In addition to being a gifted songwriter, Isbell is regarded as an exceptional guitar player. His style is mostly in the alt-country genre, but is also infused with rock and blues elements.
Jason Isbell's debut solo album Sirens from the Ditch was released on July 10th, 2007, on New West Records. With his band The 400 Unit, he toured in support of this release in the US and Canada during the summer and fall of 2007. Both Isbell and the band released a follow-up album, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit on February 17, 2009.
Goddamn Lonely Love
Jason Isbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And everyday there's a little less difference between the two.
So I belly-up and disappear.
Well I ain't really drowning 'cause I see the beach from here.
I could take a Greyhound home but when I got there it'd be gone
Along with everything a home is made up of.
So I'll take two of what you're having and I'll take all of what you got
Sister, listen to what your daddy says.
Don't be ashamed of things that hide behind your dress.
Belly-up and arch your back.
Well I ain't really falling asleep; I'm fading to black.
You could come to me by plane, but that wouldn't be the same
As that old motel room in Texarkana was.
So I'll take two of what you're having and I'll take all of what you got
To kill this goddamn lonely, goddamn lonely love.
Stop me if you've heard this one before:
A man walks into a bar and leaves before his ashes hit the floor.
Stop me if I ever get that far.
The sun's a desperate star that burns like every single one before.
And I could find another dream,
One that keeps me warm and clean
But I ain't dreamin' anymore, I'm waking up.
So I'll take two of what you're having and I'll take everything you got
To kill this goddamn lonely, goddamn lonely love.
The lyrics to Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit's song "Goddamn Lonely Love" speak to the agony of isolation and the struggle to find connection. The singer is experiencing a deep sense of loneliness, although he has both green (money) and blues (sadness) on hand. He drinks to numb the pain, but he's not really drowning because he can still see the beach from where he is. This line suggests that there is hope for him to come out of his despair and reconnect with the world around him.
The singer considers going home, but realizes that everything he knew there has changed. Instead, he seeks comfort in what the people around him are having and will take all that they have to offer. This line shows that he's desperate for human connection and affection. In the second half of the song, he speaks to a sister, urging her not to be ashamed of things that are kept hidden behind her dress. The line "belly-up and arch your back" is a reference to the sexual connotation of showing one's stomach and butt to appear more attractive. The song ends on a note of desperation, where the singer admits that he could find another dream, but he's done dreaming and just wants to live fully in the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I got green and I got blues
I'm feeling both happy and sad at the same time
And everyday there's a little less difference between the two.
It's getting more and more difficult to distinguish between my happy and sad feelings
So I belly-up and disappear.
I drink to forget my problems
Well I ain't really drowning 'cause I see the beach from here.
I'm not really in danger because I can still see hope in the distance
I could take a Greyhound home but when I got there it'd be gone
I could go home, but it wouldn't be the same as it used to be
Along with everything a home is made up of.
All the comforts of my old life are gone
So I'll take two of what you're having and I'll take all of what you got
I'll take your drinks and whatever else you have to offer to try to ease my loneliness
To kill this goddamn lonely, goddamn lonely love.
To forget about the pain of being alone
Sister, listen to what your daddy says.
Take my advice as if I were your father
Don't be ashamed of things that hide behind your dress.
Don't be embarrassed about secrets or insecurities
Belly-up and arch your back.
Have a drink and stand up straight with confidence
Well I ain't really falling asleep; I'm fading to black.
I'm not really drifting off to sleep, I'm just succumbing to despair
You could come to me by plane, but that wouldn't be the same
You could come visit me, but it wouldn't be as satisfying as what we used to have
As that old motel room in Texarkana was.
As the memories of our past experiences in a specific location
Stop me if you've heard this one before:
I might be repeating myself
A man walks into a bar and leaves before his ashes hit the floor.
A man goes to a bar and drinks himself to death so quickly that his remains are still in motion when he collapses
Stop me if I ever get that far.
Don't let me go too far down the path of self-destruction
The sun's a desperate star that burns like every single one before.
The sun is a symbol of time passing and the inevitability of death
And I could find another dream,
I could imagine a different life
One that keeps me warm and clean
One that makes me feel safe and secure
But I ain't dreamin' anymore, I'm waking up.
I used to pretend things were better, but now I'm facing reality
So I'll take two of what you're having and I'll take everything you got
I'll accept your generosity, even though it won't solve all my problems
To kill this goddamn lonely, goddamn lonely love.
To try to forget about my loneliness, even though I know it's futile
Lyrics Ā© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jason Isbell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bobdoerr9536
whenever i get into a song of his i'm convinced its the best song i've ever heard, then i find another song of his and that one becomes the best song i've ever heard. It's a nice cycle.
@kylewalsh8566
Yes!! I went through this same cycle
@MatthewARiley
It's the Isbell cycle. I've yet to find another artist who has the ability to incapacitate me in less than 4 minutes so fucking often. He's a master. We're lucky we live in the same timeline as him.
@fedorbitch
Im at that exact stage with this song right now. "Last of my kind" is what sold me on him and over the last year or so i find another song that i think can't be topped.
@stephens9462
Know what you mean. Only recently discovered Jason. Incredible songwriter.
@granthatchett
Every. God. Damned. Song of his has an epic fucking line. Discovered him a few years back and played everything he's ever done in a constant loop. About a year later I started listening to different stuff off and on. Now i can't wait for a new album.
@bigbadwolf5870
He's in rough shape here and in the midst of his battle with alcoholism/addiction but as always he put on an amazing show and every word came right from his heart. He's been sober for years now and Amanda Shires killed his goddamn lonely love.
@johnbaugh2437
Yeah he looked pretty rough back then. Itās amazing how not drinking turns it around.
@Parakeet_Actual
I wish this Jason never got married. We would have gold sad tunes for years to come. No matter how unlikable he becomes, I still respect the man.
I hate liking him sometimes.
@jasper_north
Best show ever