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)
cumberland
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna get lonesome when you get out to Cumberland
Stay in the city, boy, winter is a wonderland
They all mean well
I will remember them
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now, country now
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
Wander through the holler, honey
Wander through the glen
Neighborly with fiddleheads, copperheads, and moccasins
Build a little cabin, honey, throw a window in
Watch the breeze blowin' through the hickories and dandellins
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now, country now
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
If you get there before I do
Tell everybody I'm a'coming too
I know a pretty girl
She's the prettiest there's ever been
Wild as a weed, sweeter than a mandolin
I ain't a handsome man but I bet she'd take me as I am
I haven't met her yet
Bet she lives in Cumberland
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now, country now
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
So before you start talkin' 'bout the wonders of the world again
The Taj Mahal, the Great Wall, the places that I never been
Take a little drive, take a little trip to Heaven and
Wonder for a while if it's Paradise or Cumberland
(Oh boy)
Get yourself back to the country now, country now
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now, to the country now
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
In the song "Cumberland," Josh Ritter nostalgically describes his longing to return to his rural roots in Cumberland, a county located in the Appalachian region of the United States. Ritter's friends advise him to remain in the city during the winter since Cumberland can be desolate and lonely, but he yearns for the simplicity and beauty of nature. He longs to wander through the holler and glen, to build a cabin, to listen to the harmonious sounds of fiddleheads, copperheads, and moccasins, and to appreciate the soft breeze that passes through the hickories and dandelions. Ritter also mentions a pretty girl who he believes lives in Cumberland and who he admires for her wild and sweet nature. Throughout the song, Ritter implores himself and the listener to return to the country, to heaven, to Cumberland, and to rediscover the wonders of life that can be found in a place of natural beauty, serenity, and simplicity.
"Cumberland" is not just a song about a place; it is a song about the power of nature to restore us to our true selves, about the nostalgia we feel for our upbringing, and about the beauty that exists outside of the constant noise and hustle of the city. The song is an ode to the Appalachian region as well as a call to recognize the beauty of the natural world around us. In "Cumberland," Ritter reminds us to appreciate the places we come from, the beauty of simplicity, and the power of the natural world to restore our sense of purpose and self.
Line by Line Meaning
All of my friends said what's out in Cumberland
All of my friends have said what's out in Cumberland
Gonna get lonesome when you get out to Cumberland
They feel that you'll be lonely when you go out to Cumberland
Stay in the city, boy, winter is a wonderland
They advise you to stay in the city, where winter is a magical place.
They all mean well
Your friends have your best interests at heart.
I will remember them
You appreciate their concern for you.
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now, country now
You recognize the need to return to the country.
Wander through the holler, honey
You plan on traversing the valley or ravine.
Wander through the glen
You intend to journey through a narrow, secluded valley.
Neighborly with fiddleheads, copperheads, and moccasins
You will be friendly with ferns, snakes, and moccasins.
Build a little cabin, honey, throw a window in
You aim to construct a small dwelling and install a window.
Watch the breeze blowin' through the hickories and dandellins
You will observe the wind moving through the hickory trees and dandelions.
If you get there before I do
Tell everybody I'm a'coming too
If you arrive before me, please inform everyone that I am also on my way.
I know a pretty girl
She's the prettiest there's ever been
You're aware of a beautiful girl who's the most stunning woman you've ever seen.
Wild as a weed, sweeter than a mandolin
She is like a wildflower, but with a sweeter personality than a mandolin's music.
I ain't a handsome man but I bet she'd take me as I am
Despite not being handsome, you suspect she would accept you for who you are.
I haven't met her yet
Bet she lives in Cumberland
Although you haven't encountered her, there's a chance that she resides in Cumberland.
So before you start talkin' 'bout the wonders of the world again
The Taj Mahal, the Great Wall, the places that I never been
You suggest that before admiring or discussing various marvels worldwide that you've never seen, you should first visit Cumberland.
Take a little drive, take a little trip to Heaven and
Wonder for a while if it's Paradise or Cumberland
You implore taking a short, scenic drive to Cumberland and wondering if it's like the heaven or paradise you've heard about.
(Oh boy)
Get yourself back to the country now, country now
You reiterate the importance of returning to the country.
(Oh boy)
Gotta get yourself back to the country now
You urge yourself to return to the country immediately.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSH RITTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind