He developed a method of tuning his guitar that complemented his voice and worked with his background as a bass player. Finding his niche in indie rock circles, Molina made home recordings under the names 'Songs: Albian', 'Songs: Radix', and 'Songs: Unitas' to pass out at live shows. Settling on 'Songs: Ohia', Molina released a single on Palace Records in 1996. The first 'Songs: Ohia' full-length followed in 1997; released on the Secretly Canadian label.
By 2001, Molina had given his tenor guitar a rest in favor of a regular six-string instrument and had put together a full band to back him. However, 2002's Didn't it Rain saw Molina working with members of neo-bluegrass outfit Jim & Jennie & the Pinetops, achieving an almost gospel sound that was a vast departure from the dense feel of Ghost Tropic. Constantly recording and writing new songs, Songs: Ohia released a handful of singles and EPs in 2002, including a split EP with Louisville's My Morning Jacket and a collaborative EP (under the name Amalgamated Sons of Rest) with Will Oldham and Alasdair Roberts. Pyramid Electric Co. and Magnolia Electric Co., originally conceived as a double album, were released separately in early 2003. The former, a sparse solo album, was recorded with Mike Mogis (from Lullaby for the Working Class) while the latter featured a full band and was recorded by Steve Albini.
Jason Molina died, at age 39, on 18. March 2013 from complications of alcoholism.
Red Comet Dust
Jason Molina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shadow inside you
Gathered in you
Disappeared in you
Into the solid earth
Into the solid earth
I want to be true
Like the solid earth
A red comet's dust
Falls in the field
Re-marking the trail
Now you follow that trail
I want to be true
Like the solid earth
The constant old witness
To accept what I see in it
What I think I see
Looking out at me
From the primal dust
The lyrics to Jason Molina's song Red Comet Dust evoke a deep sense of introspection and longing for authenticity. The opening lines describe a shadow inside the listener, a part of themselves that they are trying to reconcile with. This shadow is then gathered and disappeared into the solid earth, a symbol of stability and truth. The singer then expresses a desire to be "true like the solid earth" and compares themselves to the red comet's dust that falls in the field, remarking the trail. This metaphor is powerful, suggesting that the singer wants to leave a lasting mark on the world in the same way that the comet's dust leaves a mark on the field. They want to be a constant old witness, accepting what they see and what they think they see, even when it is difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
The endless blue
The infinite and limitless expanse of the sky
Shadow inside you
The inner darkness and insecurities that reside within oneself
Gathered in you
The accumulation of negative emotions and experiences within oneself
Disappeared in you
The act of overcoming and letting go of those negative emotions and experiences
Into the solid earth
The process of burying those negative emotions within oneself, like seeds planted in fertile soil
I want to be true
The desire to be honest, genuine, and authentic
Like the solid earth
To embody the unwavering stability and groundedness of the earth
A red comet's dust
The ephemeral and fleeting nature of life and existence
Falls in the field
The transient nature of life, represented by a comet falling in a field
Re-marking the trail
The way in which life's events and experiences leave a mark on our journey, altering our path and perspective
Now you follow that trail
Acknowledging the influence that past experiences have on present decisions and direction in life
The constant old witness
The enduring presence and wisdom of the earth, witness to all of human history
To accept what I see in it
To come to terms with the reality of one's own life and experiences
What I think I see
The subjective nature of personal perception and interpretation
Looking out at me
The reflection of oneself in the natural world
From the primal dust
From the very beginning of life on earth, represented by the dust from which all living things arose
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Jason Molina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind