Jack learned to play the guitar at age 14, but was a professional surfer until an accident at Pipeline in which his front teeth were knocked out and he received more than 150 stitches. While he was recovering in bed, he spent his time writing songs and playing guitar. However, Jack didn't seriously pursue a career in the arts until his college years at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Jack Johnson also played rhythm guitar for the party band "Soil" in 1999, and graduated with a degree in film.
He has written, recorded, and released the albums Brushfire Fairytales (2001), On And On (2003), In Between Dreams (2005), Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George (2006), Sleep Through the Static (2008) and To The Sea (2010), he has also been on 3 soundtracks "September Sessions" from the film The September Sessions, "Thicker Than Water" from the film Thicker Than Water, "Sprout", "A Broke Down Melody" Ep and "Some Live Songs EP". Several of his songs are also featured in the movie "Out Cold". His latest album - Sleep Through The Static - reached the top 10 of the US charts.
In (2009) A live album and DVD of Jack's (2008) world tour to promote the release of Sleep Through The Static album. The DVD entitled En Concert, was released on October 27, 2009. The DVD was directed by Emmett Malloy.
On June 1, 2010, Johnson released his fifth studio album, To The Sea, on Brushfire Records/Universal Republic, which was recorded using Solar Powered energy at his Mango Tree Studio in Hawaii, and the Plastic Plant in LA . To The Sea was co produced by Robert Carranza, Jack Johnson, and his bandmates Merlo Podlewski, Zach Gill and Adam Topol and features guest appearances from G. Love, and Paula Fuga.
Jack Johnson is currently on a world tour promoting To The Sea while continually encouraging his concert attendees to pay greater respect for our planet. An active promoter of environmental causes like Explore.org and One Percent For The Planet, Johnson's 2010 world tour will continue to collaborate with local non-profit groups around the world, according to his website. He will once again donate 100% of his tour profits to support environmental, art, and music education. Learn more about Jack Johnson's current environmental commitments to our planet at: www.AllAtOnce.org.
Jack just cancelled the remaining balance of his Japanese tour on March 12, 2011 in sympathy of the victims of Tohoku Earthquake. Join Jack in supporting this disaster relief by donating to Global Giving Japan, and he encourages others to join this effort. Johnson's Ohana Charitable Foundation has also supported Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit that works to restore and revitalize music education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools. He also decorated a guitar for Little Kids Rock to auction to raise funds for its program.
On September 22, 2012, he donated his time to play a few songs at Farm Aid 2012 in Hershey, PA. Later in 2012, Jack donated $50,000 for Hurricane Sandy relief and added links on his website for others to donate:
"After years of touring and surfing along the East Coast, I have made so many great friends. It is heartbreaking to see the images and hear their stories. I just made donations to help recover and relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy. Below is a list of groups you can support. If you can't donate money, you can donate food, supplies, or your time. Our East Coast family, friends, and neighbors need our help. Aloha"
Johnson released From Here to Now to You with his band on September 17, 2013. On June 15, 2013, Jack and the Band performed as headliners at the 2013 Bonnaroo in Tennessee. He also played two acoustic concerts, one at London's Tabernacle in Notting Hill and the other at New York City's Allen Room at Lincoln Center overlooking Central Park, featuring songs from his upcoming album. The From Here to Now to You Tour ran from March through September 2014.
In February 2017, Johnson announced a U.S. tour beginning in Chicago at the Huntington Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on June 1 and ending with two Kōkua Hawai'i Foundation benefit concerts at the Waikiki Shell on August 4 & 5. Also, he revealed plans to release an album in the summer of 2017. Later, he added a September 10 concert for the 2017 Ohana Fest at Doheny State Beach, Dana Point, California. On September 8, 2017, Jack released his seventh studio album All the Light Above It Too, and peaked at number 13 on the Billboard chart's "Artist 100." In July 2018, Johnson released his greatest hits album "Jack Johnson: The Essentials" in Japan only.
In late 2019, Johnson released a single "New Axe", which was featured in the This Warm December Vol. 3 album. He then did a "Together at Home" Instagram Live stream concert on March 28, 2020. His concert was the third most watched on the Global Citizen YouTube. He then also performed at the "One World: Together at Home" special, and a live version of "Better Together" was featured on the One World: Together at Home album. On May 1, 2020, he was featured on Milky Chance's new single "Don't Let Me Down". On September 26, 2020, Johnson performed the opening set at Farm Aid: On the Road.
On December 4, 2020, Johnson released a new single titled "The Captain Is Drunk". On April 16, 2021, Johnson released a song titled "If Ever" with Paula Fuga and Ben Harper. The song appeared on Fuga's new album Rain on Sunday, which will be featured on Johnson's record label.
