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
Under Cold Blue Stars
Josh Rouse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You would just stroll
Around the yard
That's what happens to dreams
When the life strains
And the child lays in you
When you got old
In a little town
Your favorite bar
Just blowing the steam
Now the lights fade and
Everyone's paid to see you
So did the farm
Steal your soul
When the cornfields won't grow
Its time to leave
Now the heart bleeds
And the family leans on you
You were under the cold blue stars
In another town
Your favorite bar
That's what happens to dreams
When the life strains
And the child lays in you
The lyrics of Josh Rouse's song "Under Cold Blue Stars" tell a story of a person whose dreams slowly fade away as life takes its toll. The first verse describes someone who used to stroll around the yard under the "cold blue stars" - a metaphor for sadness and loneliness. The person's dreams are stifled by the strains of life, and they have a child to care for, which detracts from pursuing their aspirations.
As the person grows older, they begin playing guitar in a small town's favorite bar. They use music to blow off steam, but the lights start to fade as people start to pay to see them perform. The question is then raised if the farmer's soul was stolen by the farm when the cornfields stopped producing, and he had to leave. The heart bleeds, while the family leans on them, which is a testament to how difficult and overwhelming life can be.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the cold blue stars
Reflecting on a time in the past where things were difficult
You would just stroll
Taking a casual, leisurely walk
Around the yard
Taking a walk around the grassy or paved area near a house
That's what happens to dreams
This is what becomes of one's hopes and ambitions
When the life strains
When life becomes difficult or stressful
And the child lays in you
When a child is developing inside of you
When you got old
Looking back to when one was older and reminiscing
You played guitar
Engaging in a pastime of playing a musical instrument
In a little town
In a small, possibly rural community
Your favorite bar
A place that holds sentimental value where one would go to socialize
Just blowing the steam
Playing music for relaxation or stress relief
Now the lights fade and
A shift in time or change in circumstances
Everyone's paid to see you
People come to watch performances and pay for entertainment
So did the farm
Questioning if the time spent working on a farm affected one's spirit
Steal your soul
Referring to feeling drained or consumed by the work on the farm
When the cornfields won't grow
When the crops aren't thriving
Its time to leave
Knowing when it's right to move on
Now the heart bleeds
Feeling pain or heartache
And the family leans on you
Being relied upon by loved ones for support and guidance
You were under the cold blue stars
Reflecting back to a specific place and moment in time
In another town
A different location from where one currently is
Your favorite bar
A sentimental place of enjoyment
That's what happens to dreams
Realizing that dreams may not always come to fruition
When the life strains
When life becomes difficult and stressful
And the child lays in you
When pregnant with a child
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Josh Rouse, PATRICK SANSONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind