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.
Songs That She Sang in the Show
Jason Isbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a whim
I said there's two kinds of men in this world and you're neither of them
And his fist
Cut the smoke
I had an eighth of a second to wonder if he got the joke
Headed home
She asked if I had considered the prospect of living alone
With a steak
Held to my eye
I had to summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye
And another brief chapter without any answers blew by
And the songs that she sang in the shower
Are stuck in my head
Like "Bring Out Your Dead"
"Breakfast In Bed"
And experience robs me of hope
That she'll make it back home
So I'm stuck on my own
I'm stuck on my own
In a room
By myself
Looks like I'm here with a guy that I judged worse than anyone else
So I pace
And I pray
And I repeat the mantra's that might keep me clean for the day
And the songs that she sang in the shower all ring in my ear
Like "Wish You Were Here"
How I wish you were here.
And experience robs me of hope
That you'll ever return
So I breathe and I burn
I breathe and I burn
And the church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please
And the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees.
And the songs she sang in the shower are stuck in my mind
Like "Yesterday's Wine", like yesterday's wine
And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again
Without thinking of them
Without thinking of them
The song "Songs That She Sang in the Show" is about a man who has lost his significant other and is now left to deal with the aftermath of her leaving. The song is about coming to terms with the fact that he will never hear her sing those songs again, and the pain that comes with it. In the first verse, the man meets someone who he doesn't consider to be like the two kinds of men in this world, and the meeting turns violent. In the second verse, he is alone in a room, and he paces and prays while reciting mantras to keep him clean for the day. The songs that she sang in the shower are stuck in his head, and he wishes she were here.
The lyrics of the song are very poetic and paint a vivid picture of the man's inner turmoil. The repeated line "And experience robs me of hope" emphasizes the pain that the man is feeling and how he has lost hope that his significant other will ever return. The imagery of the frost on the ground envying the frost on the trees is a very powerful metaphor for the man's feelings of envy towards those who still have a loved one in their life.
Overall, the song is a moving and poignant exploration of loss, grief, and the longing for connection. Its lyrics are full of nuance and subtlety, and the music is a perfect complement to the words.
Line by Line Meaning
On a lark
Without much thought, on a whim
On a whim
Without much thought, on a lark
I said there's two kinds of men in this world and you're neither of them
I insulted someone by telling them they're not the type of person I'm interested in
And his fist
He hit me
Cut the smoke
Cleared the air of words and arguments
I had an eighth of a second to wonder if he got the joke
I had a brief moment to ponder if he understood my insult before he hit me
And in the car
While driving home
Headed home
Driving towards our shared residence
She asked if I had considered the prospect of living alone
She questioned if I had thought about living without her
With a steak
Holding a cold piece of meat to my bruised eye
Held to my eye
Pressed against my injured eye
I had to summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye
I had to gather the courage to face the fact that she was leaving me
And another brief chapter without any answers blew by
Another uncertain and confusing moment passed by with no resolution
And the songs that she sang in the shower
The tunes she used to hum while taking a bath
Are stuck in my head
I can't stop thinking about them
Like "Bring Out Your Dead"
Such as the song "Bring Out Your Dead"
"Breakfast In Bed"
Or the tune "Breakfast In Bed"
And experience robs me of hope
Past events have removed any optimism I had left
That she'll make it back home
That she'll return to me
So I'm stuck on my own
I'm left alone
In a room
Inside a confined space
By myself
Without anyone else present
Looks like I'm here with a guy that I judged worse than anyone else
I'm left alone with my own thoughts which are worse than anyone else's
So I pace
I walk back and forth
And I pray
I ask for divine help
And I repeat the mantra's that might keep me clean for the day
I try to remember phrases that might help me stay clean and sober for the day
And the songs that she sang in the shower all ring in my ear
I can hear all the songs she used to hum while taking a bath
Like "Wish You Were Here"
Examples being songs like "Wish You Were Here"
How I wish you were here.
I wish she would come back to me
And the church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please
People who are easily satisfied enjoy the sound of the church bells
And the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees.
