Jon-Rae grew up in Kelowna, British Columbia, where, as the son of a minister, he sang in his church's choir. Eventual musical developments included his discovery of Kurt Cobain and the formation of his own garage band. Jon-Rae later moved and founded the original River band with a collective of Vancouver friends, but disbanded the group when he moved east.
The River was reformed with like-minded Toronto musicians in 2003, and they grew into a popular cult band with an ever-expanding audience. Combining country, gospel, rock, and soul, Jon-Rae & The River created a unique blend of music, sometimes complemented by an on-stage choir. Their critically acclaimed album, Knows What You Need, was released in 2006 and the band broke up sometime afterwards.
Jon-Rae Fletcher, now residing in Victoria, BC and working at the Market on Yates, a local downtown organic grocery store. Jon-rae Fletcher enjoys hunting for rare and exotic mushrooms, mountain biking near his home in Brentwood Bay, and hiking/trailing on his spare time. He released a full-length solo record entitled Oh, Maria on Weewerk February 3, 2009.
Downtown
Jon-Rae Fletcher Lyrics
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You could be sipping on tonic and Tanqueray
For all I know you could be staring at your phone
Like I'm staring at the clock on the wall
Just two empty glasses hoping for the same last call
Are you somewhere in a bar downtown
Thinking about me baby, drinking about me baby
Like you are on mine, wishing we could rewind just a little
Laughing at the strangers
When they ask you your sign or your name
While your turning them down 'cause you're thinking about
You and me and you wondering if I'm hanging around
Somewhere in a bar downtown
Are you watching that door
Like I been watching that door all night
Are you acting like I'm acting
Just acting like it's all alright
Are you goin' to different places
Just trying to find my face somewhere in every crowd
Or have you come to the conclusion that this over us illusion
Just ain't working out
Are you somewhere in a bar downtown
Thinking about me baby, drinking about me baby
Am I heavy on your heart right now
Like you are on mine, wishing we could rewind just a little
Laughing at the strangers
When they ask you your sign or your name
While you're turning them down cause you're thinking about
You and me and you wondering if I'm hanging around
Somewhere in a bar downtown
For all I know you could be staring at your phone
Like I'm staring at the clock on the wall
Just two empty glasses hoping for the same last call
Are you somewhere in a bar downtown
Thinking about me baby, drinking about me baby
Am I heavy on your heart right now
Like you are on mine, wishing we could rewind just a little
Laughing at the strangers
When they ask you your sign or your name
While you're turning them down cause you're thinking about
You and me and you wondering if I'm hanging around
Somewhere in a bar downtown
Yeah, oh, oh, oh yeah
Yeah ah
Yeah I'm somewhere in a bar
Somewhere in a bar downtown
In Jon-Rae Fletcher's song Downtown, the lyrics explore the notions of loneliness, longing, and the power of memory. The song is about two people, who are physically separated from each other but are still hung up on each other. The opening lines of the song suggest that the distance between them is merely just one neon sign away. The singer imagines the other person sipping some drink, possibly gin and tonic, while he's hoping to catch a glimpse of her across a crowded bar. The song then goes on to express the singer's curiosity about the other person's thoughts and whereabouts, wondering if they're as longing and as heartbroken as he is. The chorus further emphasizes the pain and wishful thinking that he is experiencing. He wonders if the other person is also thinking about him, and he longs to rewind time back to when they were together.
As the song progresses, it becomes apparent that the two individuals are no longer together. The singer asks whether the other person is also waiting and watching for their sign, just as he is, or if they have moved on with their life. The song concludes by repeating the chorus, with the singer acknowledging that he too is in a bar somewhere, reflecting on memories and longing for those good times to return.
In summary, the lyrics to Downtown are a poignant reflection on the ephemerality of relationships and the longing that extends beyond physical separation. It's a song that captures the pain of loss and the power of memories that linger on.
Line by Line Meaning
I could be just one neon sign away
I might be very close to finding you
You could be sipping on tonic and Tanqueray
You could be drinking and enjoying yourself while I'm trying to find you
For all I know you could be staring at your phone
It's possible that you're not paying attention to your surroundings because you're preoccupied with your phone
Like I'm staring at the clock on the wall
I'm in a similar position where I can't stop looking at the clock, counting down the time until I find you
Just two empty glasses hoping for the same last call
Both of our glasses are empty, and we want the same thing: to find each other before it's too late
Are you somewhere in a bar downtown
Are you located in a bar that's located in a downtown area?
Thinking about me baby, drinking about me baby
Are you thinking or drinking about me, baby?
Am I heavy on your heart right now
Are you missing me right now?
Like you are on mine, wishing we could rewind just a little
Just like you're on my mind, I'm wishing that we could go back in time a little and be together again
Laughing at the strangers
Are you laughing at the strangers around you?
When they ask you your sign or your name
When strangers ask you for your sign or name
While your turning them down 'cause you're thinking about
You're declining them because you're thinking about
You and me and you wondering if I'm hanging around
You and I are thinking if we're going to meet or not
Are you watching that door
Are you watching the door closely?
Like I been watching that door all night
I've been watching the door all night
Are you acting like I'm acting
Do you act like I act?
Just acting like it's all alright
Faking like everything's okay
Are you goin' to different places
Are you visiting different places hoping to find me?
Just trying to find my face somewhere in every crowd
You're trying to locate me in different crowds
Or have you come to the conclusion that this over us illusion
Did you conclude that our relationship is over?
Just ain't working out
It's not working between us
Yeah, oh, oh, oh yeah
Expression of excitement
Yeah ah
Expression of excitement
Yeah I'm somewhere in a bar
I'm currently in a bar
Somewhere in a bar downtown
I'm located in a bar in the downtown area
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Josh Thompson, Joshua Osborne, Matthew Dragstrem
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind