Discography
Albums:
* Broken Summer (2003)
* Love vs. Life (2008)
* Find A Way (2011)
* Show Me Tomorrow (2012)
* A Jamestown Story Christmas (2013)
EP's:
* The Jamestown Story (2005)
* One Last Breath (2007)
* The Prologue (2008)
* Never Enough (2009)
* A Collection Of Covers (2010)
* A Walk Through Time (2011)
* Jamestown Story & Friends (2013)
Split EP's:
* Stephen Jerzak & Jamestown Story EP (2009)
* The Nashville Sessions (2012)
* Hard Days EP (2013)
Current member:
* Dane Schmidt - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, drums (2003–present)
Former members:
* Brandyn Anderson - piano(2010–2012)
* Kieren Smith - violin, guitar (2005–2008)
* Pat Tarnowski - guitar (2005–2007)
* Chris Lee - drums (2005–2007)
* Chad Snell - bass (2006–2007)
* Sam Dean - bass (2005-2006)
* Trevor MacKenzie - bass (2005)
http://www.jamestownstory.com/
Breakdown
Jamestown Story Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trying to scrape up another breath, but there's none left for me to
Take
You can't breathe, you can sleep, you can't sleep
And god it hurts to even think of trying to eat
And now you're face down in a bathroom stall, can't hold it down can't
Hold it down
Break down, break down for all you gave
Break down, break down everything
Reminding you of what you had
Break down, break down for all the pain
Break down, break down everything
Yeah just break down everything
Yeah just break down everything you own
Don't pick up the phone and call
Cause the other line, is another line again
Break down, for everything you had
Break down, cause now it is in the past
Break down, I wish it could have last for you
In "Breakdown" by Jamestown Story, the lyrics depict a scene where the singer is struggling to cope with the loss of something important. The opening line, "Here I am, here I stand," sets the scene for the singer's despair. They are looking for a breath of fresh air but are struggling to find one because the situation is consuming them, leaving them feeling suffocated. The lines, "Trying to scrape up another breath, but there's none left for me to take / You can't breathe, you can sleep, you can't sleep," further emphasize the singer's feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. It seems like they have lost everything they once held dear, and it's almost too much for them to bear.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am, here I stand
I am present and standing here right now
Trying to scrape up another breath, but there's none left for me to Take
I am struggling to breathe and can't find any more air to take
You can't breathe, you can sleep, you can't sleep
You are unable to breathe and even when you sleep, you can't really rest
And god it hurts to even think of trying to eat
Even the thought of eating is causing you pain right now
And now you're face down in a bathroom stall, can't hold it down can't Hold it down
You are physically ill and unable to keep anything down, even in a bathroom stall
Break down, break down for all you gave
Let yourself break down and cry for all the effort and sacrifices you have made
Break down, break down everything
Allow yourself to break down completely, including all your possessions and emotions
Reminding you of what you had
This breakdown process may remind you of what you had before and how you have lost it
Break down, break down for all the pain
Let yourself break down and cry for all the pain that you are experiencing
Break down, break down everything
Again, allow yourself to break down completely, including all your possessions and emotions
Yeah just break down everything you own
Destroy all your belongings and let them go, as part of the breakdown process
Don't pick up the phone and call
Don't reach out to someone else for help or comfort during this time
Cause the other line, is another line again
Because whoever you call will likely not be able to fully understand your pain or provide relief
Break down, for everything you had
Once again, let yourself break down and grieve for all that you had and have lost
Break down, cause now it is in the past
Allow yourself to break down and accept that what you had is gone and cannot be retrieved
Break down, I wish it could have last for you
I feel sorry for you and wish that what you had could have lasted longer
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Vlad
Please do not omit native captive culture. You skimmed over the fate of Governor John Ratcliffe (who was horribly misportrayed in Disney's Pocahontas). Please see the Wikipedia page on Captives in American Indian Wars and the page on Ratcliffe (particularly his death) as an introduction. The academic literature is full of information about the practice of ritual torture that was commonplace and shared among almost all native nations.
