Graham featured in the True Believers with Alejandro Escovedo before going solo and releasing a number of highly-acclaimed albums in the late 1990s and 2000s. His more recent studio albums include Full and The Great Battle and they highlight Graham's personal and heartfelt writing style, distinctive and gruff (well lived in) vocals and punch guitar style.
To date, Graham has released eight solo albums: Escape from Monster Island (1997, Freedom Records); Summerland (1999, New West Records); Hooray for the Moon (2002, New West Records); The Great Battle (2004, New West Records); Full (2006, Freedom Records); Swept Away (Film Soundtrack) (2008, Freedom Records) It's Not As Bad As It Looks (2010, Freedom Records), and Garage Sale (2012, Freedom Records).
Lonesome Valley
Jon Dee Graham Lyrics
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Well, you gotta go by yourself
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself
Now, mother walked that lonesome valley
Now, mother walked, she walked it by herself
Well, there ain't nobody else could ever walk it for her
You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well, you gotta go by yourself
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself
Now, father walked that lonesome valley
Now, father walked it, he walked it by himself
Nobody else could walk it for him
Well he had to walk it, he had to walk it by himself
You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well, you gotta go by yourself
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself
Now, John was a baptist
He was, some folk say he was a Jew
He wrote that holy, holy bible
The bible tells you, it plainly tells you
That he was, that he was a preacher too
You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well, you gotta go by yourself
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself
You've got to walk that lonesome valley
Well, you gotta go by yourself
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
You gotta go there by yourself
In Jon Dee Graham’s “Lonesome Valley,” the singer emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and personal responsibility while referencing the religious story of John the Baptist. The repetition of the phrase “you gotta go there by yourself” throughout the song reinforces the message that no one can walk the path for you, but that ultimately it is up to the individual to find their own way. The allusion to John the Baptist in the final verse adds a layer of spiritual complexity to the song, implying that the journey being described is not just one of personal growth, but also a spiritual one.
The first two verses describe the singer's parents walking their own paths. The third verse repeats the message that “you gotta go there by yourself” but in a more spiritual and historical context, saying "John was a baptist, some folks say he was a Jew," referencing John the Baptist, who is a significant figure in both Christianity and Islam. It links the idea of self-reliance with religious narratives, suggesting that the journey is not only personal but also spiritual or religious. The chorus repeats throughout the song and creates a sense of inevitability, that everyone will have to face their own ‘lonesome valley’ at some point, regardless of their background or beliefs.
Overall, the song's message is that responsibility and self-reliance are crucial to personal growth and reaching one's goals, regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got to walk that lonesome valley
In life, everyone must face hardships and challenges alone. No one can do it for you.
Well, you gotta go by yourself
No one can accompany you on your personal journey. You must face it alone.
Well, there ain't nobody else gonna go there for you
It's up to you to face your own struggles. No one can do it for you.
You gotta go there by yourself
You must confront and overcome your own obstacles without help from others.
Now, mother walked that lonesome valley
Even a mother must go through difficult times alone.
Now, mother walked, she walked it by herself
No one could help or accompany her on her personal journey through hardship.
Well, there ain't nobody else could ever walk it for her
Mother had to face her own struggles by herself. No one could do it for her.
She had to walk it, she had to walk it by herself
Mother had no choice but to face her own challenges and overcome them alone.
Now, father walked that lonesome valley
Even a father must face his own personal struggles alone.
Now, father walked it, he walked it by himself
Father had to confront his own obstacles and deal with his own problems without assistance.
Nobody else could walk it for him
Father had to overcome his own challenges and face them alone.
Well he had to walk it, he had to walk it by himself
Father had no choice but to deal with his personal struggles alone and find the strength within himself.
Now, John was a baptist
John was a well-known figure in the religious community.
He was, some folk say he was a Jew
John's background and religious beliefs are unclear and disputed.
He wrote that holy, holy bible
John is credited with writing some parts of the Bible.
The bible tells you, it plainly tells you
The Bible contains teachings that reflect the idea that everyone must face their own challenges alone.
That he was, that he was a preacher too
John was not only known for his writing contributions to the Bible, but also for his preaching and teaching.
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: Traditional
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind