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.
Reidsville
American Aquarium Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It all comes down to the car you drive
Whether your a Mustang or a Chevrolet man,
if you dont know now, you better start choosing your side
Cause every Friday night, take her up town and line her you on South Scale street
It looks like a pariade on Independence Day,
with your homecoming bride in the passenger seat
We were too young to know, what this town had in store
With expectations high its always do or die
It seems like our fate already been sealed in... Reidsville
When I turned eighteen, I sold that car... traded wheels for a wedding band
A Plymouth hunter green, big block with three on the tree
With every nut and bolt turned by these two hands
It was a good start, then things just got so hard
Where the hell did we fall off track
Now I work for her dad, and the pay it aint half bad
Keeps a roof on her head and the bank off my back
We were too young to know, what this town had in store
We were too much in love to give a goddamn
With expectations high its always do or die
It seems like our fate already been sealed in... Reidsville
That girl of mine, how her eyes they used to shine like two rare stones set out on display
We were wild and we were young and we could take on anyone
Now her eyes are darker that a funeral serenade
And I'd burn it down, every square inch of this town just to see one more smile on her face
When it comes my day to die, I wanna look God in eyes and ask Him why he gave up on this place
Cause we were too young to know, what this town had in store
We were too much in love to give a goddamn
With expectations high its always do or die
It seems like our fate already been sealed in... Reidsville
The lyrics of Reidsville by American Aquarium lament the limitations and influence of a small town on the lives of its inhabitants. The opening line emphasizes that in this environment, one's identity is not defined by knowledge or experience but by the car they drive. The Friday night ritual of cruising down South Scale Street is more than just a pastime, it is a rite of passage that determines one's social status and place in the town's hierarchy. The singer and his partner were too young and in love to realize the potential consequences of their actions, and their fate was already predetermined by the expectations of the town.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on how his life has changed since the time he owned a green Plymouth and exchanged it for a wedding band. The promise of a bright future and happiness has not been realized, and he works for his father-in-law to make ends meet. The once-shining eyes of his partner that once caught his attention are now clouded over with disappointment and regret. The singer's desire to burn the town to the ground just to see her smile again indicates the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and despair that has claimed the couple's lives. The final lines express a sense of betrayal towards God for allowing this fate to befall the town and its inhabitants.
Line by Line Meaning
In a town where what you know dont make you who you are
In this town, your identity is shaped by the car you drive, not your knowledge or skills.
Whether your a Mustang or a Chevrolet man,
Your brand preference between Mustang or Chevrolet determines your social identity.
if you dont know now, you better start choosing your side
If you haven't made a decision, you need to choose to identify with one brand or another.
Cause every Friday night, take her up town and line her you on South Scale street
On Friday nights, people take their cars to South Scale street in town to show off and socialize.
It looks like a pariade on Independence Day,
The atmosphere feels like a parade reminiscent of Independence Day.
with your homecoming bride in the passenger seat
Young couples ride together, with the girl as a passenger in the car.
We were too young to know, what this town had in store
At a young age, the singer and their partner were unaware of the town's expectations and lifestyle.
We were too much in love to give a goddamn
The young couple's love for each other prevented them from caring about anyone else's opinions.
With expectations high its always do or die
The town sets high expectations that individuals must meet or risk being outcast.
It seems like our fate already been sealed in... Reidsville
The artist and their partner's future and success are predetermined by their surroundings in Reidsville.
When I turned eighteen, I sold that car... traded wheels for a wedding band
The singer gave up their old car to get married at age 18.
A Plymouth hunter green, big block with three on the tree
The old car was a green Plymouth with a big engine and a three-speed manual transmission.
With every nut and bolt turned by these two hands
The car was a product of the singer's own hard work and dedication.
It was a good start, then things just got so hard
Initially, everything was going well for the singer and their partner but they later faced difficulties.
Where the hell did we fall off track
The singer and their partner are uncertain of when things went wrong in their lives.
Now I work for her dad, and the pay it aint half bad
The artist currently has a decent job working for their partner's father.
Keeps a roof on her head and the bank off my back
Their job keeps a roof over their partner's head and prevents them from being in debt.
That girl of mine, how her eyes they used to shine like two rare stones set out on display
The singer's partner used to have bright, shining eyes that reminded the singer of rare jewels.
We were wild and we were young and we could take on anyone
In their youth, the singer and their partner had a fearless attitude and felt invincible.
Now her eyes are darker that a funeral serenade
Presently, their partner's eyes have lost their shine and are darker, like a somber funeral song.
And I'd burn it down, every square inch of this town just to see one more smile on her face
The artist would do anything to bring happiness back to their partner, even if it meant destroying the entire town.
When it comes my day to die, I wanna look God in eyes and ask Him why he gave up on this place
The artist is disappointed in the direction their town has taken and questions why God allowed it to happen.
Contributed by Jayden O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.