Dutton, born in Philadelphia, began playing guitar at age 8. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the 9th grade and began playing harmonica in a wire rack. Dutton credits Bob Dylan and John Hammond Jr., as well as then-contemporary "old school" hip-hop sounds of Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, and Philadelphia's own Schooly D as influences.
Dutton, still in high school at Germantown Friends School, began playing solo on the streets of Philadelphia. After a year of college, he relocated to Boston, working as a fundraiser for Peace Action and playing wherever and whenever he could. One of his few indoor gigs at this time was a Boston bar called The Tam O'Shanter, where he met drummer Jeffrey "The Houseman" Clemens in January 1993. Dutton and Clemens began working as a duo, they were joined a few months later by bassist Jim "Jimi Jazz" Prescott and became the house band on Mondays at The Plough and Stars in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The name G. Love doesn't really have that much of a story to it. The 'G' stands for Good as said in many radio interviews. He said in an interview that the 'Love' was just there because it sounded right.
G. Love featured Jack Johnson on his 1999 LP Philadelphonic playing an early version of Jack Johnson's "Rodeo Clowns" when Jack was an unknown artist. Jack later featured the song on his 2003 LP On and On.
Known nowadays for his excellent live shows, he is often seen touring with Jack Johnson, who signed G. Love to his record label Brushfire Records. He has made appearances on the records of artists such as Slightly Stoopid and Donavon Frankenreiter.
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
G. Love Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
?The answer is easy if you take it logically
I?d like to help you in your struggle to be free
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover ?
She said ?It?s really not my habit to intrude
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won?t be lost or misconstrued
But I?ll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don?t need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don?t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
Ooh slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don?t need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don?t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
She said ?It grieves me so to see you in such pain
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again?
I said ?I appreciate that and would you please explain
About the fifty ways ?
She said ?Why don?t we both just sleep on it tonight
And I believe in the morning you?ll begin to see the light ?
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
Fifty ways to leave your lover
You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don?t need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don?t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free
Slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don?t need to be coy, Roy
Just listen to me
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don?t need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
The song 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover by G. Love talks about the various ways one can leave a lover when the relationship no longer induces happiness or fulfillment. The first verse of the song implies that the singer is seeking advice from a wise woman on how to leave his lover. The woman advises him that the solution to his problem is easy and that there are fifty ways to leave his lover. She offers to help him find freedom from his relationship struggles. The woman reiterates that she does not want to intrude but believes that there are many ways to leave a lover.
In the chorus of the song, G. Love offers several suggestions for leaving a lover such as slipping out the back, making a new plan, hopping on a bus, or dropping off the key. He repeats the suggestions in the second verse, insisting that he doesn't need to be coy, and that the solutions are simple. In the third verse, the wise woman shows empathy towards the singer, and it is evident that he is in pain. She offers to help him explore his options further by suggesting they sleep on it. G Love concludes the song with the chorus, insisting that there are fifty ways to leave your lover.
Line by Line Meaning
The problem is all inside your head, she said to me
The woman is trying to tell him that his problem of leaving his lover is not due to external factors but rather a mental one.
The answer is easy if you take it logically
If he analyses the situation rationally, it is easier to find a solution to his problem.
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free
The woman wants to assist him in getting free from his current situation.
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
She implies that there are numerous ways to leave his lover, it's not just limited to one option.
It's really not my habit to intrude
She makes it clear that she does not usually get involved in other people's affairs.
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued
She wants to ensure that her message is not taken out of context or misunderstood.
But I'll repeat myself, at the risk of being crude
She is willing to repeat herself even if it may come across as impolite.
You don't need to be coy, Roy
He doesn't have to be dishonest or secretive in leaving his lover.
Just get yourself free
He needs to focus on getting himself free from the situation.
Hop on the bus, Gus
He should physically remove himself from the situation by leaving town.
You don't need to discuss much
He doesn't have to explain his decision to leave in detail.
Just drop off the key, Lee
If he shares a living space with his lover, he should simply leave the key behind and move out.
And get yourself free
The ultimate goal is for him to become free from his current situation.
It grieves me so to see you in such pain
The woman feels sad to see him struggling in his current situation.
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again
She wants to help him find happiness once again.
About the fifty ways?
He asks her for more information about the numerous ways of leaving his lover.
Why don't we both just sleep on it tonight
She suggests that they both take some time to think things over without making any rash decisions.
And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light
She thinks that by the morning, he will be able to see things more clearly and find a solution.
And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right
Her actions emphasize that he is coming to the realization that she is indeed right.
There must be fifty ways to leave your lover
The repetition of this line solidifies the idea that there are numerous methods to leave a partner.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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