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.
Pokerface
Josh Kelley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love time we have
A name that no one knows
The feelin' flows the music takes me there
Inside I light the fire
That burns the best
Inside I feel alive
May I feel the air
Skin still fair
I love the time we have
A claim on broken bones of casted stones
The music takes me there
I feel so blind a world so kind
Days are fighting through the light
If only
I feel so blind a world so kind
Days are fighting through the light
If only
We cannot find a world sublime
Things are running through my mind
If only
The lyrics of Josh Kelley's song Pokerface speak of the power of music to take one to a place they long to go. The song begins with the lines "Play it takes me where I want to go, I love the time we have, a name that no one knows, the feeling flows, the music takes me there." Here, the artist expresses his love for music that takes him to a place of joy and peace. He continues, "Inside I light the fire, that burns the best, inside I feel alive, so softly blessed, may I feel the air, skin still fair, I love the time we have." The artist talks of his innermost feelings that are enlivened by the music, making him feel alive.
The second part of the song talks about the artist's struggle in the world and his wish to find a peaceful and sublime world. The lines, "I feel so blind, a world so kind, days are fighting through the light, If only," talk about his struggle to find meaning in the world. The lines, "We cannot find a world sublime, things are running through my mind, If only," express his desire to live in a world that is full of meaning and beauty. Overall, the lyrics of this song convey the power of music to uplift the soul and the yearning of the human heart to find peace and beauty in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Play it takes me where I want to go
The act of playing music takes me to where I want to be
I love time we have
I cherish the time we spend together
A name that no one knows
An unknown identity or reputation
The feelin' flows the music takes me there
The emotions evoked by the music guide me to a certain place
Inside I light the fire
Internally, I ignite a passionate flame
That burns the best
The fire that ignites within me is fueled by the things that bring out my best self
Inside I feel alive
Internally, I feel a deep sense of vitality and energy
So softly blessed
Feeling fortunate and grateful in a gentle and subtle way
May I feel the air
May I experience the refreshing sensation of the wind around me
Skin still fair
My skin remains unblemished and untainted
A claim on broken bones of casted stones
Ownership or possession of something that is damaged or imperfect
The music takes me there
The music carries me away to a different place, mentally or emotionally
I feel so blind a world so kind
I am emotionally unaware in a world that is full of kindness
Days are fighting through the light
The days are constantly struggling to overcome the darkness in life
If only
Expressing regret or desire for something that is currently unattainable
We cannot find a world sublime
We are unable to discover a world that is perfect and flawless
Things are running through my mind
My mind is racing with many thoughts and ideas
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: JOSH KELLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind