The Josh Williams Band has become the leading explosive tribute to the trad… Read Full Bio ↴The Josh Williams Band has become the leading explosive tribute to the tradition of music this season, after a nomination in the final round as IBMA’s Emerging Artist for 2009 set their course. Their smooth vocals hold the fans spellbound. Josh, Randy, Jason & Nick blend hypnotically to take their audiences through all realms of musical sentiment from easy-going ballets to fiery, hard-driving instrumentals. The band’s unique chemistry with each other, their charisma and connection to their fans, along with their inherent musical and lyrical gifts, are producing riveting performances to sold-out audiences. Their instant appeal to every demographic is soaring JWB to new heights. With the electrically-charged magical sounds that make them so popular, Josh is leading the band to become “the people’s choice.”

The Last Song
Josh Williams Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

For a long time now, I've been tryin' to make a go
Pickin' and a-singin' in a country show
I traveled far with a little bit of pay
I sowed a lot of oats, I didn't make much hay

I've been down-hearted enough to quit
Somehow I never have until yet
I say quit this pickin', don't have a dime

It's always wait until the next time

And this is the last song I'll sing
The last one I'm ever gonna write
The last song I'm ever gonna play
On this old guitar, on this old stage tonight

When I think I'll quit and never pick no more
Some long haired guy knocks on my door
It don't take long 'til I'm back on the go
'Cause one of his clowns couldn't make the show

We live in cheap hotels and ride big fine cars
Rear way back and smoke a long cigar
The steaks we eat are the ground up kind
But they hold me over just one more time

Yeah, this is the last song I'll sing
The last one I'm ever gonna write
The last song I'm ever gonna play
On this old guitar, on this old stage tonight

Our hopes are high for that one break
For that and magic is all it'll take
The lonesome sound, the sweet Fraulein
Takes me back just one more time

Make it hard to quit as the days go round
I don't want to steal when the sun goes down
When I hear George Jones sing, 'Out Of My Mind'
I gotta try again just one more time

Yeah, this is the last song I'll sing
The last one I'm ever gonna write

The last song I'm ever gonna play
On this old guitar, on this old stage tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Josh Williams's song The Last Song reflect the struggle and uncertainty of a musician's career. The opening lyrics highlight the hard work and effort that goes into chasing the dream of being a successful musician, with the singer describing their attempts to make a living by performing and traveling with a country show. However, despite their dedication, they feel frustrated with the lack of progress and success they've experienced, explaining that they've "sowed a lot of oats, but didn't make much hay." The song then touches on the dilemma that many artists face when contemplating giving up and finding a more stable way of life; despite feeling "down-hearted" and that they should "quit this pickin', don't have a dime," they can never quite bring themselves to call it quits.

The final verse describes the ups and downs that come with the life of a traveling musician, from living in cheap hotels to treating oneself to the occasional steak dinner, which becomes a metaphor for the highs and lows of the industry. The song ends on a bittersweet note of hope, expressing that their "hope is high for that one break, for that magic is all it'll take," which keeps them going despite the challenges. The repetition of the phrase "this is the last song I'll sing" throughout the song creates a sense of finality and resignation, but the hope and determination in the lyrics suggest that truly giving up might not be so easy after all.

Line by Line Meaning

For a long time now, I've been tryin' to make a go
I have been trying for a long time to make a living as a musician

Pickin' and a-singin' in a country show
My career has mostly consisted of playing music in local venues

I traveled far with a little bit of pay
I have traveled to many places, but I have not made much money doing it

I sowed a lot of oats, I didn't make much hay
I have put in a lot of effort, but it has not really paid off

I've been down-hearted enough to quit
I have been so discouraged that I have considered giving up

Somehow I never have until yet
Despite feeling down, I have never actually quit

I say quit this pickin', don't have a dime
Sometimes I feel like giving up because I am not making any money

It's always wait until the next time
But I always tell myself to keep going and hope for better luck in the future

And this is the last song I'll sing
Despite my struggles, I know that I will keep playing music as long as I can

The last one I'm ever gonna write
This may be the last time I write a song, but I know I will still play music

The last song I'm ever gonna play
This may be the last time I play this song in particular, but I am not done playing music

On this old guitar, on this old stage tonight
I will keep playing music on this old guitar, on this old stage, for as long as I can

When I think I'll quit and never pick no more
Even when I feel like giving up and never playing again

Some long haired guy knocks on my door
Someone always seems to come along and offer me a gig just when I think I'm done

It don't take long 'til I'm back on the go
I always find myself back on the road, playing music again

'Cause one of his clowns couldn't make the show
Often, I get called upon to play a gig because another musician couldn't make it

We live in cheap hotels and ride big fine cars
Playing music may not bring lots of money, but it can afford some of the luxuries

Rear way back and smoke a long cigar
On occasion, I get to relax and enjoy some of the finer things in life

The steaks we eat are the ground up kind
Despite some of the luxuries, when it comes to food, we often have to settle for less

But they hold me over just one more time
Even if it's not the best food, it helps me get by for just a little bit longer

Yeah, this is the last song I'll sing
Still, I know that I will keep playing music as long as I can

The last one I'm ever gonna write
This may be the last time I write a song, but I will never truly stop playing music

The last song I'm ever gonna play
This may be the last time I play this particular song, but I will never stop playing music

On this old guitar, on this old stage tonight
For better or for worse, I will keep playing musicon this old guitar, on this old stage, tonight and beyond

Our hopes are high for that one break
Despite the hardships, we musicians always hope for that one big break that could change everything

For that and magic is all it'll take
We know the odds are against us, but we hope that some combination of luck and talent will pay off

The lonesome sound, the sweet Fraulein
Sometimes, the beauty of music (like the sound of a country ballad or the lyrics to an old German love song) is enough to keep me going

Takes me back just one more time
Hearing a beautiful song reminds me why I started playing music in the first place

Make it hard to quit as the days go round
As time goes on, the power of music to inspire and to connect with others makes it harder to give up

I don't want to steal when the sun goes down
Even in desperate times, I won't resort to stealing to make money

When I hear George Jones sing, 'Out Of My Mind'
Hearing a song that touches me deeply, like this George Jones hit, reminds me why I keep playing music

I gotta try again just one more time
In spite of everything, I never completely give up. I know I will keep playing music, just like I always have

Contributed by Allison O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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