Dave Ingleton (AU) – Vocals, Bluegrass Banjo, Slide Guitar
Johannes Joss (DE) – Drums, Percussion, Cajon
Alto Kraus (DE) – Electric Bass, Vocals, Bluegrass Banjo
Since they began fusing country, folk, bluegrass and rock in 2011, the Jason Serious Band has toured with an impressive list of international artists including Billy Bragg, Other Lives, Paul Heaton, Nathaniel Rateliff, Timber Timbre and the Levellers. Meanwhile, their debut album steadily collects kudos:
‘Exceptional indie album of folk, country and trad jazz – To say that Jason Serious’ solo debut is accomplished would be to sell it short. Not only is it full of incredibly memorable original songs, but its evocation of American musical vernacular is all the more extraordinary for his ex-pat status and the talented band of Europeans with which he recorded. To write and record something so immersed in American folk, country and early jazz while living in the states would be difficult enough, but to do so in Munich is nearly unimaginable.
NO DEPRESSION / HYPERBOLIUM
‘Supremely listenable music that has depth, warmth and charm…8/10’
AMERICANA UK
‘Serious is an amazingly talented songwriter. Like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, and the stellar folk talents that came before him, Serious can write a song that moves the listener in time and place.’
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
Here is what one critic had to say about the band supporting Other Lives in Berlin:
“Jason Serious was a great surprise. Despite my skepticism regarding country music in the broadest sense, Jason and his band succeeded in winning over the audience. This certainly was in part due to the harmonic refrains, which Jason sang with his Australian banjo player and which sometimes gave the listeners goose bumps.” Iophobia (review of concert with Other Lives, Privat Club, Berlin, November, 2011)
Undercover Folk, the band’s debut album, is now enjoying regular radio play by country and folk DJs across Europe, and the band will spend 2013 touring throughout Europe with a number of Festival appearances already confirmed in the U.K, Ireland, Germany and Austria.
The Horse
Jason Serious Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He does not answer to his name
This old town had a curse upon him laid
Or you have done some kind of trade
Yeah you have done some kind of trade
That rosie biddle heared you talkin' at the bar
Talkin' with the men who weigh the gold
It's only evolution, they say
It's only evolution, babe
You're not the first cherry blossom to unfold
on a bitter winters day
The jaws of ambition may yet crush your pretty face
Leave another in your place
Leave another in your place
Cause that's not the horse you came in on
He does not answer to his name
This whole town had a curse upon him laid
Or you have done some kind of trade
Yeah, you have done some kind of trade
Yeah, you have done some kind of trade
The lyrics of Jason Serious's song The Horse express the idea that the person addressed in the song has changed somehow, and the town they are in has noticed the change. The title metaphor of “the horse you came in on” refers to the idea that someone's true nature is revealed by the way they arrived somewhere, and the town is saying that this person is not the same person who arrived in town. The lyrics suggest that the cause of this change could be a curse on the town or some kind of trade made by the person addressed in the song.
The verses provide more details about what has led the town to believe that the person addressed has changed. The first verse mentions that the horse the person came in on does not answer to his name, which could be interpreted as a symbol for the idea that the person is not who they used to be. The second verse implies that the person was overheard talking about money and looking down on "the families of old", which could suggest that they have become greedy and materialistic. The final verse continues this theme, warning that the "jaws of ambition" could destroy the person's beauty and leave someone else in their place.
Overall, the lyrics of The Horse are quite cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to express a cautionary tale about the dangers of losing oneself to materialism and ambition.
Line by Line Meaning
Now that's not the horse you came in on
You're not dealing with the same situation that you started with
He does not answer to his name
The situation is unpredictable and may not follow the usual patterns
This old town had a curse upon him laid
The town has a history of negative events and influences
Or you have done some kind of trade
Either you've made a deal that has changed the situation or you're responsible for it in some way
Yeah you have done some kind of trade
It's heavily implied that you're responsible for the change in circumstances
That rosie biddle heared you talkin' at the bar
Rumors about you are spreading among the locals
Talkin' with the men who weigh the gold
You've been discussing finances or potentially shady dealings
Talkin' down the families of old
You've been expressing disrespect or disdain for the long-standing families and traditions of the town
It's only evolution, they say
People are rationalizing changes and shifts as just the natural course of things
It's only evolution, babe
This is framed as a dismissive response to concerns about the potentially negative changes happening
You're not the first cherry blossom to unfold
You're not the first naive or impressionable person to come into town and be affected by its dynamics
on a bitter winters day
The timing of your arrival may have made things more difficult for you
The jaws of ambition may yet crush your pretty face
If you keep pursuing your current course, you may end up getting hurt or suffering consequences
Leave another in your place
If you can't handle the situation, someone else will take your position
Cause that's not the horse you came in on
The situation is not what you expected or planned for
This whole town had a curse upon him laid
The repeated line emphasizes the sense of foreboding and negativity in the town
Or you have done some kind of trade
The ambiguity of the situation is highlighted again, as it's not clear whether the artist is blaming the town or the newcomer for what's happening
Yeah, you have done some kind of trade
The repeated line takes on a more judgmental tone of accusation and blame
Contributed by Ethan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.