Jonathan David "JD" McPherson, born April 14, 1977, is an American singer-s… Read Full Bio ↴Jonathan David "JD" McPherson, born April 14, 1977, is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He is known for a retro sound rooted in the rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and rockabilly music of the 1950s.

McPherson grew up in rural southeastern Oklahoma, on a cattle ranch near the town of Talihina. His father was a farmer and ex-army while his mother was a church minister. He took up the guitar at age 13. In high school he played in a number of local punk rock bands and began writing his own songs. He has stated that he has never not been in a band of some sort since he was 16 years of age.

During this time, McPherson also developed a strong interest in 1950s rock and roll after being exposed to the music of Buddy Holly. This went on to shape his song writing and sound for bands he was in such as The Poison Okies and The Starkweather Boys.

He studied visual arts in college, earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Tulsa, and later worked as an art and technology teacher. After deciding to pursue music more seriously, McPherson sent a demo to Jimmy Sutton of the small independent record label Hi-STYLE Records, which specialized in roots music. Sutton agreed to produce McPherson's debut album: this became 2010's Signs and Signifiers. On 19 November 2012, Rolling Stone labelled McPherson an "Artist to Watch" in a 3½ star (out of 5) review of Signs and Signifiers after its wider release through Rounder Records.

The band played the acoustic stage at the Glastonbury Festival 2015 on Friday June 26, before continuing their European tour in the Netherlands.

In October 2015, JD McPherson and band appeared (in animated form) as musical guests performing a new and original song "Crazy Horse" for the DreamWorks animated TV series, The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show on Netflix.

Dimes For Nickels
JD McPherson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been trading up dimes for nickels over you
My golden years keep on slippin out of view
From rocking nights to working days
From Cadillacs to Chevrolets
Trading up dimes for nickels over you

From a long gold chain and my Chippendale rocker
A seven yard block and Black Johnny Walker

A two night job and a side-track bummin
A lot of hard work to keep a satisfying a woman

I've been trading up dimes for nickels over you
My golden years keep on slippin out of view
From rocking nights to working days
From Cadillacs to Chevrolets
Trading up dimes for nickels over you

Well Two-timing Sally and I took my time
I'm evil and it took my soul
But If you don't keep your hands outta my back pocket
You're gonna take all of my dough

I've trading up dimes for nickels over you
My golden years keep on slippin out of view
From rocking nights to working days
From Cadillacs to Chevrolets
Trading up dimes for nickels over you

Well Two-timing Sally and I took my time
I'm evil and it took my soul
But If you don't keep your hands outta my back pocket
You're gonna take all of my dough

I've trading up dimes for nickels over you
My golden years keep on slippin out of view
From rocking nights to working days
From Cadillacs to Chevrolets

Trading up dimes for nickels over you
I've trading up dimes for nickels over you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of JD McPherson's "Dimes For Nickels" convey a sense of trade-off and sacrifice in a relationship. The singer is lamenting the loss of his "golden years" and how they seem to be slipping out of view because he's been trading up dimes for nickels over his partner. This refers to the choice he's made to focus on his relationship instead of indulging in the wild and carefree lifestyle he used to live, symbolized by owning a long gold chain and rocking on his Chippendale chair. The opening stanza sets the tone for the entire song, with the trade-off being the central message.

The second stanza recalls the various things that the singer has given up in order to keep his partner happy, like the seven-yard block and Black Johnny Walker, a two-night job to keep his woman satisfied, and a lot of hard work. This stanza helps paint a picture of the struggle the singer is going through as he tries to maintain the relationship.

The final stanza is a warning to an attempted thief that the singer is willing to defend his resources, as they have been hard-earned by “trading up dimes for nickels over you.” JD McPherson delivers this message through a combination of compelling imagery and impactful phrasing.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been trading up dimes for nickels over you
I've been sacrificing valuable things for you, but what I am getting in return is not worth it.

My golden years keep on slippin out of view
I am getting older and time is slipping away from me, but my situation is not improving.

From rocking nights to working days
I used to have fun and enjoy life, but now I work hard and struggle to make ends meet.

From Cadillacs to Chevrolets
I used to have luxury cars, but now I have downgraded to a more affordable one.

Well Two-timing Sally and I took my time
I was involved with someone else, but I took my time deciding whether to be with them or you.

I'm evil and it took my soul
I made a bad decision and it has had a negative impact on me.

But If you don't keep your hands outta my back pocket
If you keep taking advantage of me financially, it will ruin me.

You're gonna take all of my dough
If you keep taking my money, I will have nothing left.

Contributed by Caden O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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