Jason Myles Goss sings his songs like someone is trying to take them away f… Read Full Bio ↴Jason Myles Goss sings his songs like someone is trying to take them away from him, and nowhere is this more apparent than in his stunning second album, Another Ghost. Moving between love ballads, dashboard elegies, and wild-eyed pub waltzes, his writing evokes the grace and economy of David Gray and his voice reverberates with the earnest intensity of Ray Lamontagne, moving tastefully between the plaintive and the bold, the sweet and the soulful, the ragged testimonial and the bittersweet lullaby. Plain and simply— Jason is a stand-out. In a sea of guitar strumming twenty-somethings singing about lost girlfriends and late nights, Jason's songs resonate at a much deeper level, with lyrics more acutely poetic and stories that pull at something underneath the surface.

"For me, a great song always finds a creative way to point to something beyond itself, something subtle that often exists between the lines, but that continues to pull at you long after the song is over."

Recorded in an old one-room barn in Grafton, MA, Another Ghost is a collection of songs fashioned together from the remnants of small-town anywhere. Born and raised in quiet Massachusetts mill town this is a world that Jason knows all too well, one full of streetlights, wishing wells, backyard brawlers, and busted-up roads. Influenced by early morning highway drives and AM radio stations, this album deals with holding on to those things that are most important, memories that we relive time and time again, which revisit us like ghosts.

"I wanted the album to feel nostalgic and also to have an eye towards the future with all the uncertainty it holds. The first words of the entire album, in Twilight Serenade, are 'So here's to you…' with the idea of giving a toast to all those things that have faded away; the next track, Too Young To Lose, is about making a promise to do what you love despite where ever that may lead, and trying to have faith in yourself."

With the help of friends Zack Hickman (Josh Ritter, Tarbox Ramblers, Jake Armerding) on upright bass, accordion, lap steel, and harmonica; Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Erin Mckeown) on piano and Hammond organ; and Jack Shanahan (Jack & Present Co.) on drums, Another Ghost was self -released in April, 2005 to a sold-out crowd at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA. The album received critical acclaim and earned Jason spots at legendary music clubs up and down the East coast such as Club Passim (Cambridge, MA), the Tin Angel (Philadelphia), the Living Room (NYC), the Stone Church (Newmarket, NH) and Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ). Jason has opened for Lori Mckenna, Ellis Paul, Peter Mulvey, Martha Wainwright, Vance Gilbert, and Jess Klein. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.

Twilight Serenade
Jason Myles Goss Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So here's to you, like brothers tonight
Tried and true, fading in the twilight
Well i can hear you breathin', see your picture on the wall

I would give you my wings. If they'd help you at all

Well this city's growing cold, from the needle it heats. There's howling wind rushing through these Chicago streets Oh and you were dreaming of Alice, but you got wrapped in her chains

And even midnight is burning, alive tonight like the blood in your veins
And this is my Twilight Serenade (yeah)
This is my Twilight Serenade
And I'm singing for you
I'm singing for you

This crumbling moon, dressed in black and white
Well it fades away, hiding, from you ghost tonight
And you said, "hey man don't follow, " Oh but I was already there

You were walking one tight rope but you were too young to care

....And I'm singing for you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jason Myles Goss's song Twilight Serenade evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for the past. Goss begins the chorus by dedicating the song to the person he's singing for, proclaiming that they are "like brothers tonight" and "tried and true." However, he acknowledges that they are "fading in the twilight," signaling that their time together is coming to an end. Goss then expresses his desire to help his friend, offering to give him his wings if they could help him in any way.

The second verse contains imagery of a cold and dangerous city, where his friend was once dreaming of Alice but is now trapped in her chains. Goss juxtaposes this bleakness with an image of midnight burning alive, like the blood in his friend's veins. The bridge describes a moon that is "dressed in black and white" and fading away, as if hiding from his friend's ghost. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the passing of time and the fading away of memories. Goss concludes the song by reiterating that he is singing for his friend, and that even as the twilight fades, their bond will remain.

Overall, Twilight Serenade is a poignant tribute to the power of friendship, and the emotions that are brought up when that friendship is coming to an end. Goss's use of imagery and metaphor creates a rich and evocative canvas on which his story unfolds.

Line by Line Meaning

So here's to you, like brothers tonight
I'm lifting a toast to you, my dear friend, as we're bonding tonight like brothers

Tried and true, fading in the twilight
We've always been loyal and dependable for each other, but now our time together is slowly coming to an end

Well i can hear you breathin', see your picture on the wall
Although you're not physically here with me, I can still feel your presence and see your image hanging on the wall

I would give you my wings. If they'd help you at all
I'm willing to do anything to ease your struggles and help you get through hard times, even if it means giving up something as precious as my wings

Well this city's growing cold, from the needle it heats. There's howling wind rushing through these Chicago streets
The city is getting colder and harsher, fueled by drugs, and the wind is howling loudly as if to express the anxiety and tension that surrounds us

Oh and you were dreaming of Alice, but you got wrapped in her chains
You had a beautiful dream of love and freedom, but sadly, you're now trapped in the chains of addiction and can't escape

And even midnight is burning, alive tonight like the blood in your veins
The night is alive and energetic, just like your spirit, and it seems to be burning like fire, fueling your inner fire and passion

And this is my Twilight Serenade (yeah)
This is my musical tribute to you, my friend, as we share this twilight moment together

This is my Twilight Serenade
Once again, I'm singing this song especially for you as my way of showing my support and compassion

And I'm singing for you
I'm not just singing for anyone, but I'm singing this song of hope and love for you, my cherished friend

This crumbling moon, dressed in black and white
The moon is slowly disappearing, and it seems to be wearing a somber, desolate attire consisting of black and white colors

Well it fades away, hiding, from your ghost tonight
The moon is hiding, as if it's afraid of your ghost and the overwhelming emotions that come with it

And you said, "hey man don't follow, " Oh but I was already there
You try to push me away, but I'm already there with you, following you through thick and thin, through the ups and downs of life

You were walking one tight rope but you were too young to care
You were navigating through a difficult situation, but you were too naive and inexperienced to understand the gravity of it all

And I'm singing for you
Once again, I'm singing this song for you, because you're the one who needs it the most right now

Contributed by David D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS