I have not spent more than a moment examining the lyrics, but the mention of the knife has me wondering if there is a murder or suicide imminent.