The frost on the ground wishes it could be as beautiful as the frost on the trees
And the songs she sang in the shower are stuck in my mind
I can't get the tunes she hummed while taking a bath out of my thoughts
Like "Yesterday's Wine", like yesterday's wine
Like the song "Yesterday's Wine", they're stuck in my mind like the taste of old wine
And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again
I believe I'll never hear those songs again
Without thinking of them
Without recalling my past memories and feelings
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jason Isbell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jared Cox
This song is brilliant... I picture Isbell writing this song while in rehab and thinking about if Amanda Shires would still be waiting for him on the outside, but from his experience expecting that she would not still be there.
The lyrics are just spectacular from the opening about there are two types of men in this world and you are neither of them (basically calling the other dude a pussy and then getting punched for it) then moving into his girl leaving him and having to "summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye".
Leading to "another brief chapter without any answers moving by." (how many of us have been there, wondering what happened? was it me? was it her? does it matter? and realizing just another brief chapter without answers had moved by....)
And we all know once you've lost her.... she's gone... it's just the way it works out with the ones worth keeping... "and experience robs me of hope that you'll ever call home, so I'm stuck on my own, I'm stuck on my own."
Then the rehab lines... "Looks like I'm here with a guy I judge worse than anyone else/ So I pace/ and I pray/ and I repeat the mantras that might keep me clean for the day"
"And the churchbells are ringing for those that are easy to please" I won't share my thoughts on this one.. but it's a GREAT line...
And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again, without thinking of them...
ahhhh the song is just so poetic like most of isbell's songs you don't wanna ruin it by trying to explain it. lol
Chris Parks
"Songs That She Sang In The Shower"
On a lark, on a whim
I said “There's two kinds of men in this world and you're neither of them”
And his fist cut the smoke
I had an eighth of a second to wonder if he got the joke
In the car headed home
She asked if I had considered the prospect of living alone
With a steak held to my eye
I had to summon the confidence needed to hear her goodbye
And another brief chapter without any answers blew by
And the songs that she sang in the shower are stuck in my head
Like ‘Bring Out Your Dead,' ‘Breakfast In Bed'
And experience robs me of hope that she'll make it back home
So I'm stuck on my own
I'm stuck on my own
In a room by myself
Looks like I'm here with the guy that I judge worse than anyone else
So I pace, and I pray
And I repeat the mantras that might keep me clean for the day
And the songs that she sang in the shower all ring in my ears
Like ‘Wish You Were Here,” How I wish you were here
And experience robs me of hope that you'll ever return,
So I breathe and I burn
I breathe and I burn
And the church bells are ringing for those who are easy to please
And the frost on the ground probably envies the frost on the trees
And the songs that she sang in the shower are stuck in my mind
Like ‘Yesterday's Wine,' Like ‘Yesterday's Wine'
And experience tells me that I'll never hear them again
Without thinking of then, without thinking of then
electrojones
This album saved my life. I'm not exaggerating, but I won't elaborate. I'll forever love this guy for that.
Singing FEDEX MAN Josh Campbell
I’ll second that
Asdf
I believe you.
jerome
I'm happy for you
Glade Brosi
I understand too
Kevin Carraway
Way cool
John Hill
Just watched the HBO doc about Jason and Amanda. The segment of Jason at the private gig two days before he went into rehab is one of the most painful things I have ever watched. Makes songs like this all the more compelling. No secret that Jason suffers for his art; as do all of those around him. Fans included. Sometimes I wonder if Jason is like a car that lost a wheel and somebody put on the doughnut spare with two lug nuts instead of five and is now getting up to freeway speed...
VCR Time Machine
This is my favorite song of all-time. There is not a missed lyric in it. Each line is a bullseye. How many songwriters would write a song about being a drunk and their woman leaving them and just write a bunch of cliches about "baby, please come back" or "baby, I miss you." But he hung the whole premise of the song on describing how he would miss her so bad that he would miss the simple pleasure of hearing her sing in the shower. Absolutely brilliant.
Jack Quentin
Thank you for explaining the song. I'm not a native English speaker so I had a bit of trouble comprehending the message.
Victor Edwards
It is difficult to imagine, but I might just agree with you that if this is not the best song he has ever written, it is near the top. Man, I just can't get over this. I have been following Jason from even before he met Amanda, and listened to his songs many times over. This may be his best.