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.
Six Years Come September
American Aquarium Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Picture of her taped to the dash of my car
I see it every time I check my speed or run it to the grocery store
The two of you were the only thing in life worth fightin' for
But since you′ve been gone a I ain't been much for fightin' anymore
These days things don′t come easy
It′s all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
Baby you would still be mine
I ain't had a drop to drink since the day that you left me
Six years come September I′ve been cursed with this clarity
I stare in the mirror yellin' at a stranger lookin′ back on me
And the ghost of the man I could've been still haunts all my dreams
These days things don't come easy
It′s all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
If I′d have done a better job of listenin'
Maybe you would still be mine
Foolish pride wouldn′t let me give you the keys to the oldsmobile
No way in hell I should've let myself get behind that wheel
I was drunk, it was dark, and I didn′t see him comin' over that hill
I regretted it then, I regret it now, I guess I always will
These days things don′t come easy
It's all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
If I'd have done a better job of listenin′
The two of you would still be mine
I got a picture of you holdin′ a
Picture of her taped to the dash of my car
Six Years Come September by American Aquarium is a heartbreaking song about a man who has lost his love and is filled with regret. The lyrics tell the story of a man who keeps a picture of his ex-girlfriend holding a picture of her to a car dashboard for six years since she left him. He sees the photo every time he checks his car speed or goes to the grocery store. Despite everything that has happened, these two people were the only things in his life that were worth fighting for. But since she's been gone, his will to fight has waned.
The song touches upon the sense of loss and heartbreak that the man is experiencing since his lover left him. Things aren't coming easy for him right now, and the only thing he can do is to keep it between the lines to make sure he doesn't lose himself completely. The singer is filled with regret and wishes he had done a better job of listening to her. He thinks if he had understood her at that time, then maybe things would have turned out differently.
The lyrics then reveal the source of the man's regret. He hasn't had a drink since the day she left him six years ago, and he feels that he's cursed with clarity. He stares at himself in the mirror, yelling at a stranger he doesn't recognize anymore. The man regrets letting his foolish pride get in the way of giving his ex-girlfriend the keys to his car, causing a fatal accident that killed her and her best friend. He wishes he had done a better job of listening, and maybe, just maybe, she would still be his.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a picture of you holdin′ a
I have a picture of you while you were holding a
Picture of her taped to the dash of my car
a picture of someone else that is taped to my car's dashboard
I see it every time I check my speed or run it to the grocery store
I see it every time I'm driving or running errands
The two of you were the only thing in life worth fightin' for
Both of you were the only valuable thing that made me fight for things in life
But since you′ve been gone a I ain't been much for fightin' anymore
Since you left me, I have lost the strength to fight for anything anymore
These days things don′t come easy
It's hard to make things work these days
It′s all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
I'm simply trying to stay on track when I drive or when I'm dealing with life
If I'd have done a better job of listenin′
If I would have only listened more carefully
Baby you would still be mine
You would still be mine if I would have listened better
I ain't had a drop to drink since the day that you left me
I haven't consumed any alcohol since you left me that day
Six years come September I′ve been cursed with this clarity
It's been six years since you left me and I have a strong realization of my actions
I stare in the mirror yellin' at a stranger lookin′ back on me
I find myself looking in the mirror screaming at someone who appears to be me but doesn't feel like it
And the ghost of the man I could've been still haunts all my dreams
I still have regrets of what could have been and they still haunt me in my dreams
Foolish pride wouldn't let me give you the keys to the oldsmobile
My foolish pride prevented me from giving you the keys to the car
No way in hell I should've let myself get behind that wheel
I know I shouldn't have driven the car
I was drunk, it was dark, and I didn't see him comin' over that hill
I was drunk and it was dark and I didn't see the person walking over the hill.
I regretted it then, I regret it now, I guess I always will
I regretted it then and still do, and I think I always will
If I'd have done a better job of listenin′
If I would have only listened more carefully
The two of you would still be mine
You and the other person would still be mine if I would have listened better
Writer(s): Bradley Justin Barham
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Caleb Guy
Lyrics because you have to sing along:
I got a picture of you holdin' a
Picture of her taped to the dash of my car
I see it every time I check my speed or run it to the grocery store
The two of you were the only thing in life worth fightin' for
But since you've been gone a I ain't been much for fightin' anymore
These days things don't come easy
It's all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
If I'd have done a better job of listenin'
Baby you would still be mine
I ain't had a drop to drink since the day that you left me
Six years come September I've been cursed with this clarity
I stare in the mirror yellin' at a stranger lookin' back on me
And the ghost of the man I could've been still haunts all my dreams
These days things don't come easy
It's all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
If I'd have done a better job of listenin'
Maybe you would still be mine
Foolish pride wouldn't let me give you the keys to the oldsmobile
No way in hell I should've let myself get behind that wheel
I was drunk, it was dark, and I didn't see him comin' over that hill
I regretted it then, I regret it now, I guess I always will
These days things don't come easy
It's all I can do at most just to keep it between the lines
If I'd have done a better job of listenin'
The two of you would still be mine
I got a picture of you holdin' a
Picture of her taped to the dash of my car
Psycho Clown
I walked away from alcohol Jun 9th 2019. Not a single day goes by that I don't think about having a drink.. The struggle never stops for those of us who don't have an "off" switch. So many of the lines in this song really hit home if you too are struggling.. it defiantly helps me to hear I'm not alone on the rough days. Great song, thank you for sharing your struggle!!!
deanna douglass
Congrats on ur sobriety!! It works if you work it. ❤️
mike moavero
One of the best songs ever. I can relate to this song so much its scary. 5 years this December for me. Every word of this song hits home with me.
Tyler Mankins
11 months here man. Good job and good luck.
mike moavero
@Tyler Mankins
Keep it up man and ill do the same, one day at a time.
Chris Hinton
This song deserves way more publicity than 26K views. Incredible
Jan Heijmans
Lamentations is already a true classic. Yes, classic albums even now sometimes appear.
Tyler Mankins
As a struggling off and on achoholic, this song hits seriously deep. This is what country is supposed to do, talk about the actual struggles of life.
Irrelevant Information
Preach brotha. Hope you're doing well.
Tyler Mankins
Been great actually, hope the same for you.