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.
Speed Trap Town
Jason Isbell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dropped a dozen cheap roses in my shopping cart
Made it out to the truck without breaking down
Everybody knows you in a speed trap town
Well it's a Thursday night but there's a high school game
Sneak a bottle up the bleachers and forget my name
These 5A bastards run a shallow cross
And it never did occur to me to leave 'til tonight
And there's no one left to ask if I'm alright
I'll sleep until I'm straight enough to drive, then decide
If there's anything that can't be left behind
The doctor said Daddy wouldn't make it a year
But the holidays are over and he's still here
How long can they keep you in the ICU?
Veins through the skin like a faded tattoo
Was a tough state trooper 'til a decade back
When that girl who wasn't mama caused his heart attack
He didn't care about us when he was walking around
Just pulling women over in a speed trap town
But it never did occur to me to leave 'til tonight
When I realized he'll never be alright
Sign my name and say my last goodbye, then decide
That there's nothing here that can't be left behind
The road got blurry when the sun came up
So I slept a couple hours in the pickup truck
Drank a cup of coffee by an Indian mound
A thousand miles away from that speed trap town
A thousand miles away from that speed trap town
Jason Isbell's "Speed Trap Town" tells the story a man living in a small town, where everybody knows everybody's business. It starts with a woman who drops a dozen roses in the singer's shopping cart, telling him that her heart is broken. Although she claims that it's none of her business, she intimates that she knows what's going on. The image of roses implies both the woman's compassion and empathy, as well as the singer's emotional pain. The small town is congested, and it's impossible to leave unnoticed. Everyone knows everyone else, and people often get pulled over by the local troopers.
On a Thursday night, the singer attends a high school game, where he drinks and cheers on his team. However, there’s an underlying sense of melancholy that hangs over the game because all of the game's players are working towards a goal that only a select few can achieve. It’s a boy's last dream and a man's first loss. The chorus of the song is grounded in regret, but it's not entirely clarified about what the singer essentially regrets. He might regret staying in the town for so long, neglecting his father, or accepting someone that he loved more in the past without truly considering the choice he was making.
The second verse paints a vivid picture of the singer’s father, who is in the ICU ward of the hospital. The doctor predicted that the father would expire within a year, but he has managed to outlast the prediction. However, the father's existence is now a part of the singer's routine, and he knows that his father's time is running out soon. The father was once a state trooper who would often pull over women, but his heart attack left him powerless. The last part of the song is a reminiscence of traveling a thousand miles away from this town. The speed trap town has become far behind, and the singer is free of its restrictions.
Line by Line Meaning
She said, "It's none of my business but it breaks my heart"
A compassionate, but nosy shopper observed the singer's troubled state and attempted to console him with a dozen roses
Made it out to the truck without breaking down
The singer kept his composure and managed to leave the store without breaking down emotionally
Everybody knows you in a speed trap town
The narrow-minded community is a small and unremarkable place, where everyone is familiar with one another's business
These 5A bastards run a shallow cross
The high school football team executes a simplistic play, which encapsulates the hopes and dreams of young players and the bitter sorrows of older, former athletes
It's a boy's last dream and a man's first loss
The thrill of possibility and the taste of victory are fleeting, whereas the subsequent pain of failure and the degradation of age are enduring
And there's no one left to ask if I'm alright
The singer has lost touch with supportive acquaintances and is grappling with the aftermath of personal turmoil without assistance
I'll sleep until I'm straight enough to drive, then decide
The singer will wait until he is well-rested before embarking on a journey, during which he will take his time to make important decisions
If there's anything that can't be left behind
The artist will only bring essentials on his journey and is unsure if there are any sentimental items that he cannot bear to part with
How long can they keep you in the ICU?
The artist's father is in critical condition and the family is unsure of how long he will be able to endure treatment in the Intensive Care Unit
Veins through the skin like a faded tattoo
The artist describes the appearance of his father's veins, which have become visible due to aging and medical procedures
When that girl who wasn't mama caused his heart attack
The state trooper was having an extramarital affair when he suffered a heart attack, which he ultimately did not recover from
Just pulling women over in a speed trap town
The state trooper abused his power and position by unfairly targeting female drivers for his own personal gain
When I realized he'll never be alright
The singer has come to the grim realization that his father will not recover from his illness, leaving him to process his grief
Sign my name and say my last goodbye, then decide
The singer will pay his respects to his father, sign his name in a condolence book, and then make final decisions about leaving the town in search of a fresh start
The road got blurry when the sun came up
The singer is fatigued and his vision is impaired as he drives away from the town in the early morning light
A thousand miles away from that speed trap town
The artist has driven a significant distance from his hometown, both physically and metaphorically, in an effort to escape his past and start anew
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JASON ISBELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
C Abbott
She said it's none of my business but it breaks my heart
Dropped a dozen cheap roses in my shopping cart
Made it out to the truck without breaking down
Everybody knows you in a speed trap town
Well, it's a Thursday night but theres a high school game
Sneak a bottle up the bleachers and forget my name
These faved bastards run a shallow cross
It's a boys last dream and a man's first loss
And it never did occur to me to leave 'til tonight
There's no one left to ask if I'm alright
I'll sleep until I'm straight enough to drive, then decide
If there's anything that can't be left behind
The doctor said daddy wouldn't make it a year
But the holidays are over and he's still here
How long can they keep you in the ICU
Veins through the skin like a faded tattoo
Was a tough state trooper 'til a decade back
When that girl who wasn't mama caused his heart attack
He didn't care about us when he was walkin' around
Just pullin' women over in a speed trap town
But it never did occur to me to leave 'til tonight
When I realised he'll never be alright
Sign my name and say my last goodbye, then decide
But there's nothin' here that can't be left behind
Road got blurry when the sun came up
So I slept a couple hours in the pickup truck
Drank a cup of coffee by an Indian man
A thousand miles away from that speed trap town
A thousand miles away from that speed trap town
Matthew Mulkey
Because this is not country.
You hear the lead guitar in most his stuff, what's the difference between this and rock.
The fact that he sings about life in the South and has an accent doesn't make the music country.
Ask him, here is how you define country, if the guy making it says, he says "No" so do I.
Hank Sr., david A Coe that's country.
This ain't country.
This is singer songwriter and arguable lyrics as good as ANYTHING bob Dylan ever wrote.
Kris Kris too.
Jason is that good
Jakob Haggerty
I get tears in my eyes every single time I listen to this song. This man is a genius and deserves way more recognition than he currently gets.
Jakob
Yo never seen anyone with my name spelled the same way 😂🤙🤙
work live and lead for the common good
The best lyricist in any musical genre. You have given me hope during these crazy times Jason. Thank-you.
JB B44
Love this song. Jason's voice is so relaxing
Jilly
Had lyrics stuck in my head all day, finally googled them, (having not been able to remember where i even heard them). This beautiful song came up. Even the rythym matched. Serendipitous
wht02lightning
This mans the main reason I made it back from iraq not in a box by my own hand.
not available
thank you for your service, love from the Netherlands
Heather Carson
Glad you found him and the strength to keep on going. Thank you with all of my heart for your service.
jhawk386
Keep trucking brother
Squilly The Blue
Figure it out buddy