Josh Rouse (born 1972 in Paxton, Nebraska) is an American roots/melodic fol… Read Full Bio ↴Josh Rouse (born 1972 in Paxton, Nebraska) is an American roots/melodic folk singer. From his first album, Dressed Up Like Nebraska, in 1998, he has won critical acclaim.

Rouse lived in various places in Midwest America during his childhood due to his father's military career. Following his time at Austin Peay State University, he eventually settled down in Tennessee, where he met some local musicians and began recording. Signing to the Rykodisc subsidiary Slow River, in 1998, Rouse issued his debut album, Dressed Up Like Nebraska, to widespread critical acclaim; upon settling in Nashville, he was befriended by Kurt Wagner, frontman of the endlessly brilliant chamber country group Lambchop, and in the fall of 1999, the two singers/songwriters issued a collaborative EP, Chester.

Rouse's second solo LP, Home, appeared the following spring and was followed by Under the Cold Blue Stars in 2002. For his next record Rouse hooked up with producer Brad Jones and the resulting album in 2003, 1972, was both a homage to the soft rock sounds of Rouse's youth and an opening up and deepening of his sound. Before the release of his next album, Rouse's marriage ended and he moved from Nashville to Spain. This spawned 2004's Nashville, an example of his versatile musical talent, featuring a blend of Rock, Jazz and Ballad. It served as a farewell to both the city and his marriage; it was also his most fully realized record to date. This album was chosen as one of Amazon.com's Top 100 Editor's Picks of 2005 (#80).

Rouse's next album, called Subtitulo, was released March 21, 2006 in which his move to Spain was evident.It marked a further finessing of his sound and a move towards the music of an early Paul Simon.

2007 saw a rather busy year for Rouse. He started off supporting John Mayer on a series of his Winter Tour dates. Not soon after, he released a joint EP with his girlfriend Paz Suay, under the moniker of She's Spanish, I'm American. At the end of July, Rouse released his 7th LP, Country Mouse, Cit y House. The record marked a detour from Subtitulo, offering a fuller, more instrumental sound, which appeared to divide both critics and fans. Rouse toured extensively worldwide to support the album.

He released "El Turista" in February 2010 and "The Happiness Waltz" in 2013.

www.joshrouse.com

Cannot Talk
Josh Rouse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sit down
Let's just stop for a while
Come down
From where you are for a while
Throw us the camera 'fore she said
Go put it away
It's something eloquent I guess
Viewing it this way

You're not so sure
If it's real or pretending
Magazines and movie stars
Your only friends and you know why
It's something eloquent I guess
The way you move, I'm so impressed
Such style
You know
I'd walk for miles
But you cannot talk
The signs, they still haunt you
All grown up and on your own
You wiggle yourself in
All your life is a chase

You spend this time
Walk around the house
All the problems are lies
You can't figure out
And you know why
Something eloquent I guess
You move, I'm so impressed
Such style
You know it
I'd walk for miles
But you cannot talk
The signs, they still haunt you
All grown up and on your own
You wiggle yourself in
All your life is a chase

You know

All grown up and on your own
You keep to yourself and
All your life

All your life yeah
All your life is a test

Overall Meaning

The song Cannot Talk by Josh Rouse seems to be about someone who is struggling with their identity and place in the world. The first few lines imply that the person needs a break from their current situation and wants to reflect on themselves. The line "throw us the camera 'fore she said, go put it away" suggests that the person is tired of constantly being watched and needs some privacy. The following line "it's something eloquent I guess, viewing it this way" could be interpreted as the person finding beauty in their own solitude.

The next few lines discuss the person's relationship with the media and celebrities. The line "magazines and movie stars, your only friends and you know why" highlights how the person may feel disconnected from the people around them and instead turns to media figures for companionship. However, the line "you're not so sure if it's real or pretending" suggests that the person is aware of the artificial nature of these relationships.

The chorus of the song repeats the lines "you cannot talk, the signs they still haunt you" which could suggest that the person is struggling to express themselves and is haunted by their inability to do so. The line "all your life is a chase" highlights the person's constant need to pursue something but never finding fulfillment.

Line by Line Meaning

Sit down
Take a moment to relax

Let's just stop for a while
Pause and reflect for some time

Come down
Take a break from the current situation

From where you are for a while
Step back from your current position temporarily

Throw us the camera 'fore she said
Pass the camera to someone else before being told to do so

Go put it away
Remove the camera from sight

It's something eloquent I guess
It's something that sounds smart or refined, I assume

Viewing it this way
Looking at the situation from this perspective

You're not so sure
You lack confidence in yourself

If it's real or pretending
You're not sure if what you see is genuine or just a facade

Magazines and movie stars
Your only companions are images on paper and screen