A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020, John Flansburgh suggested to John Linnell that the two create solo releases during lockdown. Roman Songs, a four track EP, released on July 2, 2021.
Utah
John Linnell Lyrics
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Raising his eyes up from the page
Showing no sign of surprise
Weren't you the one I hurt?
Weren't you the one that I betrayed?
Did you stay angry with me?
I forget you
I forget you
I forget you
I forget you
I forget Utah
The lyrics of John Linnell's song Utah seemingly discuss the act of forgetting and how it can lead to a lack of positive memories. The opening lines refer to reading a resume, suggesting the person is reviewing their own history in some way. They then raise their eyes from the page without reacting, perhaps suggesting that the resume did not provide any noteworthy or memorable experiences.
The following lines direct attention to a specific person or situation. The singer asks if this person was someone they had hurt or betrayed and if they had remained angry as a result. Despite these negative actions and reactions, the singer claims to have forgotten this person entirely. The repetition of "I forget you, I forget Utah" implies that forgetting is a way to move on and leave past mistakes behind, but it also suggests a sense of emptiness or lack of connection.
The song's themes tie into ideas of memory, regret, and the passage of time. The act of forgetting can be both liberating and isolating, and the choice to let go of memories can be both deliberate and involuntary. The lyrics also touch on the idea of people being shaped by their experiences and how the memories they hold can color their perception of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Reading the next resume
Looking for a job candidate and keeping himself busy with it
Raising his eyes up from the page
Moving his focus from the resume to something else
Showing no sign of surprise
Appearing calm and unaffected by what he read on the resume
Weren't you the one I hurt?
Asking if the person he hurt is the same as the one he is thinking of
Weren't you the one that I betrayed?
Asking if the person he betrayed is the same as the one he is thinking of
Did you stay angry with me?
Asking if the person he hurt and betrayed still holds a grudge against him
I forget you
Saying that he has forgotten about the person he hurt and betrayed
I forget Utah
Utah is used as a metaphor for the person he hurt and betrayed, saying he has forgotten about them completely
I forget you
Again stating that he has forgotten about the person he hurt and betrayed
I forget you
Emphasizing once more that he has forgotten about the person he hurt and betrayed
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN LINNELL, JOHN S. LINNELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind