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.
Reverend
Greensky Bluegrass Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I safe from the night?
More money to the system,
Am I free from the fight?
I left myself behind in my home town,
Went looking for a new place, you won't find me around.
Though I never could believe,
Somebody else's struggle
Is the reason that I flee
There's none that miss me, they never thought I'd go.
So many things about me, nobody seems to know.
Can you carry more,
If you leave me back?
What's left to take?
Who's lives come last?
I can find fewer reasons,
Against the need to run,
Than my hands to bear a burden,
A weight I can't overcome.
There are reasons I worry, there are answers I fear.
Is there love enough to save us? Will it find us out here?
I counted my fortunes,
With time left to spare.
My doubts all outnumbered,
Regardless of what's fair.
Need to find a way to carry myself through the day.
Let grief lie behind me and learn to look away.
The song Reverend by Greensky Bluegrass is a heart-wrenching ballad that touches upon themes of escape, displacement, and self-discovery. The lyrics talk about seeking refuge in the comfort of alcohol and the guidance of a reverend, hoping that it would provide a safe haven from the struggles of life. The lines "Couple beers with the reverend, am I safe from the night? More money to the system, am I free from the fight?" suggest the inherent sense of uncertainty and insecurity one feels when confronted with the challenges of life. The singer seeks a sense of clarity and direction and doesn't know where to look for it - turning to religion and alcohol is a desperate attempt to find some respite from the chaos.
The subsequent lines "I left myself behind in my hometown, went looking for a new place, you won't find me around" indicate a sense of rejection of one's past and a desire for a fresh start. The singer feels that they don't belong to their hometown anymore and chooses to leave everything and everyone they know behind. However, the line "There's none that miss me, they never thought I'd go. So many things about me, nobody seems to know" suggests a sense of loneliness and isolation. The singer feels that they have been forgotten and disregarded - their absence from their hometown has not affected anyone, and they are still a mystery to most.
The song also touches upon themes of societal struggles and the sense of guilt that comes with not being able to do anything about it. The lyrics "I made peace with my country, though I never could believe. Somebody else's struggle is the reason that I flee" suggest a sense of remorse and helplessness that comes with the realization that the world is not what we want it to be. The singer has come to terms with the fact that they can't change the state of affairs and has instead chosen to flee from it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Couple beers with the reverend,
Drinking with a religious leader makes me feel safe from the dangers of the night.
Am I safe from the night?
I'm questioning whether or not I'm protected from the perils of the night.
More money to the system,
Is giving more money to the government a way to avoid conflict?
Am I free from the fight?
I'm wondering if I'll be able to avoid fighting in turbulent times.
I left myself behind in my home town,
I abandoned my old self in my hometown.
Went looking for a new place, you won't find me around.
I've moved to a new location and have no intention of returning.
I made peace with my country,
I've come to terms with where I come from.
Though I never could believe,
But that doesn't mean I can understand or accept everything that happens there.
Somebody else's struggle
The suffering of others is one of the reasons why I left.
Is the reason that I flee
I've run away because I cannot bear the pain of watching their struggles.
There's none that miss me, they never thought I'd go.
Nobody cares that I'm gone, and they didn't expect me to leave.
So many things about me, nobody seems to know.
The people in my hometown never took the time to understand who I am.
Can you carry more,
I'm asking if you're able to handle more weight or responsibility.
If you leave me back?
And if you abandon me, will I be able to manage on my own?
What's left to take?
I'm asking what else can be taken from me.
Who's lives come last?
Whose lives are treated as secondary or unimportant?
I can find fewer reasons,
I'm struggling to find good enough reasons for staying put.
Against the need to run,
Any excuse seems good enough to make me want to leave.
Than my hands to bear a burden,
Even if I'm weighed down, I know my hands are strong enough to carry the weight.
A weight I can't overcome.
But there are limits to what I can handle.
There are reasons I worry, there are answers I fear.
I'm worried about some things and am afraid of other things.
Is there love enough to save us?
I'm questioning whether love can save us from our hardships.
Will it find us out here?
And if love can save us, will it find us in our particular situation?
I counted my fortunes,
I've taken stock of what I have going for me.
With time left to spare.
I still have time to figure things out.
My doubts all outnumbered,
My doubts have been replaced by other thoughts.
Regardless of what's fair.
I know things aren't always fair but I'm moving on regardless.
Need to find a way to carry myself through the day.
I need to figure out a way to survive each day.
Let grief lie behind me and learn to look away.
I need to leave my sorrow in the past and learn to ignore negative emotions.
Contributed by Camilla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
David LeTourneau
on Forget Everything
"Shuffle in the room with some friends"