Bryson's songs are a cultivated mix of hope and doubt, longing and uncertainty, and are flush with endearing tales culled from the town he calls home. They have been described as “folk songs played with rock instruments” and “rock songs played with folk instruments.” Truthfully, they almost consistently lilt and sway between the two. Bryson's previous records -- The Occasionals (2000) and The North Side Benches (2003) -- have gathered steam as Jim continues to travel and play, on his own and as singer/keyboardist/guitarist for Kathleen Edwards and Howe Gelb. Over the past two years, he has had the opportunity to play all over North America and in Europe, appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and even at Farm Aid 2005.
His third offering, Where the Bungalows Roam, is certainly his warmest and most hushed record to date. The album was churned out throughout 2006, working with Dave Draves and Jarrett Bartlett (Kathleen Edwards, Julie Doiron, Howe Gelb) at Little Bullhorn Prods in Ottawa, as well as Chris Shreenan-Dyck (Blue Rodeo, The Sadies, Jon Langford) at Blue Rodeo's Woodshed Studio.
Bungalows leaves the bright guitars of Bryson's past work behind for soft strumming; strained vocals are replaced with whispered confessions. This record is as direct as they come, and Jim's lyrics have nowhere to hide. Nor should they.
Bryson's gift for capturing a mood or a feeling is one of his most praised strengths. Whether it's coping with the winter weather, self-confidence or general restlessness, Jim finds a way to make his songs ours.
Somewhere Else
Jim Bryson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took highways and side streets and back lanes
Slept under open skies
And life can be cruel
But life can be sweet if I want it to be
The town that I once called home
I just can't hold on to
I would never really talk to
And she says life could be sweet
But life is so cruel 'cause I let it be
And everybody out here
They wanna live somewhere else
I wish I could find a place
And stay there by myself
And bit by bit I swear I think I'm losing
All this city's confidence
And everybody out here
They wanna live somewhere else
And I wish I could find a place
And stay there by myself
And bit by bit
I swear I think I'm losing all this city's confidence
I swear I've lost
All this city's confidence
The lyrics of the song Somewhere Else by Jim Bryson convey a sense of lostness and yearning for something better. The singer seems to have had a past where they were searching for something, most likely a person, and they would go to great lengths to find them. They would travel on highways, side streets, and even sleep under open skies in their search. However, their efforts were in vain, and they could not hold on to the town they once called home. The singer doesn't find the town appealing anymore because it has strip malls, bus stops, and people they wouldn't really talk to.
The second verse is about the singer's conversation with someone who tells them that life could be sweet, but they make it cruel. This makes the singer think that they have let life be cruel to them. They feel like they are losing confidence and bit by bit, they are wishing to live somewhere else. They wish they could find a place and stay there by themselves because everyone out there wants to live somewhere else. It's like the singer is trying to say that they are not content where they are, and they are losing confidence in themselves and their city.
The song is likely about someone who is trying to find themselves, but they are lost because the city they live in doesn't make them feel like they belong. It conveys a sense of dissociation from society and that they are looking for something more. The song speaks to the universal feeling of wanting to find a place where we belong and not quite managing to get there.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to look for you out in the daylight
In the past, I would search for you during daytime.
I took highways and side streets and back lanes
I traveled on main roads, side roads, and alleys.
Slept under open skies
I slept outside with no roof covering me.
And life can be cruel
Life can be harsh and challenging.
But life can be sweet if I want it to be
But, it can also be delightful if I choose to see it that way.
The town that I once called home
The place where I formerly lived.
I just can't hold on to
I cannot keep that memory alive anymore.
It's got strip malls and bus stops and people
It consists of strip malls, bus stops, and individuals.
I would never really talk to
I never used to talk to those people specifically.
And she says life could be sweet
There's a girl who says life can be nice.
But life is so cruel 'cause I let it be
However, life seems to be harsh to me since I let it be so.
And everybody out here
Everyone out there.
They wanna live somewhere else
They want to reside in a different place than their current location.
I wish I could find a place
I want to discover a spot.
And stay there by myself
I want to remain there on my own.
And bit by bit I swear I think I'm losing
Gradually, I feel like I'm losing something.
All this city's confidence
I'm losing all the trust and self-assurance that I gained from being in this city.
I swear I've lost
I promise I no longer have.
All this city's confidence
All the assurance that the city once gave me is gone.
Contributed by Andrew P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GlenAnne99
Great song! They sound good together :) Thank You for sharing this, my Friend :)
thingsarejusthard
the two most adorable Jim's in the music industry!!
JudeIceCool3000
Love this version and Kathleen's too of course!
a1m33frank
<3 this song, found it by listening to Tanya Davis... interesting how an artist will open up your mind to new avenues, a maze of youtube tunes...I'm always getting lost...and for that my musical knowledge is most utterly grateful!
dean guenther
He's as cool as another Canadian independent, Cody Gamracy. Another great voice.
dwight listmayer
It is wonderful, for the time, and still cool today. I think they would be Raconteurs or Decemberists in today's market, with a bigger niche of acceptance. Thank you Susie Cowpie for referring me here - it was a blast! This is Hipster cool! Dwight Listmayer, NoPlasticPeople
tenvolt
They look like they're so in love. :-)
Eniko Galgoczi
LOL I enjoyed this. :o)
squeekycat
Haha, that Jim Cuddy's such an asshole, eh? XD What a great song. thanks for posting this vid!!!
Eva
Wow. Gas was 89¢ a liter back then....