Jesse Malin (born January 1968 in New York City) is an American singer-song… Read Full Bio ↴Jesse Malin (born January 1968 in New York City) is an American singer-songwriter who started his performing career at the age of 12 in the 1980s in the New York hardcore band Heart Attack. After that Malin was the original frontman for the 90's punk/hard rock band D Generation. After that band broke up in 1999, Malin formed the alt. rock band Bellvue before he began to work on solo material. Malin's solo songs have displayed such influences as Paul Westerberg, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Young. In 2010, he formed a band called Jesse Malin & the St. Mark's Social and later the same year released as single as a member of Rodeo Queens.

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.

Gates of the West
Jesse Malin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I would love to be the lucky one on chill avenue
Who could keep your heart warm when ice has turned it blue
But with the beggin' sleeping losers as they turn in for the night
I'm looking back for home and I can see the lights

I should be jumpin' shoutin' that I made it all this way
From Camden town station to 44th and 8th
Not many make it this far and many say we're great

But just like them we walk on an' we can't escape our fate
Can't you hear the sighing
Eastside Jimmy and Southside Sue
Both say they needed something new

So I'm standing at the gates of the west
I burn money at the lights of the sign
The city casts a shadow of the perfect crime
I'm standing at the gates of the east
I take my pulse and the pulse of my friend
The city casts a shadow, will I see you again?

The immigrants an' remnants of all the glory years
Are clustered around the bar again for another round of beers
Little Richard's in the kitchen playing spoons and plates
He's telling the waitress he's great

Ah say I know somewhere back'n'forth in time
Out on the dustbowls, deep in the roulette mine
Or in a ghetto cellar only yesterday
There's a move into the future for the USA.

I hear them crying
Eastside Jimmy and Southside Sue
Both said they needed something new

Standing at the gates of the west
In the shadow again

I'm standing at the gates of the west
In the shadow again

Overall Meaning

In Jesse Malin’s song “Gates of the West,” the singer finds himself standing at the gates of the east and west sides of the city. He reflects on his journey from Camden town station to 44th and 8th and thinks about the many people who have not made it this far. He feels a sense of pride in his accomplishments, but also acknowledges the inevitability of fate. The city casts a shadow that serves as a reminder that he cannot escape his destiny.

The singer also reflects on the immigrants and remnants of the city’s past who gather in a bar for another round of beers. Even Little Richard makes an appearance in the kitchen playing spoons and plates, telling the waitress he’s great. The singer feels a sense of nostalgia for the past, but also recognizes that there is always a move into the future for the United States.

Overall, “Gates of the West” is a reflection on the complexities of life in the city. It is a song about the struggle to make it, but also the sense of accomplishment that comes with surviving and thriving in an urban landscape.

Line by Line Meaning

I would love to be the lucky one on chill avenue
I wish I could be the one to make you happy and warm your heart on a peaceful street.

Who could keep your heart warm when ice has turned it blue
I want to be the one to comfort you when you feel cold and sad.

But with the beggin' sleeping losers as they turn in for the night
However, I feel stuck here with the unsuccessful and tired people who are going home at night.

I'm looking back for home and I can see the lights
I am homesick and longing for the comfort and light of my own home.

I should be jumpin' shoutin' that I made it all this way
I should be happy and proud that I have come so far.

From Camden town station to 44th and 8th
I have traveled a long way, from one side of the city to the other.

Not many make it this far and many say we're great
Few people come this far and many admire us for doing so.

But just like them we walk on an' we can't escape our fate
But like others, we have to keep moving forward and cannot avoid our destiny.

Can't you hear the sighing
Can you hear the sound of people sighing with discontentment?

Eastside Jimmy and Southside Sue
Here are two individuals, known by their locations in the city.

Both say they needed something new
They both feel like they need a change in their life.

So I'm standing at the gates of the west
Now, I find myself at the entrance of the western part of the city.

I burn money at the lights of the sign
I am wasting my money by indulging in the entertainment and luxury of this part of the city.

The city casts a shadow of the perfect crime
The city has a dark side where crimes can happen easily without anyone noticing.

I'm standing at the gates of the east
I am now at the entrance of the eastern part of the city.

I take my pulse and the pulse of my friend
I am checking my own and my friend's heartbeat, feeling the tension of the moment.

The city casts a shadow, will I see you again?
The city creates a sense of uncertainty and worry about the possibility of losing my friend forever.

The immigrants an' remnants of all the glory years
The people who came to the city long ago and those who are still coming today form the backbone of the city's history.

Are clustered around the bar again for another round of beers
They gather together in a bar to drink and talk, repeating their routine day after day.

Little Richard's in the kitchen playing spoons and plates
There is a musician named Little Richard playing music in the kitchen using spoons and plates.

He's telling the waitress he's great
Little Richard is boasting about his talent to the waitress.

Ah say I know somewhere back'n'forth in time
I believe there is a time and place in the past where things were better than they are now.

Out on the dustbowls, deep in the roulette mine
Somewhere away from this city, people are struggling to survive in harsh conditions while working in dangerous coal mines.

Or in a ghetto cellar only yesterday
In poor neighborhoods, people live in dark and cramped spaces, barely getting by.

There's a move into the future for the USA.
But there is a sense of hope and progress in the United States, and things will get better in the future.

I hear them crying
I can hear the sounds of people weeping.

Eastside Jimmy and Southside Sue
Again, these two individuals are heard, crying out for change and new experiences.

Both said they needed something new
They repeat their cry for change, longing for something different.

Standing at the gates of the west
Once again, I am at the entrance of the western part of the city.

In the shadow again
I am still stuck in the darkness of the city, unable to escape its grasp.

I'm standing at the gates of the west
Repeating the same line as before, emphasizing my current location once again.

In the shadow again
Once again, I am unable to escape the darkness and despair of the city, feeling trapped in my current situation.

Contributed by Adam Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS