Josh Ritter (born in Moscow, Idaho on October 21, 1976) is an American sing… Read Full Bio ↴Josh Ritter (born in Moscow, Idaho on October 21, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band (as Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band). Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.

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)

Golden Age of Radio
Josh Ritter Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Picture they took of you in your cowboy hat
Makes you look like you are one of the boys
Out on a Saturday night, meanwhile on the outskirts of the dance hall
I'm a joke that you'd probably enjoy
On the outside of Memphis all the building look big
And the white picket fences all dare to charge around the lawn
And hold their heads up high when my headlights find them out
They'll be the first to put their hands in the air with my radio on

Singing a country song soft and low

Oh when I've got a worried mind I know
I hear the ghost of Patsy Cline
On the Grand Old Opry Show

Living on the edge of the city limit line
This is where the boundary finally ends
And I swear that we're the last living souls in a populated ghost town
All the billboards are our best friends
Which way did our last chance go and can we
Get out if we go right now?
It seems that with the malls and the mega-church stadiums
We would get out if we knew just how with the radio on

Standing in line to get my self-help book signed off
On by the reverend who shouts to the converted
Have mercy on this boy he did it all by the book
But still kind of has his doubts
Oh you look pretty good in that jonquil dress
But your smile is a wooden nickel's pride
and I know that it ain't worth much but I feels good to touch
And I think that I could dance if I tried with your radio on

Oh when I've got a worried mind I know

I hear the ghost of Patsy Cline
On the Grand Old Opry Show

Overall Meaning

Josh Ritter's song "Golden Age of Radio" takes the listener on a journey through the outskirts of Memphis, Tennessee, where the singer feels like an outsider looking in at the buildings, white picket fences, and people who seem to fit in so easily. Meanwhile, the singer is listening to country music on the radio and feeling a sense of comfort in the voice of Patsy Cline on the Grand Old Opry Show. The setting of the song is seemingly a city that is being overrun by consumerism, mega-churches, and self-help books.

The lyrics seem to capture a nostalgia for a bygone era when things were simpler and people were more connected to their roots. The song paints a picture of a culture that is becoming more and more homogenized, with cookie-cutter buildings and people conforming to societal expectations. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be searching for a connection, a way to fit in, and a sense of purpose in a world that seems to be moving too fast.

One interpretation of the lyrics suggests that "Golden Age of Radio" could be talking about how the rise of technology is changing the world we live in, making us feel disconnected from each other and our past. The radio becomes a symbol of that past, where people gathered to listen to music together, creating a sense of community and shared experience.

Overall, the song is about trying to feel at home in a changing world, finding comfort in the familiar, and attempting to connect with others in a place that can feel isolating and alienating.

Line by Line Meaning

Picture they took of you in your cowboy hat
A photograph of you wearing a cowboy hat makes you appear masculine and popular.

Makes you look like you are one of the boys
The photograph caused you to appear like the type of person that is well liked and respected by others.

Out on a Saturday night, meanwhile on the outskirts of the dance hall
While you're out enjoying yourself, I'm standing alone on the edge of the dance floor, feeling out of place.

I'm a joke that you'd probably enjoy
Your social success makes me feel inadequate, but I suppose you might find my sense of humor amusing.

On the outside of Memphis all the building look big
When you're far from the city, everything seems grand and impressive.

And the white picket fences all dare to charge around the lawn
The classic symbol of the American dream, a white picket fence, gives off an air of rigidity and supremacy.

And hold their heads up high when my headlights find them out
The houses appear proud, even when seen only in the light of my car's headlights.

They'll be the first to put their hands in the air with my radio on
Listening to the radio, the occupants of those houses would gladly sing and dance joyfully to any country song played.

Singing a country song soft and low
Enjoying the simple pleasures of listening to country music with a soft, soothing melody.

Oh when I've got a worried mind I know
Whenever I feel anxious or unsure, I can always rely on a particular song to soothe me.

I hear the ghost of Patsy Cline
The voice and spirit of the late Patsy Cline fills me with comfort and nostalgia while listening to 'The Grand Old Opry Show.'

Living on the edge of the city limit line
Residing on the outskirts of the city, at the boundary of civilization.

This is where the boundary finally ends
The place where mankind's influence comes to a halt.

And I swear that we're the last living souls in a populated ghost town
Even though we live in a seemingly abandoned place, we feel like we're the only ones who are truly 'alive' here.

All the billboards are our best friends
We don't have many neighbors, and the only companionship that we find are a few billboards set up nearby.

Which way did our last chance go and can we
We are unsure if we have missed our opportunities, and if we can still make a successful escape.

Get out if we go right now?
We are desperate to leave this place, but we don't know if the timing is right or if we will ever get another chance.

It seems that with the malls and the mega-church stadiums
The presence of the giant shopping malls and massive religious arenas all seem quite absurd and unnatural.

We would get out if we knew just how with the radio on
If we knew how to escape from this place, we would do it in a heartbeat while listening to the radio.

Standing in line to get my self-help book signed off
I'm waiting in line to meet a popular preacher who's signing copies of his self-help book.

On by the reverend who shouts to the converted
The preacher is addressing his most devoted followers, who already agree with everything he's saying.

Have mercy on this boy he did it all by the book
Please have mercy on me, for I've tried to live a good life by following all the rules.

But still kind of has his doubts
Even though I've tried to live righteously, I still feel a sense of uncertainty and doubts in my mind.

Oh you look pretty good in that jonquil dress
You look lovely in a particular type of dress, one that is bright and vibrant.

But your smile is a wooden nickel's pride
Even though your smile may not be worth much, it brings me a great deal of joy and satisfaction.

and I know that it ain't worth much but I feels good to touch
I recognize that there's not a lot of value in something so simple, but the sensations that come with touching and feeling something pleasant is indescribable.

And I think that I could dance if I tried with your radio on
With the music of your choosing playing in the background, I feel confident enough to attempt dancing, even if I'm not very skilled at it.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOSH RITTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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