Jeffrey Lewis is an American singer/songwriter and comic-book artist, part of the Anti-folk movement. Several of his musical influences have been acknowledged in his songs such as The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song, concerning the song by Leonard Cohen, and The History of The Fall. Like Cohen, Lewis' lyrics are complex and literate, often combining a depressing world-view with a hopeful message and sharp wit. Born in New York City and growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Island his songs are also highly informed by his home surroundings, with songs namechecking places such as Williamsburg, the FDR Drive and the East River.
Jeffrey Lewis was born in New York in November 1975. He attended State University of New York at Purchase College and graduated in 1997; his final thesis was on the Alan Moore graphic novel "Watchmen".
After being signed by the British record label Rough Trade in 2001, Lewis released his first official album The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane, and in 2003 he released the album It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through. Lewis later released the album City & Eastern Songs, in the U.K. in November 2005. All three albums also include his brother, Jack Lewis, who wrote and sang a number of the songs. He has also performed and collaborated with fellow New York Anti-folk singers Kimya Dawson and Diane Cluck.
His latest album, 12 Crass Songs was released on Rough Trade in Europe in September of 2007. As the title suggests, it is 12 covers of the British anarchist punk band Crass. It features vocals, keyboard and recorder from Helen Shriner, bass by both John Kessel and brother Jack Lewis, drums by David Beachamp (live drummer/The Bloodugars) and Raphi Gottesman (who often plays with Jack Lewis). Shwervon's Nan Turner also contributes vocals to various tracks.
Jeffrey Lewis is a Welsh composer. After graduating from University College, Cardiff, he studied composition with Stockhausen, Ligeti, and Boguslaw Schaffer, and electronic composition with Don Banks. His early career was spent as a pianist with the Paris Chamber Ensemble; after his return to the U.K, in 1973 he joined the Department of Music at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.
Texas
Jeffrey Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take my building
Take my pizza
There's cloud
I feel so threatened
It's a dustbowl
Is there hope?
A cloud of dust
Go to Texas
Back to New York
Where's my pizza?
Where's my building?
Where's my brother?
How's the pizza?
Fucking awful
Now it's raining
How's the people?
Fucking boring
Bowl of mud
I get confused
Disoriented
Where am I?
Back in New York
It's a desert
Made of mud
Dusty blood
Soggy crud
Now it's raining
Where's my lining?
Good for it
Silver lining
Leave the dustbowl
Where's my building?
Leave the building
Where's my building?
Where's my brother?
How's the pizza?
How's the weather?
It's a desert
Home to New York
Go to Maine
I'm in Maine
Stay in Maine
Back to New York
Good to see you
Good to see you
For a minute
Wanna seed
Gotta sow
Wanna flower
Gotta grow
Where's the tower?
Don't you know?
Where's the other?
Had to go
Awful secret desert pizza brother people building Texas tower tower boring burning
How's the how's the how's the
The lyrics of Jeffrey Lewis's song Texas capture the disorienting experience of moving from one location to another and feeling like a stranger in your own skin. The song starts with the notion of "a silver lining" - the idea that there's something good to be found in everything - but quickly descends into chaos as the singer's surroundings are stripped away from him. The first verse talks about losing his building and his pizza, and feeling threatened by the dustbowl atmosphere. The second verse sees him moving to Texas and then back to New York, but with a sense of confusion and loss: where is his brother? How's the pizza? The desert environment is both boring and burning, and the people and buildings are described as "awful." But despite all of this, there is still a feeling of hope, encapsulated in the repeated refrain of "silver lining."
Throughout the song, there is a sense of searching and loss, with the singer trying to find his place in the world. The imagery is vivid and evocative, combining elements of Americana (the dustbowl, Texas) with a more personal sense of dislocation. It's a song about feeling lost and disconnected, and the struggle to find something meaningful in the chaos.
Line by Line Meaning
A silver lining
Despite the looming threat of losing everything, there still might be some chance for hope and positivity.
Take my building
Even if everything is taken away, the physical structure is not as important as the memories and experiences associated with it.
Take my pizza
Material possessions can be replaced, but the comfort and familiarity of something like a favorite food cannot be easily replicated.
There's cloud
The future is uncertain and unclear.
I feel so threatened
The looming threat of losing everything is causing anxiety and fear.
It's a dustbowl
The current situation feels desolate and uninhabitable.
Is there hope?
Despite the uncertainty and despair, there may still be a chance for a positive outcome.
A cloud of dust
The overwhelming feeling of uncertainty and chaos that surrounds everything.