The way native Americans are typically portrayed in media and pop culture (e.g., the noble savage) and to omit this part of their history is just disrespectful and false when it comes to portraying what they were really like. What is happening to native descendants now on reservations really is a social injustice. They do not practice such brutal acts anymore and haven't for nearly a century. But every aspect of their culture should be taught, the beautiful and the brutal.
Unfortunately, there is an idealized version of the natives that is too often depicted in modern, popular media - showing them to be pacifists - a tactic to make them appear more sympathetic when contrasted with European settlers. Friends, we must allow the evidence to tell the story and not our biases. History tells us that most nations and their tribes were not pacifists. Do the work and allow history the paint the picture and not our idealized version of how we want it to look.
It's a tough pill to swallow for many. It was for me. I, myself, was raised with the Pocahontas image of native peoples but such a xenophilic image of the natives is academically dishonest and disrespectful of native history, which we should correct.
The fact is that the natives committed acts and war crimes that were so sadistic, merely reading the descriptions could deeply disturb a person, as I was. The upshot is that there was cruelty beyond comprehension enacted by BOTH natives and Europeans - not only the Europeans, who were equally cruel in their own way. Such is the shameful history of most ancient societies. Native Americans ought not to be exempt from that.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captives_in_American_Indian_Wars
2. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-shocking-savagery-of-americas-early-history-22739301/
3. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2396760/How-Comanche-Indians-butchered-babies-roasted-enemies-alive.html
4. The Torture of Captives by the Indians of Eastern North America
Author(s): Nathaniel Knowles
Source: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society , Mar. 22, 1940, Vol. 82, No.2
(Mar. 22, 1940), pp. 151-225
Published by: American Philosophical Society
Stable URL: @t
5. An affecting narrative of the captivity and sufferings of Mrs. Mary Smith
6. Captives Among the Indians by Bressani, Harbison, Rowlandson, and Smith
7. https://www.forttours.com/pages/torture.asp
8. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/arapaho.htm
9. https://aadl.org/node/539366
10. https://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1174&context=dissertations_mu
11. https://ia800500.us.archive.org/31/items/indianamiscellan00smit/indianamiscellan00smit.pdf pp. 24-33
12. History of the Ojibwe People, Based Upon Traditions and Oral Statements (1885)
13. https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1057&context=histfac
14. https://www.quora.com/What-native-American-were-the-most-violent
Rocio :3
You teach me more than my real AP US History teacher. Great video!
christopher allen
I love seeing this, I recently found out through my AncestryDNA research that my 12th great grandfather William Author Allen was one of the first tobacco merchants that settled near James town. The Allen house also known as Bacons castle still stands today as the oldest brick house in Surry county. I’ll need to watch more of your videos. Thanks for the content
Charlie Dallachie
Parents used to live a few miles from there, it was interesting to tour because there’s a lot of original foundations still there in the ground and signs explaining them. A part of it is already under the James river but a majority isn’t. If you’re ever in the area you should tour, there’s a whole island to explore along with nearby Williamsburg
Rebekah Carlson
This is a great video-excellent teaching tool, and can be divided up into three shorter segments if time is an issue. It also contains a lot of information, so watching the video in segments may help students retain more of the history.
Kevin Reynolds
Great video, My 11th great grandfather Christopher Reynolds came to Jamestown in 1622 as an indentured servant. He later imported willing young women from his native England to serve as wives to the early Virginia colonists via The Speedwell. The profit from this journey enabled him to purchase land and he became a tobacco merchant.
Salli Mayfield
I just became an eighth-grade history teacher after teaching English for 21 years. I am so excited! I just discovered your videos, and they are MUCH better than our textbook. Thank you!
Kenneth Jara
Keith, you've inspired me to want to teach history, and now I'm headed to Lehigh university to get my degree in education. Thank you Keith for always being an inspiration!
Crystal Younker
Update?
Kenneth Jara
Thank you Keith! Keep doing what you're doing because I know you're inspiring so many others!
Hip Hughes
+Kenneth Jara best comment ever! Rock it brother Ken!