Jeremy Messersmith is an American indie pop musician, based in Minneapolis.… Read Full Bio ↴Jeremy Messersmith is an American indie pop musician, based in Minneapolis.

Messersmith is not only a musician is half-truth, but also a storyteller. His first full-length release The Alcatraz Kid is a moving collection of acoustic-driven lullabies with titles like “Novocain” and “Beautiful Children” that innocently question the purpose of things to come. The integrity of these delicate songs immediately struck a chord with critics and fans alike, and captured the attention of Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, who offered to produce Messersmith’s follow-up album, The Silver City.

The Silver City was a natural progression in sound and reflection: the compositions grew fuller and more dynamic with a classic-pop feel inspired by the Beach Boys and Beatles: While the topics focused on midlife struggles with tracks like “Dead End Job” and “Miracles.” Local and national attention soon followed with NPR and college stations around the country, followed by U.S. tours and sold-out shows in New York, Chicago and Minneapolis.

The Reluctant Graveyard bookends this trilogy of lifelong (ahem, literary) observations with songs like “Lazy Bones” and “Organ Donor,” and sonically continues on the ’60s chamber pop path Messersmith set out with his sophomore release. He continues to share stages with notables such as Sondre Lechre and The Watson Twins, and has been featured on MTV and Ugly Betty.

Franklin Avenue
Jeremy Messersmith Lyrics

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Daylight streaming,
On my face,
Prognosis looking grim,
Sudden case of paralysis,
Just can't move my limbs.

Thunder crashing,
Lightning flashing,

Raindrops in my hair,
But it's not clearing up,
Better stay in bed.

Waiting for that sinking feeling,
It's all that keeps me together,
And I'm so scared to let it unwind,
Waiting for that same old feeling.

You're the straight man,
I'm the punch line,
Life is just a joke,
But look who's laughing now,
Guess I'll laugh until I choke.

Cars crashing,
Tires smashing,
Franklin Avenue,
Waiting for the dramatic save,
Nothing else to do.

Waiting for that sinking feeling,
It's all that keeps me together,
And I'm so scared to let it unwind,
Waiting for that same old feeling.

And nobody tells me what to do,
Nobody tells me what to do,
Nobody tells me what to do.

Waiting for that sinking feeling,
It's all that keeps me together,

And I'm so scared to let it unwind,
Waiting for that same old feeling

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jeremy Messersmith's song Franklin Avenue describe a person going through a difficult time in their life. The first verse talks about feeling paralyzed and unable to move, while the second verse describes a storm outside and the feeling of being stuck in bed. The chorus discusses waiting for a "sinking feeling" that keeps the person together, but also scares them because it's a familiar feeling. The third verse introduces the idea of life as a joke, with the singer cast as the punch line. The final verse talks about waiting for a dramatic save on Franklin Avenue, perhaps suggesting that the singer is waiting for something to change or for someone to rescue them.

Overall, the lyrics of Franklin Avenue paint a picture of someone who is struggling to cope with their situation. They feel stuck and unable to move forward, but also uncertain about what the future holds. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the repeated phrase "waiting for that sinking feeling," which suggests that the singer has been in difficult situations before and has always managed to find a way to keep going.

Line by Line Meaning

Daylight streaming, on my face, Prognosis looking grim, Sudden case of paralysis, Just can't move my limbs.
It's daylight, but the singer is ill and unable to move.

Thunder crashing, Lightning flashing, Raindrops in my hair, But it's not clearing up, Better stay in bed.
The weather is bad and the singer is still sick.

Waiting for that sinking feeling, It's all that keeps me together, And I'm so scared to let it unwind, Waiting for that same old feeling.
The singer is waiting for their negative emotions to return because it's all they know and they're afraid of change.

You're the straight man, I'm the punch line, Life is just a joke, But look who's laughing now, Guess I'll laugh until I choke.
The artist feels like a joke and is trying to laugh it off despite feeling overwhelmed.

Cars crashing, Tires smashing, Franklin Avenue, Waiting for the dramatic save, Nothing else to do.
The artist is stuck watching chaos on Franklin Avenue, waiting for something exciting to happen in their otherwise mundane life.

And nobody tells me what to do, Nobody tells me what to do, Nobody tells me what to do.
The singer values their independence and doesn't want to be controlled by anyone.

Waiting for that sinking feeling, It's all that keeps me together, And I'm so scared to let it unwind, Waiting for that same old feeling.
The singer is still waiting for their negative emotions to return because it's all they know and they're afraid of change.

Contributed by John L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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