Michigan-based Northern Rock collective the Great Lakes Myth Society declar… Read Full Bio ↴Michigan-based Northern Rock collective the Great Lakes Myth Society declared itself a proper entity on January 1st 2003. The groups' previous incarnation as the "Original Brothers and Sisters of Love" yielded two critically-lauded albums (1999s The Legende of Jeb Minor and 2001's H.O.M.E.S.) for the Brooklyn, New York indie label The Telegraph Company (Kelley Stoltz, Stew, Finishing School) and successful appearances at New York City's Knitting Factory, CMJ, SXSW and Bostons NEMO Festival, but by 2002 the amicable departure of violinist and native New Zealander Elisabeth Auchinvole and the record company's untimely financial collapse had left the band with two gaping holes in its side and a mammoth completed record with no home. Rather than fold up their maps and head inward, Timothy Monger (accordion, guitar & vocals), James Monger (guitar & vocals), Gregory McIntosh (guitar & vocals), Scott McClintock (bass & vocals) and Fido Kennington (drums & vocals) adorned themselves in the most affordable black suits available, changed their name to reflect the region from which they drew their power and began to shop what would eventually become their formidable debut. It wasn't long before the newly minted "Great Lakes Myth Society" began sharing stages both locally and regionally with artists as diverse as Andrew Bird, Danielson, The Gourds, Saturday Looks Good to Me, The Hidden Cameras and The High Strung, eventually breaking through into the often impenetrable Detroit music scene with key shows at the Magic Stick, Lager House, Comerica TasteFest and finally a headlining slot at the first annual "Motor City Music Conference". Their eponymous debut, an alternately brooding and nostalgic blend of muscular English folk-rock, pine-kissed Northern Americana and Midwest Carny grit was released in April 2005 on the Boston-based label Stop, Pop & Roll (Paula Kelley, Ad Frank, Cathal Coughlan). Within weeks it had broken into the CMJ Top 200 and the band hit the road, bringing their consistently engaging and occasionally brutal live show to New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, even putting in an appearance on NPR's "All Things Considered". The GLMS signed with Southeast Michigan-based publishing house, record label, web developer and video/television production company Quack!Media in 2006 with plans to release their second album, "Compass Rose Bouquet", in the Summer of 2007. An eponymous single followed in early 2008 featuring "Brablec Farms" and "She's Come Home To Steal Her Rainbows".

Isabella County 1992
Great Lakes Myth Society Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There′s a crack in the road
And a scar that runs down through
A vaudevillian stage
And a bear in a cage
It's an Indian summer
And the tapwater′s brown sand
'Cause the lamprey are crammed
'Neath the Chippewa Dam

When friends come to town
They say, "What were you thinking? Come home!"
And I tell them I am home

I didn′t come for the scenery
I didn′t come for the grades
I didn't come for the roar of the stadium
No, I came from the grave, boys
And wiped off the frown of a dreary hometown

Now I′m walking through history
And this history's mine
And I′m drunk all the time
Yeah, it's Monday and the townies are wasted

Last day in December
And the world is a white line
Of unshoveled cars
′Cause you can walk to the bars

In a town where the drinkers are plowed like the roads
In a heap 'round their breakfasts in yesterday's clothes
Sweetheart, this city has beautiful, beautiful snow

Beautiful, beautiful snow
Beautiful, beautiful snow

Overall Meaning

The song "Isabella County 1992" by Great Lakes Myth Society is a nostalgic tribute to the band's hometown of Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The lyrics tell the story of someone who left the town but returned, and now sees beauty and significance in the places and people they once took for granted. The crack in the road and scar on the vaudevillian stage are physical reminders of the town's imperfections and character, while the bear in a cage calls to mind the town's history as a popular stop for traveling circuses. The Indian summer and brown tap water are also references to the town's environmental issues, including the presence of invasive lamprey in the nearby Chippewa Dam.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a crack in the road
The town is in need of repair

And a scar that runs down through
The town has a visible blemish

A vaudevillian stage
The town has a cultural history

And a bear in a cage
The town has a zoo, which represents its stagnant nature

It's an Indian summer
The weather is unseasonably warm

And the tapwater's brown sand
The water quality is poor

'Cause the lamprey are crammed
The town's river is overrun with invasive species

'Neath the Chippewa Dam
The town's river has a dam built by the native Chippewa tribe

When friends come to town
Visitors notice the town's flaws

They say, "What were you thinking? Come home!"
People question why anyone would stay in this town

And I tell them I am home
The singer has a personal connection to the town despite its problems

I didn't come for the scenery
The town's physical beauty is not a draw

I didn't come for the grades
The town's educational opportunities are not a draw

I didn't come for the roar of the stadium
The town's sports scene is not a draw

No, I came from the grave, boys
The singer had a difficult time prior to arriving in this town

And wiped off the frown of a dreary hometown
The artist found something worthwhile in the town that improved their outlook

Now I'm walking through history
The artist is involved in the town's historical narrative

And this history's mine
The singer has taken ownership of the town's history

And I'm drunk all the time
The singer copes with the town's flaws through alcohol

Yeah, it's Monday and the townies are wasted
The town's inhabitants have a reputation for excessive drinking

Last day in December
The artist is recounting a specific day

And the world is a white line
The snow is extensive and covers everything

Of unshoveled cars
The town's residents are used to heavy snowfall

'Cause you can walk to the bars
The town is small enough that everything is within walking distance

In a town where the drinkers are plowed like the roads
The town's inhabitants are known for being drunk and their snow-covered streets reflect this

In a heap 'round their breakfasts in yesterday's clothes
The town's inhabitants are not particularly dignified

Sweetheart, this city has beautiful, beautiful snow
The singer finds beauty in the town's snow despite its negative aspects

Beautiful, beautiful snow
The artist repeats their appreciation for the snow

Writer(s): James Christopher Monger

Contributed by Vivian S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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