Arriving at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi, he had initial aspirations of being an art major, while also being a very capable golfer and a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Kelley released his indie album Changing Faces in 2001, signing with Hollywood in 2002. Working with John Alagia as his producer, Kelley released For The Ride Home in 2003. He also made an appearance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2003. The song "Everybody Wants You" was recommended to be written by a friend to not forget who he is, while "Amazing" was possibly his first critically acclaimed hit.
Josh Kelley's 2011 record, Georgia Clay, was his first Country album; his previous work was more pop. Speaking with Songfacts in a 2011 interview, Kelley explained that Gone Like That was the song that actually started his journey into Country music. He said: "I had written and presented it to my music publisher to pitch to other artists, but they liked my demo so much they encouraged me to cut it. It was the first song I wrote that gave me the confidence to pursue a career as a Country singer."
His musical guise can be recognized akin to Jack Johnson, John Mayer, or Ben Harper.
Kelley remains a supporter of Napster-like sharing peer to peer applications for independent artists who have a difficult time receiving an audience. In fact, Kelley was "found" after accidentally targeting Eric Clinger at Hollywood Records with private spam messages using the Napster program.
Georgia Clay
Josh Kelley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the here and now just fades to black
When I pull that blue tarp off of that time machine
Man, it hits me
Seventeen years old running on dumb luck
Spent the whole damn summer
Living in that truck
Like it sticks with me, in my blood
When life was nothing more than living for the night
Just trying to steal a kiss on a tailgate of that ride
Good old days don't wash away
Just like that Georgia Clay
Only one of my friends with a Fake I.D.
It made the hometown celebrity
Used to put her in park in a vacant lot
And I still can't believe we never got caught
When life was nothing more than living for the night
Just trying to steal a kiss on a tailgate of that ride
Good old days don't wash away
Just like that Georgia clay
All over everything, every last memory
Man it's all coming back to me
Ain't it funny how some things take you back?
When life was nothing more than living for the night
Just trying to steal a kiss on a tailgate of that ride
Good old days don't wash away
Man, some things they just don't change
Just like that Georgia clay
All over everything, every last memory,
It's all coming back to me
The "Georgia Clay" by Josh Kelley is a song about nostalgia and memories. The lyrics capture the essence of those times when one can recall every detail of past experiences. The opening lines, "Ain't it funny how some things take you back? And the here and now just fades to black," set the mood for the rest of the song, which goes on to reminisce about memories that stick with the singer like the Georgia clay.
The chorus, which repeats the phrase "When life was nothing more than living for the night, just trying to steal a kiss on a tailgate of that ride," reinforces the idea of living life to the fullest and cherishing those moments that never fade away. The memories of youth and being careless, without responsibilities, are an integral part of the song. It talks about how a seventeen-year-old boy spent his summer living in a truck and covered in mud, living for the night and trying to sneak a kiss on a tailgate of that ride.
The song also highlights the euphoria that came from doing things that were not fully legal, like driving without a license or parking in vacant lots. The song captures the essence of the Southern lifestyle and how it affects those who grow up in the area and the culture that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't it funny how some things take you back?
Isn't it ironic how certain things can transport you to the past?
And the here and now just fades to black
The present moment becomes insignificant and fades away.
When I pull that blue tarp off of that time machine
When I remove the covering from that machine that takes me back in time,
Man, it hits me
It hits me emotionally and deeply.
Seventeen years old running on dumb luck
At the age of 17, I relied on naive luck.
Spent the whole damn summer
I spent the entire summer.
Living in that truck
I lived in my truck.
Them old tires still covered in that mud
The old tires are still coated in mud.
Like it sticks with me, in my blood
As though it's ingrained in me, a part of who I am.
When life was nothing more than living for the night
When my existence solely revolved around living in the moment.
Just trying to steal a kiss on a tailgate of that ride
Attempting to sneak a kiss on the tailgate of that vehicle.
Good old days don't wash away
Memories of good times remain and don't disappear.
Just like that Georgia Clay
Comparable to the Georgia clay, which symbolizes something that stays ingrained and permanent.
Only one of my friends with a Fake I.D.
Only one of my friends possessed a fake ID.
It made the hometown celebrity
That ID made them famous in our small town.
Used to put her in park in a vacant lot
We used to park in an empty lot.
And I still can't believe we never got caught
I'm still surprised that we were never caught.
Man, some things they just don't change
Certain things remain the same, unchanging over time.
All over everything, every last memory
Every memory of that time is present within everything associated with it.
It's all coming back to me
Everything is all coming back to me and resurfacing in my mind.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: JOSHUA BISHOP KELLEY, CHARLES KELLEY, CLINTON WAYNE LAGERBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shane M.
This song pretty much sums up the best years of my life.. Major props to you Josh Kelley. I'm planning on living out of my old 87 Chevy just one more time this summer! & love the K10 in this video as well!
Bada Bing
must be a sh*t life
mikeiscoo2
This song will always be one of my all time favorite songs.
mikeiscoo2
@Zoe the French girl yep still in my top 5
Zoe the French girl
Is it still one of your favorite songs?
Mixed Flame
YEAHHHHHHHH!! Gotta love this song....even though I'm from North Florida (close enough) XD!
Lyndsie Trawick
yeah i live up (down) in north florida too lol!
Regen McDougle
Love this song! Makes me want to take the Chevy and hit an old dirt road with a bunch of friends on a hot summer night
THE WA CHANNEL
Yeah i wish once this stupid virus is gone i can take my Volvo and hit an old dirt road with my two best friends on a warm summer day!
Brenda Currier
it's funny. I've been listening to Josh for quite a few years now. Found one of his really old albums in a dollar bin and fell in love. I can't believe it didn't occur to me before this song that he's perfect for country. He rocks any genre, rock, blues, pop, country, he's just a straight up awesome songwriter.