Green attended Emerson College briefly in 1998 before leaving to concentrate on his music, going on to co-found the anti folk group The Moldy Peaches with Kimya Dawson. In 2004 The Moldy Peaches went on hiatus and both Green and Dawson embarked on solo careers.
Green released several albums on Rough Trade Records. Among his better known songs are "Jessica" (about singer Jessica Simpson), "Novotel", "Friends of Mine", "Dance with Me", "Carolina" and "Emily", and, in Britain, his cover of The Libertines track "What a Waster".
Prior to Jacket Full of Danger in 2006, all of Green's albums had been released on the 22nd of the month. His latest album was released on March 18, 2008 and is titled Sixes & Sevens. Titles include "Morning After Midnight", "Twee Twee Dee", and "Drowning Head First", the latter a duet between Green and his girlfriend.
In January 2008, The Moldy Peaches began having a resurgence in popularity, due to their music being included in the hit indie film Juno.
Jolly Good
Adam Green Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jolly good sir but I never met you
In your grey Cadillac car
Never gonna see the outline of a star
And the windows creek, on an elbow squeek
That will be for him comin' round the mountain
In his grey Cadillac car
Oh my little lady lies awake in the pines
Some seem to think that I'm awake all the time
Try to get me groovin' on a blue collar crime
But a maid in the backroom leaves my clothes behind
Bye diddle-eye-dye
Never gonna chew the outline of a pie
Pie that I owe, and I owe
And god knows, I owe them to you so
You came to defy these ugly tears that I cry
Now 89, ready to lie down
91, ready for to go
99, ready to go down
The lyrics in Adam Green's song Jolly Good tell a story of holidays in Hollywood, where the singer has never met the person he is addressing as "sir," but imagines him driving around in a grey Cadillac car. The singer laments that he will never be able to achieve his dream of seeing the outline of a star, perhaps symbolizing his own desire for fame and success. The windows of the car creak, and the singer hears an elbow squeak, possibly representing the wear and tear of a dream never realized. The second verse introduces a female character, the singer's "little lady" who lies awake in the pines, while some think the singer is awake all the time. The singer seems to be resisting societal expectations, trying to groove on a "blue collar crime," but also feeling indebted to others. The refrain "Bye diddle-eye-dye" reinforces a sense of fleetingness, while the final lines suggest that life is leading up to a final moment of going down.
Line by Line Meaning
Holidays, Hollywood
The glamorous lifestyle of Hollywood during holidays.
Jolly good sir but I never met you
Acknowledgement of another person's jovial demeanor but not really familiar with them.
In your grey Cadillac car
Making reference to the type of automobile the person owns.
Never gonna see the outline of a star
Not being able to associate the person with any major accomplishments in Hollywood.
And the windows creek, on an elbow squeek
The sound of the windows in the car moving which reminds the artist of another sound made by the joints in the body.
That will be for him comin' round the mountain
The arrival of the person in the car for a visit.
Oh my little lady lies awake in the pines
The singer's significant other is restless in bed.
Some seem to think that I'm awake all the time
Implies that folks believe the person never gets any rest.
Try to get me groovin' on a blue collar crime
Encouragement from others to engage in a risky venture for monetary gains.
But a maid in the backroom leaves my clothes behind
The artist forgets items after spending time in a hotel room.
Bye diddle-eye-dye
Saying goodbye with a nonsensical phrase.
Never gonna chew the outline of a pie
Not being able to actually consume a pie by just viewing its outline.
Pie that I owe, and I owe
Referring to debts owed and the continuation of owing them.
And god knows, I owe them to you so
Acknowledgement of the person who is owed.
You came to defy these ugly tears that I cry
The arrival and presence of the person calms and soothes the singer.
Now 89, ready to lie down
Reference to being exhausted and ready to rest at an advanced age.
91, ready for to go
Acknowledgement of nearing the end of life at age 91.
99, ready to go down
Reference to nearing the end of life at age 99.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ADAM GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind