Andrew Jackson Jihad was formed after its original drummer, Justin James White, approached Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty, who had just left Rodan (not the Rodan of Kentucky fame) and The Sub-Standards. Since then, many significant Arizona musicians have sat in with the remaining duo of Sean and Ben, including John De La Cruz of Fatigo and Asleep In The Sea's Owen Evans. Dylan Cook also plays mandolin regularly with the band.
According to Songfacts, Bonnette, who is also the lyricist of the band (with upright bass player Ben Gallant handling most of the production and some vocals as well) volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for teenagers for eight years, and worked with homeless men and women in the Phoenix, Arizona area. These experiences gave him a sometimes bleak, but at moments, hopeful outlook on life, often reflected in the band's lyrics.
On Halloween 2005, Andrew Jackson Jihad covered Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea album in its entirety at CounterCulture Cafe.
Their biggest performance to date has been in their hometown with Flogging Molly and Authority Zero on St. Patrick's Day 2006.
On April 15, 2006, the band played as part of the 2006 New Times Music Showcase, nominated for Best Americana Band, and won a 2006 Best of Phoenix later that year.
Besides their local shows, where they have become arguably the most prominent representative in Arizona of the DIY ethic, they have also toured in clubs and basements across the Western United States, appearing at such venues as the Knitting Factory in Los Angeles, CA. One show in Kimberly, Idaho saw the band in a cowboy bar and leaving the premises as soon as possible after the show.
Andrew Jackson Jihad also performed at St. Augustine, Florida's second annual Harvest of Hope Festival in 2010. They played a dual set with Bomb the Music Industry!
Distance
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I drank and jerked off 'til I slept
I went to work when I had to
And then came home
I fed the dog when I had to
I fed myself when I had to
Went out of town when I had to
And I know this won't last forever
But goddammit it feels like forever
Since we've been together
'Til we'll be together again
The second month after you left
I still felt real depressed
But I've got plenty of other things
To spend my time on
I hate whiny fucking songs like this
But I can't afford a therapist
Sorry guys
Here's a solo
And it's harder to be yourself
Than it is to be anybody else
I wish I was someone closer to you
And I know this won't last forever
But goddammit it feels like forever
Since we've been together
'Til we'll be together again
Woo!
The Andrew Jackson Jihad song "Distance" is an emotional, raw track about the struggles of a man dealing with the aftermath of a breakup. The lyrics depict the singer trying to fill the void left by his partner's absence by essentially going through the motions of daily life - going to work, feeding the dog, and so on. However, despite these efforts, the singer still feels a sense of deep despair and loneliness that he can't quite shake.
As the song progresses, the singer admits that he's been feeling depressed, but that he's been trying to distract himself with other things. He also acknowledges that it's hard to be true to himself, and that he wishes he could be closer to his ex. Through it all, though, he holds out hope that eventually they'll be reunited and that this painful period of loneliness will come to an end.
Ultimately, "Distance" is a powerful testament to the difficulty of dealing with heartbreak and loneliness, and the importance of holding onto hope during hard times. The lyrics are strikingly honest and vulnerable, and the rawness of the vocals and acoustic guitars only adds to the emotional weight of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
The first month after you left
After you left, the first month passed
I drank and jerked off 'til I slept
I dealt with the pain of your departure by drinking and masturbating until I fell asleep
I went to work when I had to
I went to work when I was obligated to do so
And then came home
After work, I returned home
I fed the dog when I had to
When it was time to do so, I provided food for the dog
I fed myself when I had to
When I was required to, I fed myself
Went out of town when I had to
In situations where it was necessary, I left town
And then came home
And upon completion of that obligation, I returned home
And I know this won't last forever
I am aware that this situation won't go on indefinitely
But goddammit it feels like forever
Despite this, it feels like it has gone on forever
Since we've been together
Since we were together
Til we'll be together again
Until we are able to be together again
The second month after you left
A month after your departure
I still felt real depressed
I remained truly depressed during this period
But I've got plenty of other things
Despite this, there are many other things I can do for distraction
To spend my time on
To occupy my time with
I hate whiny fucking songs like this
I despise songs like this for sounding excessively sad and self-centered
But I can't afford a therapist
Regardless, I am unable to pay for therapy
Sorry guys
I apologize for this, even though I can't do much about it
Here's a solo
I will play a solo now
And it's harder to be yourself
It is considerably more difficult to be true to oneself
Than it is to be anybody else
Than to conform to the expectations of others
I wish I was someone closer to you
I desire to be someone nearer to you
Woo!
An expression of excitement or joy
Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@opossumcomrade
Wait... They made a song about my whole life? Iconic.
@thegoatpear4209
Why
@noman77-
Sorry Guys....here's a solo! :)
I love this line so much lol, Iconic.
@ADrunkBassist
When he plays it on acoustic he says "Sorry guys, there's no solo."
@imfallibleK
@@ADrunkBassist This made my day. <------ Right when I hit the period on "this made my day" Sean sang, "Whoo!" Felt good.
@eschi5007
well, this sure aged nicely
@tonk2002
ah dang it, you beat me to it
@alexasbagel
What happened?
@mindfulselfindulgence
@@alexasbagel
social distancing
@alexasbagel
@@mindfulselfindulgence ah, thanks. I’m dumb. My long distance gf sent this to me and I was hella tired when writing that comment to I guess my mind was on distance between partners.