Formed in 2006, the band derived its name from the Wilco song, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” and is led by band founder and lead vocalist/ guitarist BJ Barham. A new lineup was announced in April 2017 with new faces joining the ranks: Crooks drummer Joey Bybee, Damn Quails bass player Ben Hussey and guitarist Shane Boeker – all from Texas – along with Nashville pedal-steel player Adam Kurtz, who also fronts Music City's experimental Buck Owens tribute Buck N' Stuff. Bybee left in August 2018 and was replaced by Nashville-based drummer Matty Alger, who in turn left in February 2019. Kurtz left the band after the Mile Zero fest in January 2019, and Hussey left in July 2019.
Their first album, Antique Hearts, was released in 2006, followed by The Bible and the Bottle in 2008.
In 2012, American Aquarium released two albums: Live in Raleigh and Burn. Flicker. Die.
The band released their sixth original album, Wolves, in February 2015.[7] The band's fans helped raise $24,000 through a Kickstarter project to help fund the album's production, and the album was recorded in Asheville, North Carolina at Echo Mountain.
On November 25, 2016 "Live at Terminal West" was released by the band from a live show recording in November 2015 at Terminal West in Atlanta, Georgia.
Things Change was released on New West Records in 2018, followed by
Lamentations (on New West Records) in 2020.
Brightleaf Burley
American Aquarium Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The last 100 years
We're the walking definition of blood, sweat and tears
If you ask ′em who we are
They'll tell you mean and surly
We're the keepers of tradition
That Brightleaf and Burley
We get high as a kite
Lord, I wish I may
Lord, I wish I might
Be singing this song
When I hit the Pearly Gates
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
I′ve been wandering these roads
Since I was three years old
Watching the men I thought were gods
Turning green leafs into gold
Now the fields, they all lay empty
Curing barns are growing cold
All the while another cash crop
Just begging to be sold
Yeah, we got the infrastructure
Lord, know′s we got the will
But a solution to a problem
Doesn't pay that problem′s bills
So they'll keep calling it illegal
Keep pumping us with pills
Tell Roosevelt what the Bible Belt
Went and did to his New Deal
Yeah, we get low down
We get high as a kite
Lord, I wish I may
Lord, I wish I might
Be singing this song
When I hit the Pearly Gates
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Being paid for oil
Coal and steel
If the factory work ain′t left yet
Bet a dollar that it will
We redefined resilience
We'll make it somehow
But if God was gonna to save us
He′d have done it by now
If your God was gonna to save us
He'd have done it by now
So we get low down
We get high as a kite
Lord,I wish I may
Lord, I wish I might
Be singing this song
When I hit the Pearly Gates
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
The song "Brightleaf and Burley" by American Aquarium is a powerful commentary on the decline of the tobacco industry in small towns across America. The opening verse establishes the sense of pride and tradition associated with these communities, which have relied on the crop for generations. The use of the phrase "blood, sweat, and tears" emphasizes the hard work and sacrifice required to maintain this way of life. While outsiders may view the people of these towns as "mean and surly," they see themselves as guardians of a way of life that is disappearing.
The second verse speaks to the personal connection that the singer has with tobacco farming. They have been involved in the industry since childhood, and have a deep respect for those who have dedicated their lives to this work. However, the landscape is changing rapidly, and tobacco is no longer the primary cash crop. While the community remains resilient, the singer recognizes the challenges they face. The widespread use of opioids and the reluctance of government officials to provide solutions are also addressed in this verse.
The song culminates in a call for solidarity among those who feel the impact of these changes. The repetition of the line "we get low down, we get high as a kite" suggests an understanding that people turn to various coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and uncertainty of this way of life. Despite the hardships, the singer expresses a desire to continue singing this song until their time comes to join the afterlife. Through it all, they remain proud of their hometown and the rich history that has shaped their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Our name's been on that mailbox
Our family has owned and lived on this land for generations.
The last 100 years
Our family has owned and lived on this land for a long time.
