The band was formed almost five years ago by Mike Eli who grew up just outside of Houston and James Young who hails from Irving, TX. After playing together as a duo they were later joined by drummer Chris Thompson of Colleyville, TX and bassist Jon Jones of Omaha, NE who all met while students at the University of North Texas at Denton, about 50 miles north of Dallas/Forth Worth. After graduating the group decided to stay in Denton and to this day make their home in the town.
Late in 2003 producer Frank Liddell (Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Chris Knight) attended a show at the Gypsy Tea Room where EYB was playing on the bill with Miranda Lambert. He was blown away by the show and wound up signing them to Carnival Recording Company soon after. In April 2005, the Eli Young Band released Level, marking their debut on Carnival.
Level has drawn comparisons to The Jayhawks in the plaintive "When It Rains". The band members, all in their early 20s, have proven to be adept at blending their musical influences into a cohesive sound on this effort. You can hear the heartland rock of John Mellencamp in the autobiographical "Small Town Kid" and the crying-in-your-beer band on the road saga "Highways and Broken Hearts." There's the grinding blues of the Black Crowes in "Bring It on Home," and the romantic lament of "That's the Way" and "Everything Is You."
Uncertain
Eli Young Band Lyrics
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He'd never make something of it all his friend's would say
But he played anyway
Growing up he was countin' down
The day he left his hometown
He was moving to music city
He bought a one way ticket to a place he'd never been
He was so uncertain
He made it there but never got far playin' to empty bars
That's where he caught her eye
It was love at a heavy price his dreams he'd have to sacrifice
Oh, just to be with her
He was so uncertain if he was making a right choice
He bought a one way ticket to a place he'd never been
He was so uncertain...yeah........
Can't tell you why all he sees is the blue sky in her eyes
YEAH.....yeah yeah
He was so uncertain if he was making a right choice
He bought a one way ticket to a place he'd never been
He was so uncertain if he was making a right choice
He bought a one way ticket to a place he'd never been
He was so uncertain.....
YEAH.....yeah yeah........
The lyrics to "Uncertain" by the Eli Young Band detail the story of a musician leaving his hometown with dreams of making it big in Music City. The man faces opposition from friends who do not believe he will succeed, but he remains dedicated and takes a one-way ticket to Nashville to chase his dream. However, upon arrival, he finds that his dream is harder to achieve than he originally thought. He plays to empty bars and struggle to make headway in the music industry.
Despite these obstacles, the musician falls in love with a woman he meets at these gigs, and they share a connection he cannot explain. The relationship comes at a cost, though - he must make sacrifices to be with her, sacrificing his dream in the process. Even with this sacrifice, he maintains his dedication to music and plays his guitar, no matter what his future may hold.
Line by Line Meaning
An old guitar he learned to play
He had skill in playing an old guitar
He'd never make something of it all his friend's would say
Despite being told by friends that he would not succeed, he continued to pursue his music
But he played anyway
He continued playing music despite the negativity from others
Growing up he was countin' down
He was looking forward to leaving his hometown
The day he left his hometown
The day he finally departed from his hometown
He was moving to music city
He was moving to the city famous for its music scene
He was so uncertain if he was making a right choice
He was unsure if his decision to leave was the correct one
He bought a one way ticket to a place he'd never been
He purchased a non-returnable ticket to an unfamiliar location
He made it there but never got far playin' to empty bars
Despite arriving, he had little success playing for small audiences
That's where he caught her eye
He caught the attention of the one he would fall in love with
It was love at a heavy price his dreams he'd have to sacrifice
He fell in love but had to give up his aspirations to be with her
Oh, just to be with her
He chose to be with her even if it meant giving up his dreams
Can't tell you why all he sees is the blue sky in her eyes
He is so in love with her that he sees nothing but perfection when he looks at her
He was so uncertain...
He still had doubts about his decision
He was so uncertain if he was making a right choice
He continued to question if he had made the right choice
He was so uncertain...
He still had doubts about his decision even though he was with her
Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.