Originally part of short-lived Chicago group I Rowboat, Johnson and two of his fellow Rowboat members, guitarist Dan Strack and drummer Brian Belval, created Fruit Bats as a side-project. When I Rowboat split up, Fruit Bats became Johnson's main focus. Spurred on by Califone/Perishable Records honchos Tim Rutili and Ben Massarella, the group recorded their first album, Echolocation, released in 2001.
After tours with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Modest Mouse and The Shins, Fruit Bats signed with Sub Pop in late summer 2002, recording their second album, 2003's Mouthfuls, which included new bandmate Gillian Lisee.
After relocating to Seattle, the group released their third album, Spelled in Bones, in 2005. Afterward, Eric D. Johnson played with The Shins and Vetiver. In 2008, the Fruit Bats began working together again, with revised membership of Johnson, Christopher Sherman, Ron Lewis, Graeme Gibson, and Sam Wagster. In 2009, they released The Ruminant Band and in 2011 came Tripper.
In November 2013, Eric D. Johnson announced he would be dissolving Fruit Bats. That month they played what was to be their farewell show at a sold out Aladdin Theatre in Portland, OR. The following year Johnson released an album under the name EDJ.
Reforming in 2015, Fruit Bats released their sixth official full-length LP, Absolute Loser, in 2016 via newly formed Los Angeles-based label Easy Sound.
Fruit Bats signed to North Carolina-based independent label Merge Records in 2018. Also in 2018, Johnson formed the folk group Bonny Light Horseman with Josh Kaufman and Anais Mitchell.
In 2019 Fruit Bats’ Merge debut "Gold Past Life" was released.
Fruit Bats’ 2020 album The Pet Parade was produced by Johnson's Bonny Light Horseman bandmate Josh Kaufman.
In 2021, Fruit Bats released a full-album cover of Smashing Pumpkins' 1993 record Siamese Dream.
The Fruit Bats’ double-disc, 20-year career retrospective "Sometimes A Cloud Is Just a Cloud: Slow Growers, Sleeper Hits and Lost Songs" was released in 2022.
From A Soon to be Ghost Town
Fruit Bats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When all that you've loved is now gone
And you could've left with the first big wave,
But you remember back to when you first came
And how you didn't want to leave,
'Cause you remembered it when
That you said you'd never leave
'Cause you loved it then.
And it's hard to be a queer one in a place with no queer ones,
At least none who'd admit that they were,
And you're sharp, you could've split, but you stayed because
At the very least you knew who you was
And you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air,
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you like it there.
You know it's hard to be the last one in a soon-to-be ghost town
When all that you've loved is now gone,
And you could've moved on to anywhere,
But you remember back to your first day there
On the fire escape
Smoking cigarettes
With a fresh fat lip
And a new best friend
And how you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air
And you said you'd never leave
'Cause you liked it there,
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you loved it then.
The lyrics of Fruit Bat's song "From A Soon to be Ghost Town" describe the experience of being the last one in a town that is slowly dying. The singer reminisces about the memories they had in the town and how they didn't want to leave. Even though all that the singer loved is now gone, they still have a fondness for the town and the memories they made there.
The lyrics also touch upon the experience of being a minority in a place where there is little to no representation. The singer acknowledges the fact that they are queer and are in a place where there are no other queer people. However, they still choose to stay because they know who they are and they like the air in the town.
Overall, the song is about the bittersweet experience of clinging onto memories of a place that was once important to someone, even as it fades into a "soon-to-be ghost town." It touches upon themes of nostalgia, identity, and belonging.
Line by Line Meaning
It's hard to be the last one in a soon-to-be ghost town
Being the last person living in a town that's about to disappear isn't easy
When all that you've loved is now gone
When everything you loved about the town has vanished
And you could've left with the first big wave,
You could've left when everyone else did
But you remember back to when you first came
But you think back to when you arrived
And how you didn't want to leave,
And how you didn't want to go
'Cause you remembered it when
Because you have fond memories of it
That you said you'd never leave
That you promised to never leave
'Cause you loved it then.
