In going solo, Ryan Adams, an old friend, was impressed by Malin's songs and offered to produce a record for him, in spite of having never done it before. Malin's debut, "The Fine Art of Self Destruction," was made in just under a week, and was released in January, 2003. He toured both the US and the UK in support of the album.
Malin's follow-up, "The Heat," was released in June, 2004. He released his third solo album, "Glitter in the Gutter," in March, 2007.
In 2010, Malin formed a band called Jesse Malin & the St. Mark's Social and released an album called Love It To Life; the title comes from a quote by Joe Strummer (the title was previously used on a 2007 UK release of live material on the One Little Indian label.) Featuring a more rockier approach, the album's first single was "Burning The Bowery" and next single was "All The Way From Moscow." Love It To Life was referred to as "the best album of his career" by Paste Magazine.
In December 2010, Malin, along members of Green Day, formed the band 'Rodeo Queens'. They released one song, along with a video, called 'Depression Times'. D Generation reunited in 2011 and continue to play live.
In 2019, Jesse Malin released the critically acclaimed album "Sunset Kids," in collaboration with American roots icon Lucinda Williams and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.
Arrested
Jesse Malin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another girl that they call Britney
Johnny sits and mans the phones
From the corner, he'll come get you
She wakes in the cold gray dawn
Football games they make me yawn
Cellophane and stomach aches
A married man with an estate
A hairdresser that swears he's straight
Her alimony is once a month
She beats the kid, he plays the drums
And oh, oh, oh, life goes by
With your Mardi Gras high
And your tenderloin low
Second hand blues and money to blow
When you get tired and arrested
There's something you should know
At least he's going home
The undercover makes the bust
But not before he gets a touch
Good ones copy, great ones steal
The rest of us we almost feel
And oh, oh, oh, life goes by
With your Mardi Gras high
And your tenderloin low
Second hand blues and money to blow
When you get tired and arrested
There's somewhere you can go
Between the blue and gold
He's gonna get a pension
Eleven years go to
The world's oldest profession
Ain't never gonna fold
With fortunes being told
With your Mardi Gras high
And your tenderloin low
Second hand blues and money to blow
When you get tired and arrested
There's something you should know
You're always in my soul
The lyrics in Jesse Malin's song "Arrested" paint a picture of a seedy underworld where people are stuck in a cycle of poverty, vice, and crime. The opening lines describe a girl who calls her pimp "daddy" or "man." They go on to introduce Johnny, who works for the pimp and may also be involved in the drug trade. The girl wakes up in the morning feeling unwell, possibly a result of drugs or alcohol. The lyrics mention football games, suggesting that normal life still goes on outside of this world of crime and vice. The singer describes the different characters he has encountered, including a married man who is cheating on his wife and beating his child.
The chorus of the song talks about how "life goes by" and how it is filled with contrasting moments of highs and lows. The Mardi Gras and the tenderloin represent two different sides of life, one filled with exuberance and celebration, and the other marked by poverty and despair. The song suggests that people caught up in this world do not have much control over their circumstances but will always have a place to go, even if it is jail.
Line by Line Meaning
Calls him daddy, calls him man
Refers to a young woman who is in a relationship with an older man and views him as both a father figure and romantic partner
Another girl that they call Britney
Highlights the commodification and dehumanization of women in society, using the example of the pop star Britney Spears
Johnny sits and mans the phones, from the corner, he'll come get you
Johnny is a small-time drug dealer who operates out of a payphone booth, waiting for calls from customers and then meeting them on the street corner to sell them drugs
She wakes in the cold gray dawn
Describes a feeling of hopelessness and despair upon waking up, possibly due to the struggles and injustices faced in life
Football games they make me yawn
Represents a sense of boredom and disinterest in mainstream society and its norms
Cellophane and stomach aches
References the experience of ingesting drugs and the physical consequences that come with it
Pillow talk and perfume breaks
Depicts the fleeting romance and intimacy that can exist between two people, and the fragility of those moments
A married man with an estate
Refers to a wealthy, married man who is living a life of luxury and privilege
A hairdresser that swears he's straight
Challenges societal norms around gender and sexuality, suggesting that even someone who identifies as straight may not be entirely truthful about their desires
Her alimony is once a month
Describes the financial struggles of a divorced woman who receives alimony payments from her former husband just once a month
She beats the kid, he plays the drums
Highlights the cycle of abuse that can exist in families, where a mother physically abuses her child while the father remains absent and uninvolved
And oh, oh, oh, life goes by
Reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the feeling that it is slipping away
With your Mardi Gras high
Describes the euphoria and excitement of being caught up in a festive celebration, such as the Mardi Gras
And your tenderloin low
Contrasts the high of the festival with the low of a neighborhood known for crime and poverty, such as the Tenderloin district in San Francisco
Second hand blues and money to blow
Refers to the experience of living hand-to-mouth, with just enough money to get by but never enough to make a real difference
When you get tired and arrested, there's something you should know
Offers advice to listeners who may find themselves in a difficult situation, suggesting that they should hold onto hope and recognize that things can always get better
At least he's going home
Indicates that despite the struggles of life, there is comfort in knowing that one has a place to call home
The undercover makes the bust
Refers to a police raid on a drug operation, with an undercover officer infiltrating the operation and making arrests
But not before he gets a touch
Suggests that even the police officer is not immune to the allure of drug culture and may have sampled some of the wares before making the arrest
Good ones copy, great ones steal
Paradoxically suggests that it may be better to copy the work of others than to strive for greatness on one's own
The rest of us we almost feel
Reflects on the experience of feeling left behind and unable to keep up with the pace of society
There's somewhere you can go, between the blue and gold
Offers a glimmer of hope to those who may be struggling, suggesting that there is a place to go where they will be accepted and supported
He's gonna get a pension, eleven years go to
References the hopeful future of a person who has spent 11 years in the sex work industry and is entitled to a pension upon retirement
The world's oldest profession
Refers to the sex work industry, which has existed for centuries and is often referred to as the oldest profession in the world
Ain't never gonna fold, with fortunes being told
Describes the optimism and resilience of those who have been able to make a living through sex work, despite the many challenges they face
You're always in my soul
Concludes the song with a message of solidarity and compassion for those who may be struggling, indicating that they are never alone
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind