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

His Majesty Rides
Josh Rouse Lyrics

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I come, come up
And slip into something
It's the middle of the afternoon
I come, come up
The city's been patient
And she's downstairs waiting for you
Got no time for new friends now
I stay in a hotel room

These questions and demand's just bring you blue

And when you feel that you can't go on
There ain't nothing to be sure of
And we'll not stay forever
Just try to remember
His majesty rides
His majesty rides

Hey, look now
We move from town to town
Every city she knows my name
So come, come up
And cross over water into San Francisco Bay

Listen to your good friends now
The past holds nothing new
Waiting for these changes coming soon

And when you feel that you can't go on
There ain't nothing to be sure of
And we'll not stay forever
Just try to remember
His majesty rides
His majesty rides

I want to love it but I don't know how

I want to feel it but it's falling down
And the wheels keep turning but I hear no sound

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Josh Rouse's "His Majesty Rides" depict the life of a musician who travels from town to town performing to audiences. The song highlights the loneliness and isolation that comes with this lifestyle as the singer spends his time in hotel rooms and has no time for new friends. However, he finds solace in his music as evidenced by the line, "His majesty rides." This line could be interpreted as a reference to the power and joy that music brings to him.

The singer also seems to be struggling with his emotions, as he wants to love and feel but is unable to due to the circumstances of his life. He seems to be searching for meaning and purpose as he travels from city to city, and the repetition of the chorus, "His majesty rides," seems to be a reminder to himself that he has something special to offer through his music.

Overall, the song can be interpreted as a reflection on the often lonely and challenging lifestyle of a musician, but also a celebration of the power and joy that music brings.

Line by Line Meaning

I come, come up
I arrive and climb up

And slip into something
And quickly change into something

It's the middle of the afternoon
It's the time between morning and evening

I come, come up
I arrive and climb up

The city's been patient
The city has been waiting for me

And she's downstairs waiting for you
And she's waiting for me downstairs

Got no time for new friends now
I don't have time to make new friends at the moment

I stay in a hotel room
I'm living in a hotel room

These questions and demands just bring you blue
These questions and demands just make you sad

And when you feel that you can't go on
And when you feel like you can't continue

There ain't nothing to be sure of
There is nothing that is certain