Because you loved it when you first got there
And it's hard to be a queer one in a place with no queer ones,
It's difficult being the only LGBTQ+ person in a town with no others
At least none who'd admit that they were,
Or at least no one who was willing to be open about it
And you're sharp, you could've split, but you stayed because
You're smart and aware, you could have left but you stayed despite the difficulties
At the very least you knew who you was
At least you knew who you were
And you didn't want to leave
And you didn't want to go
'Cause you liked the air,
Because you enjoyed the climate and environment
And you still don't want to leave
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you like it there.
Because you like it in that town
You know it's hard to be the last one in a soon-to-be ghost town
You are aware of the difficulties of being the last person living in a town that is about to disappear
When all that you've loved is now gone,
When everything you loved about that town is now gone
And you could've moved on to anywhere,
You had the option to move on to any other town
But you remember back to your first day there
But you think back to your initial days in that town
On the fire escape
On the fire escape
Smoking cigarettes
Smoking cigarettes
With a fresh fat lip
With a new injury on your lip
And a new best friend
And a new best friend you made in the town
And how you didn't want to leave
And how you didn't want to go
'Cause you liked the air
Because you liked the town's atmosphere
And you said you'd never leave
And you made a promise to never leave
'Cause you liked it there,
Because you liked living in that town
And you still don't want to leave
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you loved it then.
Because you loved living in that town when you first got there
Writer(s): Eric Johnson
Contributed by Aubrey E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cat Eyes
[Verse 1]
It's hard to be the last one in a soon to be ghost town
All that you've loved is now gone
And you could've left with the first big wave
But you remember back to when you first came
And how you didn't want to leave
'Cause you remembered when
And you said you'd never leave
'Cause you loved it then
[Verse 2]
And it's a hard to be queer one in a place with no queer ones
At least none who'd admit that they were
And you're sharp, you could have split but you stayed because
At the very least you knew who you was
And you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you like it there
[Verse 3]
It's hard to be the last one in a soon to be ghost town
When all that you've loved is now gone
And you could have moved on to anywhere
But you remember back to your first day there
On the fire escape
Smoking cigarettes
With a fresh fat lip
A new best bet
[Outro]
And how you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air
And you said you'd never leave
'Cause you liked it then
How you still don't want to leave
'Cause you loved it there
Steve McCall
One of the best tunes I’ve heard in the last decade... that solo is classic
Jason Brookes.
How does this have only a couple of thousand views? Madness. Along with Shearwater Fruit Bats are one of the most underrated, overlooked bands.
EGirl62
This artist always puts out great videos. It's too bad MTV doesn't bother with music anymore.
Chelsea Kelley
As always, Fruit bats sums up a soundtrack for an unforgettable road trip up in Northern Pines, South in desert caves, East in rolling Hills or West in Rocky Mountains. PERFECT FOLK
Maddison Webb
+Chelsea Kelley you're goddamned correct about that.
nugznmugz
I'm just finding this album this last month... and it's mind blowing how it isn't a huge record to me.
Nidan Nicigov
Yesterday, the great Mark Knopfler said this is a wonderful piece of music. I'm really happy I've found you
Vinessa Karnofski
Love Eric and the fine music he writes. My feel good, sunny day, weekend music collection always includes The Fruit Bats. Thank you for sharing your talents again!
Jason Brookes.
Easily one of the best songs they've done.. as it plays out towards the end I found myself dancing around my room with a big grin on my face :-) Love it.
Cat Eyes
[Verse 1]
It's hard to be the last one in a soon to be ghost town
All that you've loved is now gone
And you could've left with the first big wave
But you remember back to when you first came
And how you didn't want to leave
'Cause you remembered when
And you said you'd never leave
'Cause you loved it then
[Verse 2]
And it's a hard to be queer one in a place with no queer ones
At least none who'd admit that they were
And you're sharp, you could have split but you stayed because
At the very least you knew who you was
And you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air
And you still don't want to leave
'Cause you like it there
[Verse 3]
It's hard to be the last one in a soon to be ghost town
When all that you've loved is now gone
And you could have moved on to anywhere
But you remember back to your first day there
On the fire escape
Smoking cigarettes
With a fresh fat lip
A new best bet
[Outro]
And how you didn't want to leave
'Cause you liked the air
And you said you'd never leave
'Cause you liked it then
How you still don't want to leave
'Cause you loved it there