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)
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)
Henrietta Indiana
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Henrietta, Indiana mill town
Locked the factory down and shut it up tight
My daddy and my brother and sixteen-hundred others
Lost everything they had in the night
Daddy got a taste for the hard stuff
Henrietta, Indiana was dry
We'd ride out to Putney, he'd tell me he loved me
The drive home was always so quiet
He had a devil in his eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
My brother practiced preaching in the basement
Perspiration on his face 'til I knew
That something was missing, his spirit was willing
He could not believe it was true
Blessed be the poor, he said
Your treasure is on high
All of Henrietta, Indiana heard me Hallelujah
When I finally saw the devil in his eyes
Oh, the devil in his eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
I was coming home late
From a midnight to eight
The radio said they'd ID'd the plates
Left three men dead
Made their escape
By now, said the sheriff
They'll be in the next state
Will we be able to catch them
Can they bring the dogs in
Can they call up the Bureau
Do they have next of kin
Cameras came to my door
I opened it wide
They thought I was crying
It was something in my eye, eye, eye
Eye, eye, eye, oh
At night I leave a bottle on the table
The Bible open to the Sermon on the Mount
Blessed be the poor of Henrietta, Indiana
But happy are the ones that get out
I think I'll drive over to Putney
The store'll be open 'til twelve
The empty parking lot, the lights
The lonely kid, the register
I see it all clear as a bell
I got a devil in my eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
Eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
Locked the factory down and shut it up tight
My daddy and my brother and sixteen-hundred others
Lost everything they had in the night
Daddy got a taste for the hard stuff
Henrietta, Indiana was dry
We'd ride out to Putney, he'd tell me he loved me
The drive home was always so quiet
He had a devil in his eye, eye
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
My brother practiced preaching in the basement
Perspiration on his face 'til I knew
That something was missing, his spirit was willing
He could not believe it was true
Blessed be the poor, he said
Your treasure is on high
All of Henrietta, Indiana heard me Hallelujah
When I finally saw the devil in his eyes
Oh, the devil in his eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
I was coming home late
From a midnight to eight
The radio said they'd ID'd the plates
Left three men dead
Made their escape
By now, said the sheriff
They'll be in the next state
Will we be able to catch them
Can they bring the dogs in
Can they call up the Bureau
Do they have next of kin
Cameras came to my door
I opened it wide
They thought I was crying
It was something in my eye, eye, eye
Eye, eye, eye, oh
At night I leave a bottle on the table
The Bible open to the Sermon on the Mount
Blessed be the poor of Henrietta, Indiana
But happy are the ones that get out
I think I'll drive over to Putney
The store'll be open 'til twelve
The empty parking lot, the lights
The lonely kid, the register
I see it all clear as a bell
I got a devil in my eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
Eye, eye
Like a thorn in the paw
Disregard for the law
Disappointment to the Lord on high
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSH RITTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Abigail
I can't stop playing this song!!! I love it!!! Not to mention it's Indiana!!! Mi casa!!!
_ TERMS
Same!
Brennan Ritchie
Same!
Karoline Moore
Thank you. I love you Josh,and your music
The Plane Truth
Every
single
time
“Blessed be the tour of Henrietta Indiana but happy are the ones that get out.”
If that is not brilliant lyricism, I don’t know what it is.
_ TERMS
Literally tells the story of Gary and South bend indiana!
Kristine Menger
Love Josh!
3dDavinci
sheer awesomeness
some1overthere1
instant classic
Tax Collector
love it