While living as a student in Oregon he founded the lively American Rock / Folk group Wolf Colonel which recorded multiple releases on Olympia Washington's K Records. After years of touring with a rotating band roster and solo he began recording and touring as a solo act, (although sometimes with backing band). He released 3 records on K Records as Jason Anderson.
Extensive touring eventually led him back to his New England roots. He began playing shows around the New England subcontinent in the mid 00's solo and in a duo call The Rabbits. More recently he has been in a project group doing American Rock.
Jason's recordings are a history of artistic progression from humorous and hopeful youth through to the sweet and thoughtful mid-20's. His live concerts are appealing to all ages and genders, his theatrical performing style recalls the works of Homer and Plato, and reminds audience members why people like to see musicians play music.
This Will Never Be Our Town
Jason Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i rode my bike home after dawn
and the sunrise felt abrasive
like after a middle school dance when they turn those gym lights on (gross!)
under bridges, over cracks
it was hard to keep peddling when all i want to do is peddle back
we drove east down to the sea
and one of them tall white wooden life guard chairs and a borrowed adidas track jacket and the moon like a swollen tangerine
six months ago almost to the day
and i just got to of one of the points in my life where it was weird to think how much was different
and also to think how much was exactly, exactly the same
on the trip back
i remember saying to myself "our town looks cute"
and then instantly thinking
this will never be our town
say our town
our town
this will never be our town
In Jason Anderson's song "This Will Never Be Our Town," the singer is reflecting on a bicycle ride home after dawn and a trip to the sea six months prior. The sunrise is described as "abrasive" and evokes the feeling of being caught in the harsh light after a middle school dance. As the singer rides their bike, they struggle to keep going as they want nothing more than to go back to where they came from. The mention of cracks and bridges further emphasizes the sense of unease and instability in the singer's journey.
The second half of the song focuses on the trip to the sea and the singer's thoughts about their hometown. They mention a tall white wooden life guard chair and a borrowed Adidas track jacket, indicating that this trip was taken with friends. However, despite the company of others, the singer is struck by the realization that things have changed in their life, and they're not entirely sure how to feel about it. They note that some things are "exactly the same," while others are vastly different. After their trip, while looking at their town, they have the thought that it "looks cute," but then immediately dismiss it with the refrain, "this will never be our town."
The song captures a sense of restlessness and uncertainty as the singer navigates both physical and emotional journeys. The repeated refrain creates a sense of finality that the singer might be trying to convince themselves of, or warn against, depending on your interpretation. Overall, "This Will Never Be Our Town" is a melancholy reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the realization that sometimes, things just don't feel like they used to.
Line by Line Meaning
this will never be our town
The singer acknowledges that despite living in this town, they will never feel truly at home here.
i rode my bike home after dawn
The singer describes biking home in the early morning.
and the sunrise felt abrasive
The sunrise was harsh and unpleasant.
like after a middle school dance when they turn those gym lights on (gross!)
The singer compares the sunrise to the harsh lighting turned on after a middle school dance.
under bridges, over cracks
The singer describes their bike ride over obstacles.
it was hard to keep peddling when all i want to do is peddle back
Despite wanting to go back, the singer had to keep moving forward.
say woah yeah
This line likely serves as a transition to the next verse.
we drove east down to the sea
The singer recalls a road trip to the ocean.
and one of them tall white wooden life guard chairs and a borrowed adidas track jacket and the moon like a swollen tangerine
The singer describes what they saw at the ocean, including a wooden life guard chair, a borrowed jacket, and a big orange moon.
six months ago almost to the day
The singer indicates that this memory happened six months ago.
and i just got to of one of the points in my life where it was weird to think how much was different
The memory made the singer reflect on how much had changed in their life.
and also to think how much was exactly, exactly the same
Despite the changes, some things remained the same.
on the trip back
The memory transitions to the trip back from the ocean.
i remember saying to myself "our town looks cute"
The singer compliments the look of their town.
and then instantly thinking
The singer then has an immediate realization.
this will never be our town
The singer realizes that despite being cute, their town will never feel like home to them.
say our town
This could be a repeated phrase that emphasizes the idea that the town is not theirs.
our town
This phrase is repeated again to reinforce the idea that the town does not belong to the singer.
this will never be our town
The song concludes with the singer reaffirming that this town will never feel like home.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.