A blue horizon
The idea of a fresh start and new possibilities on the horizon.
Go to Texas
Travel to a new and unfamiliar place in search of a fresh start and a new outlook.
Back to New York
Returning to a place of familiarity and comfort, even if it's not where one wants to be.
Where's my pizza?
In times of uncertainty and upheaval, even the smallest comfort of something like a favorite food can bring a sense of normalcy.
Where's my building?
The loss of material possessions can feel devastating, but ultimately, it's the memories and experiences associated with those possessions that truly matter.
Where's my brother?
The desire for human connection and the comfort of family.
How's the pizza?
The need for something familiar and comforting in the midst of chaos and uncertainty.
Fucking awful
The disappointment and letdown when something that was once comforting and familiar doesn't bring the same satisfaction in a new and unfamiliar place.
Now it's raining
The unexpected twists and turns of life, and the hope that even in difficult times, there can still be positive change.
How's the people?
The disappointment and frustration when the people in a new place don't seem to offer the same sense of community and connection as in the past.
Fucking boring
The feelings of disappointment and frustration when a new place doesn't offer the excitement and possibility that was hoped for.
Bowl of mud
A metaphor for the feeling of being stuck and unfulfilled in a new and unfamiliar place.
I get confused
Feeling lost and uncertain in a new and unfamiliar place.
Disoriented
The overwhelming feeling of being completely out of place and disconnected in a new environment.
Where am I?
The overwhelming sense of lostness and confusion when everything around seems unfamiliar and unknown.
It's a desert
The land is barren and unyielding, making it difficult to build a life and find fulfillment.
Made of mud
A metaphor for the feeling of being unable to make any progress or find stability in a new place.
Dusty blood
The idea that even in a new place, it's impossible to escape the past and the memories and experiences that shape who we are.
Soggy crud
The disappointment and disgust in a place that is supposed to offer possibility and potential, but instead is bogged down in despair and disillusionment.
Where's my lining?
The need to find hope and positivity even in the bleakest of circumstances.
Good for it
The feeling of pride and accomplishment when a new place starts to feel like home and a sense of community is established.
Silver lining
The glimmer of hope and positivity that can be found even in the darkest of circumstances.
Leave the dustbowl
The need to escape a place of desolation and seek out new possibilities.
Where's my building?
The sense of loss and displacement when a familiar and comforting thing is no longer there.
Leave the building
Even when everything is lost, life goes on and new opportunities may arise.
Where's my brother?
The importance of human connection and the comfort of family, even when everything else is uncertain and unknown.
How's the weather?
The importance of the little things, like the weather, in a new and unfamiliar place where everything else may be overwhelming.
It's a desert
The barren and unyielding nature of a place, making it difficult to find fulfillment and build a life there.
Home to New York
Returning to a place of comfort and familiarity, even if it's not where one wants to be.
Go to Maine
The desire to seek out new possibilities and a fresh start, even if that means leaving behind something familiar.
I'm in Maine
The sense of uncertainty and unfamiliarity in a new place, but the hope of finding new opportunities and better circumstances.
Stay in Maine
The decision to commit to a new place and a new life, even when everything is uncertain and unknown.
Back to New York
Returning to a place of comfort and familiarity, even if it's not where one wants to be.
Good to see you
The importance of human connection and the comfort of seeing a familiar face, even in the midst of uncertainty and upheaval.
For a minute
The fleeting nature of human connections and the need to cherish each moment.
Wanna seed
The desire to plant the seeds of a new life and new possibilities, even when everything around seems barren and unyielding.
Gotta sow
The necessity of taking action to create new opportunities and build a new life in a new place.
Wanna flower
The hope and desire for something beautiful and fulfilling to grow and thrive in a new and unfamiliar place.
Gotta grow
The necessity of pushing oneself to grow and change in order to find fulfillment and build a new life in a new place.
Where's the tower?
The search for stability and security in a new and uncertain place.
Don't you know?
The frustration and disappointment when even the people around seem unfamiliar and unable to offer any guidance or support.
Where's the other?
The desire for human connection and the comfort of having someone who understands and shares in the experience of being in a new and unfamiliar place.
Had to go
The transient nature of human connections and the need to cherish each moment, even when they are fleeting.
Awful secret desert pizza brother people building Texas tower tower boring burning
A string of negative associations with the past and the uncertainty of the future.
How's the how's the how's the
The importance of the little things, like weather, people, and pizza, in making a new and unfamiliar place feel familiar and comfortable.
Contributed by Gabriella Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.