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!
Linda Ronstadt
Andrew Jackson Jihad Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
And I really miss my friends, but I don’t see you.
All I see is this video of Linda Ronstadt
Today the salt and sun ran down my face
After a year of hiding all my feelings
And I totally lost my shit in that museum
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now
All thanks to Linda Ronstadt
And I can’t handle astounding works of beauty
I think I like my pretty pretty ugly
But the beautiful soul I witnessed in that movie
Was an entirely different kind of overwhelming
It was a dog that won’t stop barking
Like a cut that never stops bleeding
Arizona sunsets in the early evening
Or a grown man inconsolably leaving
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now
All thanks to Linda Ronstadt
The opening lines describe the singer losing their composure or having a breakdown in a museum while watching a video installation of Linda Ronstadt. The second line echoes the sentiment that the singer misses their friends but the only thing they see is the video of Linda Ronstadt. The mention of Linda Ronstadt is not very significant to the song's meaning, but given that she is a prominent singer with a career spanning over 40 years, it is possible that the singer's emotional reaction in the museum might have been due to his connection with Linda Ronstadt’s music. In the second verse, the singer mentions the “salt and sun” running down their face, which is metaphorical for tears streaming down their cheeks. The singer confesses to hiding their feelings for a year and breaking down at that moment in the museum.
The latter half of the song communicates the singer's inspiration from a beautiful work of art. The singer expresses that they are not very good at handling surrounding beauty and that they prefer the ugly parts of it. Linda Ronstadt's video, however, was of a beautiful soul that was more overwhelming than the singer was used to. The dog barking, cut that never stops bleeding, and the grown man inconsolably leaving metaphors signify that beauty can sometimes feel like an unbearable burden. In the end, the singer decides to embrace the beautiful parts of life and is grateful to Linda Ronstadt for showing them that.
Line by Line Meaning
Today I lost my shit in a museum
I lost control of my emotions at a museum
It was a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
The trigger was a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
And I really miss my friends, but I don’t see you.
I miss my friends, but I can't rely on you for comfort
All I see is this video of Linda Ronstadt
I am fixated on this video and can't look away
Today the salt and sun ran down my face
I cried because of the sun and salty sweat on my face
After a year of hiding all my feelings
I've been bottling up my emotions for a year
And I totally lost my shit in that museum
I completely lost control of my emotions at the museum
All from a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
The trigger was still that Linda Ronstadt installation
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
I almost made it through a year of suppressing my fears
But they’re gone for now
But thanks to this experience, I can feel again
All thanks to Linda Ronstadt
This newfound emotion is due to Linda Ronstadt's art
And I can’t handle astounding works of beauty
I have trouble processing beautiful things
I think I like my pretty pretty ugly
I tend to prefer things that are aesthetically unappealing
But the beautiful soul I witnessed in that movie
The video showed me a truly remarkable and inspiring individual
Was an entirely different kind of overwhelming
This experience was emotionally overwhelming in a new way
It was a dog that won’t stop barking
It was like a persistent and annoying distraction
Like a cut that never stops bleeding
It was like a wound that never heals
Arizona sunsets in the early evening
It was like a beautiful and fleeting moment in time
Or a grown man inconsolably leaving
It was like witnessing someone in a state of profound sadness
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DinoTheAynlsmasher
Today I lost my shit in a museum
It was a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
And I really miss my friends but I don’t see them
All I see is this video of Linda Ronstadt
Today the salt and sun ran down my face
After a year of hiding all my feelings
And I totally lost my shit in that museum
All from the video installation of Linda Ronstadt
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
And I can’t handle astounding works of beauty
I think I like my pretty pretty ugly
But the beautiful soul I witnessed in that movie
Was an entirely different kind of overwhelming
It was a dog that won’t stop barking
Like a cut that never stops bleeding
Arizona sunsets in the early evening
Or a grown man inconsolably weeping
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears
But they’re gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
Ilan Fritzler
Today i lost my shit in a museum
It was a video instalation of Linda Ronstadt
And I really miss my friends but i dont miss them
Today the salt and sun rained down my face
After a year of hiding all my feelings
Then I totally lost my shit in that museum
All from a video installation of Linda Ronstadt
I almost made through a year of choking down my fears
But they're gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made through a year of choking down my fears
But they're gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
And i can't handle the astounding works of beauty
I think i like my pretty, pretty ugly
But the beautiful soul I witnessed in that movie
Was an entirely different kind of overwhelming
It was a dog that won't stop barking
Like a cut that never stops bleeding
Arizona sunsets in the early evening
Or a man inconsolably leaving
I almost made through a year of choking down my fears
But they're gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made through a year of choking down my fears
But they're gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
I almost made through a year of choking down my fears
But they're gone for now all thanks to Linda Ronstadt
theneedledrop
This is why I love AJJ.
Mark Zayat
where have i seen u before??
Harry Dixon
Mark Zayat On his channel, perhaps
Tyler Morgenstern
No one cares Anton Fandango.
James H
Can't wait for the album review for this.
TheRagingPeen
Be more vague.
probably a xenomorph
I want to thank AJJ for this song because it's become my go-to song to listen to when I brush my teeth. Depression (among other things) makes it hard to take care of myself, but this song helps me stay on track and make sure I brush my teeth thoroughly and for long enough. Thank you, AJJ and Linda Ronstadt, for my dental hygiene.
lilgorgo
Yay friend 🖤 I'm gonna try it too, thanks for the thought! Proud of you, love you
audaciousTabby
I hope you have wonderful days ahead!
oslo knov
i'm high rn. reading this coment was something diferent, beaultiful somehow