Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From The North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents' scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as "Club Passim" in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.
Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:
Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
Good Man E.P. (2006)
In The Dark: Live At Vicar Street (2006)
The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (2007)
Live at the Record Exchange EP (2008)
So Runs the World Away (2010)
To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (April 2011)
The Beast In Its Tracks (2013)
Acoustic Live, Vol.1 (2015)
Sermon on the Rocks (2015)
Bone Of Song
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I found it on a cold and November day
In the roots of a sycamore tree where it had hid so long
In a box made out of myrtle lay the bone of song
The bone of song was a jawbone old and bruised
And worn out in the service of the muse
And along its sides and teeth were written words
Lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness
I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest
The words on the bone of song were close and small
And though their tongues were dead I found I knew them all
In the hieroglyphs of quills and quatrain lines
Osiris the fall of Troy Auld Lang Syne
Kathleen Mauvoreen Magnificat Your Cheatin' Heart
The chords of a covenant king singing for the Ark
Then I saw on a white space that was left
A blessing written older than the rest
It said leave me here I care not for wealth or fame
I'll remember your song but I'll forget your name
The words that I sang blew off like the leaves in the wind
And perched like birds in the branches before landing on the bone again
Then the bone was quiet it said no more to me
So I wrapped it in the ribbons of a sycamore tree
And as night had come I turned around and headed home
With a lightness in my step and a song in my bones
Lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness
I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest
The song “Bone of Song” by Josh Ritter tells the story of finding the bone of an old jawbone in the roots of a sycamore tree. This bone contains the remnants of songs and lyrics from different eras, encapsulated by the writings on the sides of the teeth. As the singer runs his palm along the letters, he can hear the words from the past coming back to life. In the hieroglyphs and quatrain lines, the bone holds the story of Osiris, the fall of Troy, and familiar tunes like “Auld Lang Syne” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart”.
As the singer reads, he finds a blessing written on the bone that highlights its power: “leave me here I care not for wealth or fame / I'll remember your song but I'll forget your name”. The song is a reminder that the true measure of a musician's legacy lies not in their fame, but in the legacies of their music. The song reflects on the unending legacy of music and how it can touch the lives of future generations, if found at the right moment.
Overall, the song delves into the power of music and how it transcends time. The bone of song represents the continuity of music and how it's been a medium to convey various messages throughout time. It tells us that each song is like a living entity, carrying with it emotions and stories of different eras.
Line by Line Meaning
Just where it now lies I can no longer say
The singer cannot specify the present location of the bone of song.
I found it on a cold and November day
The singer discovered the bone of song on a cold and wet day in November.
In the roots of a sycamore tree where it had hid so long
The bone of song was concealed in the roots of a sycamore tree for a significant amount of time.
In a box made out of myrtle lay the bone of song
The bone of song was found inside a container made from myrtle wood.
The bone of song was a jawbone old and bruised
The bone of song was a damaged jawbone that had been used extensively in the service of creating music.
And worn out in the service of the muse
The bone of song was faded and damaged due to the extensive use in service of the muse.
And along its sides and teeth were written words
The bone of song was etched with words along its sides and teeth.
I ran my palm along them and I heard
The artist felt the inscriptions on the bone of song and heard them resonate within.
Lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness
The bone of song is a treasure to be found and cherished by anyone who discovers it in the wilderness.
I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest
The bone of song is the only restless spirit that does not seek peace in the afterlife.
The words on the bone of song were close and small
The inscriptions on the bone of song were small and densely written.
And though their tongues were dead I found I knew them all
Even though the words on the bone of song were from a dead language, the artist found that they were familiar with all of them.
In the hieroglyphs of quills and quatrain lines
The inscriptions on the bone of song were written in an ancient script and poetic form.
Osiris the fall of Troy Auld Lang Syne
The inscriptions on the bone of song mentioned different mythological and historical events and cultural references.
Kathleen Mauvoreen Magnificat Your Cheatin' Heart
The inscriptions on the bone of song referenced several songs or pieces of music with different origins and styles.
The chords of a covenant king singing for the Ark
The inscriptions on the bone of song referenced a song that was performed by a king as part of a religious ceremony.
Then I saw on a white space that was left
The artist noticed a blank or empty space on the bone of song, among the other inscriptions.
A blessing written older than the rest
Among the inscriptions on the bone of song, there was a very old and significant message or blessing.
It said leave me here I care not for wealth or fame
The message or blessing on the bone of song indicated that it should be left where it was, rather than being taken for personal gain.
I'll remember your song but I'll forget your name
The message or blessing on the bone of song indicated that the artist would remember the music created with the bone, but not the name of the person who discovered it.
The words that I sang blew off like the leaves in the wind
The music created with the bone of song was ephemeral and fleeting, like leaves being carried away by the wind.
And perched like birds in the branches before landing on the bone again
The music created with the bone of song would at times seem to disappear, but would return and take form once again.
Then the bone was quiet it said no more to me
After the music had been played with the bone of song, it became still and silent again.
So I wrapped it in the ribbons of a sycamore tree
The artist wrapped the bone of song in decorative ribbons made from the bark of a sycamore tree.
And as night had come I turned around and headed home
After using the bone of song and securing it safely, the singer headed back to their home as night fell.
With a lightness in my step and a song in my bones
After discovering and using the bone of song, the singer felt happy and content, with a sense of music and melody inside them.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSH RITTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind