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.
Home
Jack Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's fruit on the ground and the birds have all moved back into my attic
Whistling static
When the young learn to fly I will patch all the holes up again
Well I can't believe that my lime tree is dead
I thought it was sleeping
I guess it got fed up with not being fed
So I, try, to understand, what I can't hold in my hand, and where ever we are
Home is there too
And if you, could try to find it too,
Cause this place is overgrown into with works in bloom
Home is wherever we are, if there's love there too
In the back of our house there's a trail that won't end
We were walking so far that it grew back in
There's no trail at all,only grass growing tall
Get out my machete and battle with time once again
But I'm bound to lose because I'll be damned if time don't win
I gotta get home theirs a garden to tend, all the seeds from the fruit buried again
There own family trees teach them thank you and please as they spread their own roots they watch their young fruit grow again
And this old trail will lead me right back to where it begins
So I, try to understand, what I can't hold in my hand
And whatever I find, I'll find my way back to you
And if you could try to find it too, cause this place is overgrown with works in bloom
Home is wherever we are if there is love there too
In "Home," Jack Johnson talks about the importance of tending to his garden, both literally and metaphorically. The beginning of the song focuses on the physical tasks of taking care of his garden, as he mentions the fruit on the ground that needs attention and the birds that have moved back into his attic. He also talks about patching up the holes so the young birds can learn to fly. These lines reflect the peaceful and idyllic environment that Johnson is trying to cultivate in his home. However, he also faces setbacks, such as finding his lime tree dead, highlighting the fragility of life and the importance of taking care of the things we love.
Johnson then moves to a more philosophical perspective in the chorus, as he tries to make sense of what he can't control or grasp. The lyrics show his reflection on the importance of love in the concept of "home" and how it can be found wherever you are, even if it is a new place. The line "wherever we are, home is there too" is particularly poignant in its simplicity yet profound message. Whether it's with family, friends, or even alone, Johnson is searching for the sense of home that provides him with love and comfort, a sense of belonging and connection.
Ultimately, "Home" is a reflection on the importance of connection, both with the people around us and the natural world that we often take for granted. Johnson suggests that we all have a responsibility to take care of our "gardens" and nurture our relationships with love, in order to cultivate a peaceful and fulfilling place to call home.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta get home there's a garden to tend
I need to return home because there is a garden that needs my attention
There's fruit on the ground and the birds have all moved back into my attic
The fruit I planted earlier has fallen onto the ground and the birds have returned to their nest in my attic
Whistling static
This line is likely just a pause or transition to the next line and does not provide a specific meaning
When the young learn to fly I will patch all the holes up again
Once the young birds in my attic learn to fly, I will repair any holes in the attic to secure their safety
Well I can't believe that my lime tree is dead
I am surprised my lime tree has died
I thought it was sleeping
I thought it was dormant or hibernating, not actually dead
I guess it got fed up with not being fed
My lime tree died because I did not give it proper nourishment
And I would be too, I need food in my belly and hope that my time isn't soon
Just like my lime tree needed nourishment, I also need food to survive and hope that I won't meet an untimely end
So I, try, to understand, what I can't hold in my hand, and where ever we are
I attempt to comprehend things that cannot be physically grasped, no matter where I am
Home is there too
Even if I am away from home, the concept of home also exists in that place
And if you, could try to find it too,
If possible, it would be beneficial for others to try to find this concept of home as well
Cause this place is overgrown into with works in bloom
Because the place is overflowing with growth and potential
Home is wherever we are, if there's love there too
The feeling of home exists wherever I am as long as there is love present
In the back of our house there's a trail that won't end
Behind my house, there is an endless trail
We were walking so far that it grew back in
I went on this trail for so long that the path became overgrown behind me
There's no trail at all,only grass growing tall
Now, there is no visible path, and only the tall grass remains
Get out my machete and battle with time once again
I need to use a machete to clear the grass, as time and nature continue to reclaim the space
But I'm bound to lose because I'll be damned if time don't win
I am likely to lose this battle because time and nature are inevitable and will ultimately win
I gotta get home theirs a garden to tend, all the seeds from the fruit buried again
I need to return home because there is a garden that needs attention, and I also need to bury the seeds from the fallen fruit
There own family trees teach them thank you and please as they spread their own roots they watch their young fruit grow again
As my family members grow and start their own families, they pass down the importance of gratitude and manners, and also take pleasure in watching their own children grow and develop
And this old trail will lead me right back to where it begins
By following this trail, I will eventually return to where I started
And whatever I find, I'll find my way back to you
No matter what I encounter or discover, I will eventually find my way back home
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Bubble Toes Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jack Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind