Owen Ashworth started to make music on a small casio keyboard back in 1997. His first two albums, "Answering Machine Music" and "Pocket Symphonies for Lonely Subway Cars," were made using nothing but small, battery-operated keyboards and Ashworth's own voice (along with occasional accompaniment by guest musicians). These early albums are now available on one CD, appropriately titled "The First Two Albums by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone."
Ashworth has released numerous EPs and full-length albums, with a trademark austere lyrical style that conveys emotions through its simplicity and directness.
CFTPA expanded its sound in 2006 with Ashworth's release 'Etiquette,' now using more instruments and effects (as well as more professional production and vocals from Jenny Herbinson). This album has given Ashworth room for experimentation and thinking space.
In 2009, CFTPA's newest album, titled 'Vs. Children,' was released. Although vocally very similar to his earlier work, the album features a greater variety of acoustic instruments and further demonstrates Ashworth's interest in pursuing more complex arrangements for his songs. His live shows reflect this as on his most recent tour he is joined by a full band.
In 2010 Ashworth announced that he was retiring the "Casiotone for the Painfully Alone" name, as well as the songs he wrote under that name. He now performs as Advance Base and a producer.
Jeane If You're Ever in Portland
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of pulled out lungs
Shot ear drums
Displaced kisses
Everyone misses
Miss me in kansas
The second i got out of the van
I saw the x on your hand
I knew you were the one
I knew you would understand, so
I wish we could have talked all night
We had to be in illinois by daylight
And what i wouldn't give to be your man
But i can't break up the band, jeane
There must be more than letters and phonecalls
Say you'll come see maine when the snow falls
Say you'll come see maine when the snow falls
Just kiss me in kansas
That's not home
And you're sorry when we're on the phone
But the voice in my ear
Says it wouldn't be the same
If you moved here
But this is miles
It's only miles
It's just miles
And miles and miles and miles and miles
The lyrics of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone's song Jeane If You're Ever in Portland describe the feeling of missing someone and regretting not being able to spend more time with them. The town where the singer is currently located is described as being full of physical and emotional pain, with "pulled out lungs" and "shot ear drums". The singer longs for Jeane, who they encounter briefly but can't stay with due to their touring schedule. Despite their strong connection and desire to be together, the singer acknowledges that they can't "break up the band", suggesting a personal sacrifice they feel is necessary for their career. The chorus repeats the desire to be with Jeane and the regret surrounding their current situation. The final lines of the song are repetitions of the word "miles", emphasizing the distance between the singer and Jeane and the difficulty of being apart from someone they care about.
The repeated metaphor of physical pain in the opening lines suggests that the singer is in a place where they don't want to be and long for connection with Jeane. The specificity of the reference to Portland and the later mention of Kansas and Maine suggest a certain level of geographic displacement as well. The tension between the singer's personal desires and their career obligations is a common theme in music, but the focus on distance and longing for connection makes this song particularly poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the town
Reminiscing about the past when they were together in a particular place
Of pulled out lungs
Recalling the feeling of being breathless, overwhelmed, or in shock
Shot ear drums
Referring to the loud noises, unclear sounds, or harsh music as an attack on the ears
Displaced kisses
Missing the intimacy, affection, or warmth from being away from their loved one
Everyone misses
Expressing the universal feeling of homesickness and longing for someone or something
Miss me in kansas
Asking their loved one to remember them or think about them when they are far away
The second i got out of the van
Describing a specific moment when they met their loved one again
I saw you giving your cash to the doorman
Observing a small act of generosity or kindness by their loved one
I saw the x on your hand
Noticing a unique identifier or symbol that distinguishes their loved one
I knew you were the one
Realizing that their loved one is special or significant in their life
I knew you would understand, so
Believing that their loved one is empathetic, compassionate, or supportive
I wish we could have talked all night
Expressing a desire to have a deep, meaningful, or uninterrupted conversation with their loved one
We had to be in illinois by daylight
Acknowledging the practical or logistical constraints of their schedule or plans
And what i wouldn't give to be your man
Expressing the desire or longing to be in a romantic relationship with their loved one
But i can't break up the band, jeane
Recognizing the importance or commitment to their music career or passion
There must be more than letters and phonecalls
Realizing the limitation or inadequacy of long-distance communication
Say you'll come see maine when the snow falls
Proposing a specific time or place to reunite with their loved one
Just kiss me in kansas
Showing that the small or simple moments of affection are meaningful and valuable
That's not home
Admitting that being away from their loved one or familiar place is uncomfortable or unsettling
And you're sorry when we're on the phone
Acknowledging the difficulty or awkwardness of keeping in touch with their loved one
But the voice in my ear
Hearing the sound of their loved one's voice as a comforting or reassuring presence
Says it wouldn't be the same
Believing that the experience or feeling of being together cannot be replicated through technology or distance
If you moved here
Suggesting that their loved one should consider moving to be closer to them
But this is miles
Emphasizing the physical distance or separation between them
It's only miles
Attempting to minimize the distance as a mere obstacle or inconvenience
It's just miles
Conveying a reassurance that the distance is not insurmountable or impossible
And miles and miles and miles and miles
Showing the repetition, duration, or vastness of the distance between them
Contributed by Tyler K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.