We're the walking definition of blood, sweat and tears
We have worked hard to maintain our way of life and traditions on this land.
If you ask ′em who we are
If you ask anyone in the town who we are.
They'll tell you mean and surly
They will describe us as tough and unfriendly, but they respect us.
We're the keepers of tradition
We are responsible for preserving the customs and practices of our community.
That Brightleaf and Burley
Two types of tobacco plants that have been grown here for generations.
We get low down
We sometimes engage in behavior that is morally questionable.
We get high as a kite
We sometimes use drugs to escape the harsh realities of our lives.
Lord, I wish I may
I hope that I will be able to.
Lord, I wish I might
I hope that I might be able to do this.
Be singing this song
Be able to sing this song.
When I hit the Pearly Gates
When I die and go to heaven.
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Hello from our town, where tobacco farming has been a way of life for generations.
I've been wandering these roads
I have been traveling these roads for a long time.
Since I was three years old
Since I was very young.
Watching the men I thought were gods
Watching the men who were my heroes and role models.
Turning green leafs into gold
Transforming tobacco leaves into valuable crops.
Now the fields, they all lay empty
Now that tobacco is no longer as profitable, the fields are now unused.
Curing barns are growing cold
Barns used for drying tobacco are now unused and abandoned.
All the while another cash crop
However, there are other crops that could be grown and sold for profit.
Just begging to be sold
These crops are in high demand and would be profitable if grown and sold.
Yeah, we got the infrastructure
We have the necessary resources and facilities to grow and sell crops.
Lord, knows we got the will
We have the determination and desire to continue to make a living off the land.
But a solution to a problem
However, the solution to this problem is not easy to find.
Doesn't pay that problem's bills
Solving this problem will not make us any money in the short term.
So they'll keep calling it illegal
The government will continue to prohibit certain crops to be grown and sold.
Keep pumping us with pills
Doctors and pharmaceutical companies will continue to give us medication to deal with the hardships of our lives.
Tell Roosevelt what the Bible Belt
To tell the president what the people of the southern United States are doing.
Went and did to his New Deal
Referring to how the people of the southern United States often resisted or opposed President Roosevelt's New Deal policies.
Being paid for oil
People are making a lot of money from the oil industry.
Coal and steel
And also from the coal and steel industries.
If the factory work ain't left yet
If there is still factory work in this town.
Bet a dollar that it will
It is likely that factory work will soon leave this town.
We redefined resilience
We have had to adapt and overcome many challenges and hardships over the years.
We'll make it somehow
We will find a way to survive and make a living, no matter what.
But if God was gonna to save us
But if we are waiting for divine intervention to help us.
He'd have done it by now
It would have happened already if it was going to.
If your God was gonna to save us
If you are waiting for divine intervention to help us.
He'd have done it by now
It would have happened already if it was going to.
So we get low down
So sometimes we engage in behavior that is morally questionable.
We get high as a kite
We sometimes use drugs to escape the harsh realities of our lives.
Lord, I wish I may
I hope that I will be able to.
Lord, I wish I might
I hope that I might be able to do this.
Be singing this song
Be able to sing this song.
When I hit the Pearly Gates
When I die and go to heaven.
Greetings from Tobacco Town, USA
Hello from our town, where tobacco farming has been a way of life for generations.
Writer(s): Bradley Justin Barham
Contributed by Kaylee O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Reagan
Every song on this cd is a banger
David Savage
A masterpiece, simply WOW!!!!
Wildstar34
Saw these guys at Ribberfest. Amazing performance
Jason Thorp
"Tell Roosevelt what the Bible Belt
Went and did to his New Deal"
Well, it was an idiotic deal from an economic standpoint.
Jason Thorp
"If your God was gonna save us, He'd a done it by now..." Well, yeah, he did actually...2,000-ish years ago. If you don't believe that then that's your fault, not His.
DebateMeme
I agree, I feel like that line is kinda out of place with the rest of the song, and especially most small-town American folk.
It would have rung truer if he said, 'if the government was gonna save us...'.