The band was formed in the fall of 2000 by Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), and Paul Hoffman (mandolin), who initially played together at an open mic night. As newcomers to the bluegrass scene, the three drew upon an array of influences and varied musical backgrounds, reflected in their May 2004 release of Less than Supper.
In the summer of 2006 the band were winners of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition, earning them a spot on the main stage of the 2007 festival. Soon thereafter they released their second studio album, Tuesday Letter.
In September 2016, Greensky Bluegrass released their album Shouted, Written Down & Quoted. All For Money was released in 2019.
Kerosene
Greensky Bluegrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a nice valley river
There's a nice valley river
Please return to me
Let my heart be free
Instrumental
And the hoouse falls to the ground
I'm coming down
With all the mercy on me
All the mercy on me
Please return to me
Let my heart be free
Instrumental
I lost my hope on the sea
I got my mind good
I got my mind good
Please return to me
Let my heart be free
The lyrics to this song by Greensky Bluegrass, "Kerosene", are somewhat introspective and haunting. The singer is describing a long valley, one that has a river running through it. This valley seems to be a metaphor for their state of mind, as they are asking for their heart to be set free. The instrumental sections of the song provide breaks in the narrative, and allow the listener to fully absorb and process the emotions present.
The second verse takes on a more ominous tone, as the singer describes a heavy path above an old town, and a house that falls to the ground. It's unclear whether this is a literal description of events or a representation of the singer's inner turmoil. Regardless, they are coming down from whatever they've been experiencing with all the mercy on them. The refrain is repeated again, with the singer asking for their heart to be freed.
The final verse introduces the idea of being lost at sea and regaining a sense of focus. The singer's mind is good, but they're still asking for their heart to be released from whatever is holding it back. Overall, the song seems to be about the struggle to find inner peace and freedom, and the sense of urgency and longing that can come with that search.
Line by Line Meaning
I got down to a long valley
I arrived at a beautiful valley
There's a nice valley river
I noticed the river that flows through the valley and how beautiful it is
There's a nice valley river
I noticed the river that flows through the valley and how beautiful it is
Please return to me
I'm asking for something that I lost or someone who left me to come back
Let my heart be free
I need to be released from the pain and emotions I'm feeling
Instrumental
No lyrics, just music
It's a heavy path above the old town
I'm walking a difficult road in a part of town that has seen better days
And the house falls to the ground
I see a ruined building, a visual reminder of how time can bring things down
I'm coming down
I'm feeling a sense of sadness or despair
With all the mercy on me
I'm hoping to be shown kindness and grace during my struggles
All the mercy on me
I'm asking again for a sense of compassion from whoever might be listening
Please return to me
I'm still asking for something that was lost or someone who left to come back
Let my heart be free
I'm still in need of release from the pain and emotions I'm feeling
Instrumental
No lyrics, just music
I lost my hope on the sea
Perhaps I suffered a major setback or disappointment while traveling abroad
I got my mind good
I've since recovered my mental and emotional health
I got my mind good
I've since recovered my mental and emotional health
Please return to me
Although I feel better, I'm still hoping for something or someone to come back into my life
Let my heart be free
I'm still searching for peace and closure to the pain I've been feeling
Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David LeTourneau
on Forget Everything
"Shuffle in the room with some friends"