Hill has made a career as an award-winning ukulele player and songwriter, an uncompromising artist who “gives the ukulele its dignity back without ever taking himself too seriously” (Songlines). The Old Silo sees him charting a course into deeper, rockier waters with Plaskett at the helm. The album has an edginess and swagger unlike anything Hill has ever recorded: the thundering baritone ukulele riff in She's Still Got It wouldn't be out of place on a Black Keys album and the grinding slide ukulele in Tie One On would make Jack White proud.
Welcome to The Old Silo. Who knows what you'll find inside.
Promenade
James Hill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
if I were an outlaw you'd be my moonshine
Everything I needed, love, fit in a bottle
Now my heart is restless and my mind is troubled
Born on a bad day into a barfight
Matador, matador, God damn your red light
When I look at you now all I can see is
So let's promenade, allemande
Diamond on your left hand
If you only knew me love
when I was a young man
You are a ghost car so sound the siren
Send me a postcard across the ocean
freightliner, frightliner, our love is history
give me wings to fly and I'd be there already
Now I'm just a beggar will you smile upon me
I stand here a guilty man, show me some mercy
If I had a dollar would you treat me badly?
If I had a hundred more would you love me madly?
Come on, promenade, allemande
Diamond on your left hand
If you only knew me love
when I was a young man
Promenade, allemande
Diamond on your left hand
If you only knew me love
when I was a young man
The song "Promenade" by James Hill is a melancholic ballad that speaks of unrequited love and lost opportunities. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by juxtaposing the singer's current state with an alternate scenario. He says that if he were a dead man, the person he's singing to would be the outline, indicating that they're so intertwined that it's hard to imagine one existing without the other. However, now that the singer's heart is restless and his mind is troubled, it's clear that their relationship is in a precarious state. The second line of the verse is more hopeful and speaks to the idea that the person he's singing to is like moonshine, which can light up the darkness. However, this is quickly countered by the third line, which suggests that love has become something that can be contained and controlled in a bottle, perhaps indicating that the relationship has lost its spark or has become stagnant.
The second verse delves deeper into the singer's past and the events that have shaped his current outlook. He says that he was "born on a bad day into a barfight," which sets a dark and violent tone. The person he's singing to is then referred to as a matador, and their red light is damned, indicating that the singer has succumbed to their charms and is now suffering the consequences. The final two lines of the verse are the crux of the song; they convey the idea that the singer sees everything he ever knew lying in pieces when he looks at the person he's singing to now. This suggests that they were once in love, but that love has since died.
The chorus of the song is a call to action; the singer wants to promenade, allemande with the person he's singing to. The diamond on their left hand indicates that they're married, so the singer is fighting an uphill battle. He's pleading with them to remember who he used to be when he was young, and perhaps to give him another chance. The repeat of the chorus at the end of the song reinforces the idea that the singer is stuck in the past and still clinging to what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
If I were a dead man you'd be the outline
You are so much a part of me that even in death, I’d find a way to remember you.
if I were an outlaw you'd be my moonshine
You are my forbidden love, my adventure, my addiction, my moonshine.
Everything I needed, love, fit in a bottle
I found all the love I needed in the bottom of a bottle.
Now my heart is restless and my mind is troubled
My heart is longing for you, and my mind is consumed with thoughts of you.
Born on a bad day into a barfight
I came into this world fighting, and my life has been a battle ever since.
Matador, matador, God damn your red light
You, my lover, are like a matador with a red cape, tempting me to come closer and risk it all.
When I look at you now all I can see is everything I ever knew lying in pieces
Seeing you now reminds me of everything that’s been broken in my life, everything I’ve lost.
So let's promenade, allemande
Let’s dance and forget our troubles.
Diamond on your left hand
I wish I was the diamond on your left hand.
If you only knew me love when I was a young man
If only you knew me back when I was full of hope and ambition, before life broke me down.
You are a ghost car so sound the siren
You are like a ghost car, speeding through my life, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
Send me a postcard across the ocean
Even though we’re far apart, I long to hear from you, to know that you’re still thinking of me.
freightliner, frightliner, our love is history
Our love was like a freightliner, powerful and unstoppable, but now it’s like a frightliner, fading away into history.
give me wings to fly and I'd be there already
If I had the power to fly, I’d come to you right now.
Now I'm just a beggar will you smile upon me
I’m nothing without you, a beggar seeking your love and approval.
I stand here a guilty man, show me some mercy
I’ve made mistakes, but I’m asking for your forgiveness and mercy.
If I had a dollar would you treat me badly?
If I were wealthy, would you still love me for who I am?
If I had a hundred more would you love me madly?
If I were to become even more successful, would you love me even more passionately?
Contributed by Owen M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
StoneyRun
Wonderful song. Great lyrics. Great performance from both of you. That solo at 4:10 had mountain dew coming out of my nose. What's the tuning on the baritone uke?
TelecoEmg
Love this couple! Keep it up!!
SempreGumby
Thank You.
Wonderful!
Zen Silurushati
cool as gods