Johnathan Rice (born May 27, 1983 in Alexandria, Virginia of Scottish paren… Read Full Bio ↴Johnathan Rice (born May 27, 1983 in Alexandria, Virginia of Scottish parents) is a Scottish-American singer-songwriter. His first album, Trouble is Real, was released on Reprise Records on April 26, 2005. His follow up, Further North, was released by Reprise on September 11, 2007. He has also worked as a producer on Jenny Lewis' Acid Tongue (2008) and as a session and live musician with Elvis Costello (2008's Momofuku). As of 2010, he performs with Lewis as Jenny and Johnny.

Rice spent his childhood between Alexandria, Virginia, and his parents' native Glasgow, Scotland. Before graduating from high school in 2001, Rice befriended Chris Keup, a Virginian singer-songwriter and self-styled A&R man. Keup produced Rice's first known recordings, the six song "Heart and Mind" EP.

Rice moved from Virginia to New York City at the age of eighteen. Shortly after arriving in the city, the World Trade Center was destroyed and this, along with other themes of war can be heard in his lyrics in songs such as City On Fire, Put Me In Your Holy War and Stay At Home. The songs were recorded several times before Rice was happy with them, finally settling with Bright Eyes producer Mike Mogis, creating a rich, diverse sound with most tracks leading into one another as a single "work" of music. His first full album Trouble is Real was released on April 26, 2005.

Rice played the part of Roy Orbison in the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. He is currently signed to Warner Bros.

Rice has cited Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles, and country legend Gram Parsons as influences on his work.

In 2006, Rice joined Jenny Lewis' touring band and played on her debut album Rabbit Fur Coat. This was the beginning of a lengthy stint of collaborations with Lewis, including, in 2008, acting as a producer, musician, and co-songwriter on Jenny Lewis' second solo album, Acid Tongue.

This would further lead to the collaboration with girlfriend Lewis, as Jenny and Johnny. Their first album, I'm Having Fun Now, was released by Warner Brothers on August 31, 2010.

End of the Affair
Johnathan Rice Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So, honey
It's the end of the affair
It's the end of the affair
And I don't care

So, Sugar,
Been a long hot dirty year
My dear

You've got all your problems, I've got mine
My hands are tied behind me
All I ever do is waste your time
I don't believe it's true

It ain't right
It ain't right

I want you
To leave me alone
Just leave me the hell alone
On my own

Why won't you
Lie and let it lay,
Let this dog have it's day, anyway?

You've got all your problems, I've got mine
My hands are tied behind me
All I ever do is waste your time
I don't believe it's true

It ain't right
It ain't right
It ain't right
Right

Right
Right

Overall Meaning

In “End of the Affair” by Johnathan Rice, the singer is ending a relationship and does not care about the outcome. The song is a lament for a relationship that has run its course. There is a sense of apathy in the lyrics, as if the singer has nothing left to give. The chorus repeats “it’s the end of the affair, it’s the end of the affair, and I don’t care” demonstrating a lack of attachment or connection to the relationship. The singer is focused on their own problems and feels that their partner’s problems are not something they can help with. There is a sense of disgust and frustration, that the relationship has been “a long hot dirty year” and it is time to move on.

The singer asks their partner to “leave me alone” and “let this dog have its day, anyway” which signals a desire for independence and separation from this relationship. The repetition of "it ain't right" reflects the dissatisfaction and discomfort that the singer feels about the relationship. Overall, the song reflects the difficult emotions of ending a relationship that may have gone on too long.

Line by Line Meaning

So, honey
Addressing the person he was in the affair with

It's the end of the affair
The extramarital relationship has ended

And I don't care
The singer feels unaffected by the end of the relationship

So, Sugar,
Addressing the person he was in the affair with

Been a long hot dirty year
The affair was ongoing for a year and wasn't a clean endeavor

My dear
An affectionate term of address

You've got all your problems, I've got mine
Both parties in the relationship had issues

My hands are tied behind me
The singer feels trapped in the situation

All I ever do is waste your time
The singer realizes that the affair was never going to lead to anything serious

I don't believe it's true
The singer doesn't believe that the affair ever meant anything to the other person

It ain't right
The affair was not morally justifiable