Nashville-based concept artist Courier is the brainchild of Colorado native… Read Full Bio ↴Nashville-based concept artist Courier is the brainchild of Colorado native Blake Mundell. The one-man project started in 2015 when Mundell wrote songs detailing the stories of his closest friends in secret, and then surprised them at a show in Nashville. The result was Courier's debut LP, The Present Tense. Its success launched what Mundell calls a "concept career," in which every song draws from the life experiences of others, rather than of himself.

San Francisco
Courier Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Westbound, far as you can make it on the 9
Touchdown, looking for the darkest street on the Bay
Hopin' to start a revolution, a revival
A few days in and he can already say

San Francisco, I've been there before
I kicked down the door at those Golden Gates
Hey, San Francisco, I've been there before

So near to the shore, but it's so far away

Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh

They do workin' at a household through September
One room, blanket and a Bible, all that he has
Some days never saw the sun on streets so tender
And some nights they felt like flying so just go in there

Hey, San Francisco, I've been there before
I kicked down the door at those Golden Gates
Hey, San Francisco, I've been there before
So near to the shore, but it's so far away

Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, San Francisco, oh, oh, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh, far away

Far away
Far away

He says, the streets are all the same, hey
Music City by the Bay
Oh, here we go

San Francisco, I've been there before
I kicked down the door at those Golden Gates
Hey, San Francisco, I've been there before
So near to the shore, but it's so far away

Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh, far away
Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Here we go, San Francisco, oh, far away

Far away
Far away

Overall Meaning

In "San Francisco," the Courier tells the story of a young man who travels to San Francisco in search of a "revolution." The song opens with the singer traveling westbound on Highway 9, aiming to make his way towards San Francisco's darker streets to begin a new movement. The song suggests that he may have been seeking to start a musical or social revolution. He is shown to have next to nothing by the line "One room, blanket and a Bible all that he has." Despite it all, he falls in love with San Francisco and feels like he has been there before, as he has visited it in his dreams or thoughts. However, throughout the song, he feels like he's never able to make his way to the shore of the city he's fallen so in love with, as he notes it is so near, yet so far.

The line "Music City by the Bay" could signify that he is a musician whose plans are to storm the city with his music or could mean that San Francisco is known as a haven for the musically inclined. Throughout the song, he references "kicking down the door" at the Golden Gates, which symbolizes his rebellion against conformity and his intent to create something new in the city. It's a song that hints at desperation and the idealistic nature of youth, and the struggle to get what you want when you're starting from the bottom.

Line by Line Meaning

Westbound, far as you can make it on the 9
Heading as far west as possible on the highway 9

Touchdown, looking for the darkest street on the Bay
Arriving in San Francisco and seeking out the least lit area near the bay

Hopin' to start a revolution, a revival
Wishing to spark a widespread change or rebirth

A few days in and he can already say
Only after a short period, he can already express something

San Francisco, I've been there before
Referring to a prior experience in San Francisco

I kicked down the door at those Golden Gates
Metaphorical expression indicating making a dramatic entrance or gaining access to something desired

So near to the shore, but it's so far away
Despite being near the water, it still feels distant

Here we go, San Francisco, oh
Ready to embark on a new experience in San Francisco

They do workin' at a household through September
Working for someone's household for the month of September

One room, blanket and a Bible, all that he has
Belonging to one small room and having only a blanket and a Bible

Some days never saw the sun on streets so tender
Experiencing cloudy or hazy weather on normally sunny streets

And some nights they felt like flying so just go in there
Feeling as if they could fly, so they went on to do something

Ooh-ooh-ooh, San Francisco, oh, oh, oh
A vocal expression conveying excitement for San Francisco

Far away
At a distance

He says, the streets are all the same, hey
Commenting on the similarities of the streets

Music City by the Bay
Referring to San Francisco as a musical city by the bay

Here we go, San Francisco, oh, far away
Starting a new chapter in San Francisco, despite it feeling distant

Far away
At a distance

Lyrics © Roba Music Verlag GMBH, TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Alex Renat Schulz, Blake Aaron Mundell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS