In 2001, King released Le Bleu. Named after the road on which he lived growing up, Le Bleu dramtically expanded on his acoustic instrumental abilities; out of the nineteen tracks, only one (Ashes) features vocals. The album, though independently released, would receive critical acclaim from many who heard it[citation needed] , and helped to expand Justin's fanbase. However, the biggest boon to his music was the release of live videos on the internet; Albinoblacksheep still hosts the infamous video of Le Bleu track "Phunkdified", which served to introduce younger, web-savvy players to King's music. His live performance of "Knock on Wood" at the Hult Center in Eugene, OR., introduced the notorious double-neck acoustic, further exposing his music.
Following the release of Le Bleu, Justin set his sights upon several projects: including an electronic remix of Le Bleu by the Raging Family, and another instrumental project with Carlos Vamos and Michael Manring. His primary focus, however, was a songwriting-based rock album. Justin assembled a new band with longtime friends Ehren Ebbage (lead guitar) and Drew Desman (bass.) In 2005, drummer James West, uncomfortable playing in a rock band, departed and was replaced by Los Angeles native and delinquent Berkeley Physics PhD student Nadir Jeevanjee. Somewhat reminiscent of modern bands like Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, and The Fray, his new music also features him playing piano on several songs. Although more mainstream sounding than his previous efforts, Justin's newer music maintains his complex musical style. Although King had travelled worldwide during his solo years, he embarked on long US tour to promote his new music. Touring almost exclusively for over a year, his official web site was not updated for many months, causing some fans to wonder what had happened to him. In summer of 2005, King announced that he had been picked up by Epic Records, although this would eventually end in failure and result in King parting with the major label. The band's debut album is scheduled to be released in August 2007.
Ashes
Justin King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As if you might slip away
Between the night and morning light
Our peace decays
And not a word will we speak
For silence knows what to say
I'll press my hand into yours
With a single thought
And skin so close
This is a fire in the night
But empty hearts
And burning souls
These are the ashes of the day
The colors change
The leaves fall away
And naked are the arms of the trees
I think of you
Your simple grace
And spring rushes back to me
With a single thought
And skin so close
This is a fire in the night
But empty hearts
And burning souls
These are the ashes of the day
These are the ashes of the day
The lyrics to Justin King's song "Ashes" convey a deep sense of longing and heartbreak. The first verse sets the scene of two people holding onto each other tightly, afraid of losing one another in the passing of time. The silence between them speaks volumes, as they both know that their time together is limited. The second verse speaks of a change in seasons, with the leaves falling away and the trees left bare. However, even in the midst of this cold and barren landscape, the singer thinks of their loved one and is reminded of their beauty and warmth. The chorus speaks of the bittersweet nature of their love, with a fire burning between them but at the same time, their hearts are empty and their souls are burning with pain and sorrow. The phrase "These are the ashes of the day" speaks to the fact that even in the midst of a passionate love affair, everything eventually turns to dust and fades away.
Overall, the lyrics to "Ashes" are deeply emotional and powerful. The use of metaphor, particularly with the comparison between fire and ashes, adds to the poignancy of the song, evoking both passion and despair. The repeated phrases "With a single thought and skin so close" and "These are the ashes of the day" create a sense of circularity and inevitability, suggesting that despite the intense feelings of love and loss that the singer experiences, everything ultimately returns to nothing.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm holding you so close
I am trying to hold on to you desperately while trying to avoid losing you
As if you might slip away
I am scared that you might decide to leave me at any moment
Between the night and morning light
At this time of the day where the darkness of the night fades and the light of the day starts to shine
Our peace decays
Our peace and happiness starts to fade away
And not a word will we speak
There is nothing that needs to be said between us
For silence knows what to say
The silence between us is enough to understand each other
I'll press my hand into yours
I hold your hand so tightly to show you how much I love you
For I know I cannot stay
I am aware that I won't be able to stay with you forever
With a single thought
Just thinking about you is enough to ignite a spark in me
And skin so close
I feel so close to you, our skins touching each other
This is a fire in the night
This feeling inside me is like a hot flame burning intensely in the dark
But empty hearts
Even though we feel intense emotions, our hearts still feel empty
And burning souls
Our souls are burning with passion and desire
These are the ashes of the day
Our feelings, once so intense and strong, have now died down and turned into ash
The colors change
The colors of the world around us keep changing
The leaves fall away
The leaves of the trees are falling off, and things are changing around us
And naked are the arms of the trees
The branches of the trees are bare, with no leaves to cover them
I think of you
I am always thinking of you, no matter what is happening around me
Your simple grace
I am in awe of your natural and effortless beauty
And spring rushes back to me
You bring back the feeling of spring in my life, making me feel renewed
These are the ashes of the day
Our feelings, once so intense and strong, have now died down and turned into ash
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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