In Indie-Music.com last year, Jennifer Layton wrote of Canova, “For every few hundred guys with guitars, strumming and emoting their hearts out there, there’s only one guy like Josh Canova who creates a new sound and makes me want to assign him his own category. If I owned a music store, I’d put him on a shelf marked, ‘challenging, mystic, intelligent, introspective music with flashes of sharp wit’.” Another reviewer in “CMJ” offered of Canova’s debut disc, “I can’t remember the last time I was taken so off-guard by a local artist. Josh Canova’s “Common Divide” is a deep swell of feeling, drawing on both the cinematic grace of Pink Floyd and the acoustic simplicity of Simon & Garfunkel… Strong vocals, urgent lyrics, and lavish yet understated production keep it accessible without yielding to pop convention.”
With the release of “Automatic” his second full-length album, Canova's sound continues to bloom into more of an alt rock sound; a gritty, textural, hook-infested road trip of strong melodies and lyrics. Canova’s work, even more apparent in “Down,” is filled with a personal, spiritual investment, which is, in a word, timeless. Reviewer and author Matthew Greenwald, in describing “Automatic,” picked “Most Of The Time” as his favorite recording on the album which also made it’s way to the season finally of “One Tree Hill” in the company of Beck, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and U2. “Orchestral in construction, scope and execution, the track creeps up on you like the second shot of tequila. In this case, Canova isn’t just writing songs, he’s writing records -- a lost art that in this day and age.
After taking a few years off from the studio, Canova released his 3rd album “Adios” in 2009. Working again with Producer Billy White Acre (Common Divide), Canova returns to his roots with a beautiful set of songs about love and loss delivered with the perfect mix of folk and country influences.
In a recent review, Georgia RPS writes, “Here’s the best Josh Canova to date. The melt-y vocals and take a ride with me songwriting in Adios feels honest, rabble-rousing, matter of fact, and sweetly laid back. He can tell a compelling story in with an unassuming swagger and confidence. A little Hoyt Axton, John Prine, and Merle Haggard, I think Josh Canova is my new favorite cowboy prophet.”
It's Late
Josh Canova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just put the phone on the floor
Before you do something crazy
I will drive for an hour
It№s really not far
And it's only a block and a half to my car
Well I'm on the road
At last I see you there shaking
I can prop you up
And let the phone ring
But you know I can't make this a permanent thing
You may change in a month or a year
But I'll always have time and a place for you here
If it all goes down or it all goes away
I will always remember
Always remember
Well it's late, it's cold
I just put the keys in the door
Before I leave you there sleeping
I will wake you up
And check on your health
Cause I need to make sure you take care of yourself
You may change in a month or a year
But I'll always have time and a place for you here
If it all goes down or it all goes away
I will always remember
Always remember
In Josh Canova’s song “It’s Late,” the singer relates the story of being called by someone in distress late at night. The opening lines set the scene perfectly: “Well, it's late, it's cold / I just put the phone on the floor / Before you do something crazy / I will drive for an hour.” The singer is clearly concerned about the well-being of the person on the other end of the phone, and willing to drop everything to help them.
As the song progresses, we learn that the person on the other end of the phone is someone the singer has a complicated history with. He clearly cares for her deeply (“you know I can't make this a permanent thing”), but is also aware that there are limits to what he can do (“but you know I can't make this a permanent thing”). At the same time, he also reassures her that he will always be there for her, regardless of what happens in the future (“You may change in a month or a year / But I'll always have time and a place for you here / If it all goes down or it all goes away / I will always remember / Always remember”).
Ultimately, “It’s Late” is a song about love and loyalty, as well as the complicated nature of relationships. It’s a poignant reminder that even when things are difficult, there are people in our lives who will always be there for us.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it's late, it's cold
It's a difficult, uncomfortable time right now
I just put the phone on the floor
I'm trying to distance myself from the situation because it's overwhelming
Before you do something crazy
I'm worried about your safety and wellbeing
I will drive for an hour
I care about you enough to make the effort to check on you
It's really not far
You're close to my heart even when you're physically distant
And it's only a block and a half to my car
The distance between us is manageable and I'm willing to cross it for you
Well I'm on the road
I'm taking action to help you in this situation
I just wish the whole thing would pass
I hope that this difficult time will be over soon
At last I see you there shaking
I can see the impact this situation is having on you
I can prop you up
I'm here to support you and help you through this
And let the phone ring
We can let others worry and fret over us, while we focus on each other
But you know I can't make this a permanent thing
This isn't a sustainable solution, we need to make a plan for the future
You may change in a month or a year
Things might be different in the future, but I won't forget you
But I'll always have time and a place for you here
I'll be ready to help and support you whenever you need it
If it all goes down or it all goes away
No matter what happens in the future, I'll be here for you
I will always remember
Our connection and the moments we've shared will stay with me
Well it's late, it's cold
The difficult time continues
I just put the keys in the door
I'm leaving, but I'm making sure you're safe before I go
Before I leave you there sleeping
I'm still watching out for you
I will wake you up
I want to check in with you before I go
And check on your health
I want to make sure you're okay and taking care of yourself
Cause I need to make sure you take care of yourself
I want to make sure you have the support and resources you need to get through this
You may change in a month or a year
Things might be different in the future, but I won't forget you
But I'll always have time and a place for you here
I'll be ready to help and support you whenever you need it
If it all goes down or it all goes away
No matter what happens in the future, I'll be here for you
I will always remember
Our connection and the moments we've shared will stay with me
Contributed by Hannah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.