On June 24, 2022, Johnson released his eighth studio album, Meet the Moonlight, his first full-length record in five years. It was produced by Blake Mills, engineered by Joseph Lorge, and recorded both in Los Angeles (at Sound City Studios and EastWest Studios) and at The Mango Tree (Johnson's home studio) in Hawaii. The album's lead single is titled "One Step Ahead".
To coincide with his new album release, Johnson embarked on the Meet the Moonlight Tour with 35 stops at major venues across the United States (including Hawaii) and Canada. He was accompanied by various artists including Grammy-award winner (and personal friend) Ziggy Marley. In November, Johnson will tour the album in Australia and New Zealand, his first overseas concerts since 2019.
On July 22, 2000, Johnson married his college girlfriend, Kim Baker. They have three children: two boys and a girl. Johnson lives on the North Shore of the island of Oahu in Hawaii. In an interview with Johnson, Ann Donahue from Billboard described Johnson's family life by saying "There is often trouble in balancing the life of an artist, environmentalist, and family man, but Johnson seems to have the niche for such a challenge. This time around, he's found a pace that agrees with him...bringing his family along so he can spend mornings with them sightseeing." Both Johnson and his wife declined to talk about or release any intimate information concerning their children.
Adrift
Jack Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As if I was the only one
I'll follow you, a leaf that's followin' the sun
When will my weight be too much for you?
When will these ideas really be my own?
'Cause this moment keeps on moving
We were never meant to hold on
This was a scene worth waking up for
When I woke up
You planted me in my own pod
Don't know why, but somehow it just feels so wrong
When you said I will be lonely
When you rise again I'll have become the sun
That'll shine down upon you
As if you were the only one
Your voice is your own I can't protect it
You'll have to sing a verse that no ones ever known
Don't be afraid
'Cause no one ever sings alone
Your weight will never be too much for me
Your ideas have always be your own
And this moment keeps on movin'
We were never meant to hold on
In "Adrift," Jack Johnson sings of the transience of life and relationships. The song begins with Johnson admiring the voice of his partner, acknowledging that he cannot expect it to sing only to him. He then compares himself to a leaf following the sun, suggesting that he will follow his partner wherever she goes. However, the mood of the song changes in the second verse when Johnson questions whether he is becoming a burden to his partner. He wonders when his weight will be too much for her to bear and when his ideas will truly be his own.
Johnson then reflects on the fleeting nature of life and relationships, acknowledging that they were never meant to be permanent. In a symbolic scene, he wakes up to find that his partner has planted him in his own pod, but he feels that something is wrong. Johnson then takes comfort in the idea that even if he were to fade away, his partner would carry on, shining like the sun down upon him. Finally, he encourages his partner to continue singing, reminding her that no one ever sings alone.
One interpretation of "Adrift" is that the song is about the challenges of maintaining individuality within a committed relationship. Johnson acknowledges that his partner's voice is her own and that he cannot protect it. At the same time, he struggles with the idea that his own ideas may not be his own, indicating a fear of losing himself in the relationship. The song ultimately seems to urge balance between individuality and togetherness, emphasizing that no one ever truly goes through life alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Your voice is adrift I can't expect it to sing to me
I know that you are struggling to find yourself and your own path, and therefore can't always be there for me.
As if I was the only one / I'll follow you, a leaf that's followin' the sun
Despite your search, I still believe that we have a special connection, and I will follow you wherever you go.
When will my weight be too much for you? / When will these ideas really be my own? / 'Cause this moment keeps on moving / We were never meant to hold on
I fear that my problems and thoughts may be too much for you to handle, but I also understand that we must keep moving forward and not dwell on the past.
This was a scene worth waking up for / When I woke up / You planted me in my own pod / Don't know why, but somehow it just feels so wrong
At one point I believed that we were on the same page, but now I feel lost and unsure of myself, as if I'm in a strange place that I don't belong.
When you said I will be lonely / When you rise again I'll have become the sun / That'll shine down upon you / As if you were the only one
You made me feel as if I was nothing without you, but I now see that I am capable of shining on my own and being a guiding light for others, even if it's just for one person.
Your voice is your own I can't protect it / You'll have to sing a verse that no ones ever known / Don't be afraid / 'Cause no one ever sings alone
I may not always understand where you're coming from or agree with your choices, but I support you in finding your own voice and expressing yourself in new and unique ways, even if it's scary to do so.
Your weight will never be too much for me / Your ideas have always be your own / And this moment keeps on movin' / We were never meant to hold on
No matter what you're going through or what you think, I will always love and accept you for who you are, and we will keep moving through life together, not holding onto anything too tightly.
Lyrics © Bubble Toes Publishing, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Hody Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind