Isakov has been described by Boulder Weekly, "Strong, subtle, a lyrical genius" and has been compared to his influences; Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Joe Phelps, Iron & Wine and Gillian Welch. Isakov's humble presence and his overwhelming voice and guitar style has been treasured by an ever-growing and captivated fan base.
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Isakov immigrated to the States with his family and grew up in the Philadelphia area. He started touring at the age of 16 with his first band. In 1999 he sought out his solo acoustic roots and moved to Colorado where he now resides.
Isakov has been taking on the folk music scene with his 2003 release "Rust Colored Stones" LP and his 2005 release "Songs For October". Isakov's song-craft lends to the deepest lyrical masterpieces, and his live performance has been known to quiet and shake the biggest rooms.
Isakov has shared the stage with numerous touring artists such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, Alexi Murdoch, and Fiona Apple. He has performed throughout the United States, playing numerous music festivals such as Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest and Southpark Music Festival. Isakov has toured solo and with his band "The Freight".
In 2007, Gregory was named "Best Male Singer-Songwriter" by Westword Magazine.
Subsequent albums have included That Sea, The Gambler (2007), This Empty Northern Hemisphere (2009), The Weatherman (2013), Evening Machines (2018).
Light Year
Gregory Alan Isakov Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ragged and the bones
Strewn around the room
I recall another hazy may
Take a round in the ring
Gone hungry for the win...
I cracked a spark just to hear you sing
Sing
I took it out
The papers and the trash
Old among the cans
This golden love gone bad
Shined it up
Aiming at the sun
Just a light year from us
Hop a cab ride and we're off
And all the ravens came along to play
The simple notes you sang just went astray
Everything was up, it's coming down
Everything was up, it's coming down
Coming down
The song "02 Light Year" by Gregory Alan Isakov is a contemplative piece that explores the complexities of a troubled relationship. The opening lines of the song, "I woke you up with poetry and stones, the ragged and the bones, strewn around the room," describe an intimate moment between the two individuals where one person is trying to communicate something significant to the other. The use of "poetry and stones" suggests that the message being conveyed is both beautiful and hard-hitting, which is reinforced by the imagery of "the ragged and the bones". These objects are symbolic of how the relationship may be struggling and the people within it are trying to piece things back together.
The following verse describes another memory, "another hazy May", where the two individuals were "gone hungry for the win". This line suggests that there may have been a period where the relationship was healthy and thriving, but now it is struggling to regain that spark. The lines, "Here's the part I just lose everything, I cracked a spark just to hear you sing, sing", suggest that the singer is willing to go to great lengths to try and revive their connection, but it seems like their efforts are fruitless.
The second half of the song shifts focuses to the theme of letting go. The chorus repeats the line, "Everything was up, it's coming down, coming down", which suggests that there may be a realization that the relationship is not going to recover. The singer tries to salvage some of the "golden love gone bad" by cleaning it up and shining it up, but ultimately it is a hopeless battle. The addition of "all the ravens came along to play" describes how even nature seems to be working against them, as "the simple notes you sang just went astray". This line is poignant in its simplicity and is symbolic of how sometimes things just do not work out the way we want them to.
Line by Line Meaning
I woke you up with poetry and stones
I used unconventional methods to get your attention and express myself to you.
The ragged and the bones
The physical remnants of our past and present struggles are strewn about the room.
Strewn around the room
The evidence of our lives is all around us, but we can't seem to escape it.
I recall another hazy may
I remember another time when things were unclear and uncertain, much like they are now.
Take a round in the ring
We're fighting with each other, back and forth like in a boxing match.
Gone hungry for the win...
We've both become so focused on winning this fight that we're ignoring our own needs and desires.
Here's the part I just lose everything
At this point, I don't even know what I'm doing or why, everything is slipping away from me.
I cracked a spark just to hear you sing
I tried to start something between us, even if it's just a small glimmer of hope, in order to see you happy and engaged with me.
Sing
Please show me that you're still here with me and want to make this work.
I took it out
I removed something from the situation, possibly a bad habit or argumentative tactic.
The papers and the trash
The things that were cluttering our lives are now gone.
Old among the cans
The things that were once valuable to us have become irrelevant and disposable.
This golden love gone bad
Our once wonderful love has turned into something rotten and unrecognizable.
Shined it up
I'm trying to make the best of our situation and see the good in it.
Aiming at the sun
I'm aspiring towards a better future where we can reconnect and find our way back to love.
Just a light year from us
Even though it seems like we're far apart, we're really only a short distance away from each other.
Hop a cab ride and we're off
If we just take a chance and make a move towards each other, we can start fresh and leave our troubles behind us.
And all the ravens came along to play
The darker parts of ourselves and the negative influences around us are making it harder to find each other again.
The simple notes you sang just went astray
The things we used to find simple and easy are now misplaced and out of reach.
Everything was up, it's coming down
Our relationship was once buoyant and full of life, but it's now slowly sinking and crumbling away.
Coming down
Our relationship is on a downward trajectory and we need to act fast in order to save it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mike Modelle
on Time Will Tell
A Kansas wheat farmer wonders and worries about the price he will get for his bushels as they pour into some commercial silo.