1. Billy Pilgrim (also bi… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists named Billy Pilgrim;
1. Billy Pilgrim (also billy pilgrim) is an American folk-rock duo based in Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush. The band's name was taken from the time-traveling protagonist of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse Five. The name was adopted in 1994; before that the duo simply billed itself as Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush.
Kristian Bush and Andrew Hyra first began working together in 1990. After performing together for about a year they started recording their songs to tape. The self-release St. Christopher's Crossing was recorded in two days in a studio in Knoxville and appeared in 1991[2] (credited to "Andrew Hyra & Kristian Bush") on cassette. The album was released on CD in 1992 when Amy Ray of Indigo Girls helped them with the release costs. Playing hundreds of shows in the Southwest their effort was noticed and they proceeded to record their second album Words Like Numbers under the indie label Sister Ruby. After this they signed to Atlantic Records, naming the group "Billy Pilgrim". [3]
In 1993 Billy Pilgrim recorded their debut album at Nickel and Dime Studios with Don McCollister producing and Hugh Padgham mixing the record. The eponymous album was a moderate success when released in 1994. With the next album, Bloom, the band launched a fall tour, headlining larger venues than they had in the past. Yet in early 1996, the band was dropped by Atlantic. After releasing several albums thru Internet only, the album In the Time Machine became their last effort to date, released on May 12, 2001.[1] Billy Pilgrim released their most recent album in 2021.
2. Billy Pilgrim was the pseudonym used by itsu jitsu netlabel curator Jason Kavanagh between August 1999 and March 2001, all of the Billy Pilgrim material was written and recorded in St. Andrews, Scotland.
In his time as Billy Pilgrim, Jason recorded three albums of electronic music and a handful of 'various artist' compilation exclusive tracks before holstering his sampler and hanging up his patch cords for nearly ten years. In late 2009 he re-emerged from his non-music making slumber as awaycaboose (experimental, ambient, field recording) and Cavity Pitch (noise, harsh noise, power electronics).
Somewhat bizarrely he also took his moniker from the anti-hero of Kurt Vonnegut's seminal novel Slaughterhouse 5, just like the guys above.
Halfway Home
Billy Pilgrim Lyrics
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Sun on my cheek flat on my chest
I'm warm driving with all the citizens"
Halfway to work, halfway home
And the radio says there's been a terrible accident
Somewhere up by the waterways
I do more driving before 8 o'clock
Than most people do all day
Don't guess I could ask for more
The kids are in college and my wife is buying
Every single dress in the store
And Me, halfway to work halfway home
My doctor says my blood is pressuring me
My mama says this love is measuring me
Up each tick turned off
The road ices long before the bridge
Son just sit a while, and let the whiskey dull the edge
"But the work is honest and the customers human"
Don't guess I could ask for more
The kids are in college and my wife is buying
Every single dress in the store
And me, halfway to work halfway home
And me, halfway to work halfway home
And me, I just sit in this bar
And me, I just drive in my car
And me I just stay in my head
And me, I just sleep in this bed
The lyrics of "Halfway Home" are about a man who is conflicted about his life. He leads a life that seems mundane and unremarkable, but it is all he knows. The song paints a picture of a man who is simply going through the motions, going to work and returning home each day, and yet he is not content with his life. He looks at his surroundings and sees the bleakness of it all with lyrics like "On clear days it's fast black dead west" and "The road ices long before the bridge". He finds some comfort in his work as he says, "But the work is honest and the customers human", but he still feels like something is missing. The man’s loneliness and feelings of being trapped are apparent as he says "And me, I just sit in this bar, And me, I just drive in my car, And me I just stay in my head, And me, I just sleep in this bed".
As the song progresses, we see that his health is also in question, and he seems to be struggling to keep his life under control as his doctor says his "blood is pressuring him" and his mother claims his "love is measuring him". The one constant in his life is his family, his wife buying "Every single dress from the store" and his children in college. The song ends with the character being halfway between something. He is halfway to work, halfway home, and just halfway through life.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the struggles of life, the feeling of being just halfway home, and the search for deeper meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
On clear days it's fast black dead west
Billy Pilgrim is driving on clear days, traveling westwards at a fast pace.
Sun on my cheek flat on my chest
He enjoys the warmth of the sun on his face and feeling the road beneath him.
I'm warm driving with all the citizens
He feels a sense of community with other people driving to work.
Halfway to work, halfway home
Billy Pilgrim is in the middle of his daily routine, neither here nor there.
And the radio says there's been a terrible accident
Billy Pilgrim hears about a tragic event on the radio, adding to his overall sense of unease.
Somewhere up by the waterways
The location of the accident is somewhere near a body of water.
I do more driving before 8 o'clock
Billy Pilgrim's workday starts early, forcing him to do more driving than most people by 8 AM.
Than most people do all day
He is making the most of his time and working hard to provide for his family.
"But the work is honest and the customers human"
Billy Pilgrim finds satisfaction in his honest work and the interactions he has with others.
Don't guess I could ask for more
He feels content with his current circumstances and doesn't feel the need to ask for anything else.
The kids are in college and my wife is buying
Billy Pilgrim's family is doing well and his wife is indulging in her hobbies.
Every single dress in the store
She is buying dresses to treat herself to something nice.
And Me, halfway to work halfway home
Billy Pilgrim is in the middle of his daily routine, neither here nor there.
My doctor says my blood is pressuring me
Billy Pilgrim's health is suffering due to stress and high blood pressure.
My mama says this love is measuring me
His mother believes that love is the root of all of his problems and is holding him back.
Up each tick turned off
With each moment that passes, Billy Pilgrim feels increasingly removed from his own life.
The road ices long before the bridge
He recognizes danger ahead and is aware that he must proceed with caution.
Son just sit a while, and let the whiskey dull the edge
Someone (likely a friend or bartender) suggests that he take a break and drink some whiskey to relax.
"But the work is honest and the customers human"
Billy Pilgrim finds satisfaction in his honest work and the interactions he has with others.
Don't guess I could ask for more
He feels content with his current circumstances and doesn't feel the need to ask for anything else.
The kids are in college and my wife is buying
Billy Pilgrim's family is doing well and his wife is indulging in her hobbies.
Every single dress in the store
She is buying dresses to treat herself to something nice.
And me, halfway to work halfway home
Billy Pilgrim is in the middle of his daily routine, neither here nor there.
And me, halfway to work halfway home
Billy Pilgrim is in the middle of his daily routine, neither here nor there.
And me, I just sit in this bar
Billy Pilgrim spends his free time sitting in a bar, feeling disconnected from his own life.
And me, I just drive in my car
Billy Pilgrim spends most of his days driving his car, moving between work and home.
And me I just stay in my head
He spends a lot of time lost in thought and feeling disconnected from his surroundings.
And me, I just sleep in this bed
At the end of the day, Billy Pilgrim retreats to bed to rest and prepare for another day.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KRISTIAN BUSH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind