“This is the record I’ve been wanted to make for years”, says Rosolino. “It’s a record that says something as a whole - an album in the old school sense - something that can be listened to from start to finish and takes you along for the ride, not just a bunch of non-related, radio-friendly songs.” Produced and mixed by Nashville local Mitch Dane (Jars of Clay) and mastered by Jacquire King (Tom Waits, No Doubt), “Wonderlust” marks the newest chapter in the rise of an authentic, wonderfully-gifted singer-songwriter.
Justin started playing guitar when he was six years old, which in a family like his, seemed the natural thing to do. His father sang and played guitar in the New York R&B circuit – places like the Apollo and the Cotton Club – and Justin began sitting in with the band by the time he was twelve.
His growth as a musician continued through his teens, and in 1991 he left New York for Charlottesville, Virginia, where he put down his electric guitar to front Southern Exposure, an acoustic duo that soon became a local mainstay. Within their first two years of performing, the folk/rock pair were jamming sell-out crowds into local venues and playing with prominent regional acts like SGGL and Jackopierce. They were later voted in as one of the top ten bands in the area, sharing the honor with groups like the Dave Matthews Band. It was at the University of Virginia that Justin began broadening his musical horizons, venturing beyond his folk/rock roots and joining an R&B/funk band, a gospel choir and nationally renowned collegiate chorus. Naturally, this expanded his understanding of music and his approach to the acoustic guitar, and he began digging into the more experimental styles of Michael Hedges, Paul Simon and Jimmy Page.
Moving south in early 1997, Justin quickly established himself in the Atlanta acoustic scene. Before he’d even found a place to live he’d already won his first songwriting/performance competition at the nationally-renowned venue Eddie’s Attic. Since then he’s performed in over 30 states as well as overseas, selling over 4,500 recordings along the way. Highlights have included performances with the likes of India.Arie, David Wilcox, Ellis Paul and Angie Aparo. Justin has also written TV commercial music for Ford, grown as an accomplished session guitarist in Nashville and Atlanta, gotten airplay on indie radio from Canada to the Czech Republic and everywhere in between, and even got to perform for President George W. Bush in the Spring of ’03.
“Wonderlust” is a must have for all music fans who are looking for something a little deeper. Take the reflective lyrics found in folk, add the passionate energy of rock and the textural depth of artful pop, and you’ve got the basic recipe for Justin’s music. At times reminiscent of Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith and Lenny Kravitz, “Wonderlust” travels through the whole range of human emotions.
www.justinrosolino.com
Anyone
Justin Rosolino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it drives me crazy because you know I think you're beautiful
So I wrote this little song of protest
Against the voices that convince you you're forgettable
[Chorus]
Anyone can make believe that everything's okay
You can pretend you're made of stone
Anyone can make believe they don't care anyway
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
Now you think that you're pathetic because you bleed so easily
You're wishing you were cold and hard like iron
You say you're tired of trying to wear your heart upon your sleeve
'Cause it usually just ends up getting trampled on
[Chorus]
Anyone can make believe that everything's okay
You can pretend you're made of stone
You can pretend there's nothing wrong
Anyone can make believe they don't care anyway
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
And they say blessed are the ones who live in poverty
When you're beaten down and bruised
And you got nothing more to lose
And blessed are the ones who can't seem to hide their frailty
'Cause for them love is much easier to choose
So you can keep the myths of inner strength and self-sufficiency
But give me that suffering heart who's honest with the pain
'Cause the stronger people always tend to bore me anyway
And the weak ones, they remind me I'm not alone
I'm not insane
[Chorus]
Anyone can make believe that everything's okay
You can pretend you're made of stone
You can pretend there's nothing wrong
Anyone can make believe they don't care anyway
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
Anyone can make believe they don't care anyway
And you can pretend you're made of stone
And nothing ever goes wrong
Anyone can make believe and take the easy way
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
And anyone can learn to make themselves strong
The song "Anyone" by Justin Rosolino conveys a message that there is more beauty in vulnerability and honesty than there is in putting on a façade of strength and independence. The first verse starts with the singer expressing frustration that someone they care about doesn't see their own worth. The singer then sings a chorus emphasizing that anyone can pretend to be strong, but it takes courage to be honest with one's vulnerabilities. The second verse follows the singer's attempt to convince the person to embrace their emotions, even if it leaves them feeling exposed. The last verse lists the strengths of people who despite their troubles, still choose to lead a life full of love and honesty.
The chorus repeats that anyone can pretend everything is fine, anyone can make themselves appear strong, and anyone can pretend like they don't care, but it takes real strength to face your pain and be honest with yourself. The theme of the song is that there is more beauty in being vulnerable, honest, and real, even if that means exposing oneself to potential hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
By now you're sure that everything you do is worthless
You have convinced yourself that everything you do is meaningless
And it drives me crazy because you know I think you're beautiful
It frustrates me that despite knowing my admiration for you, you still believe in your worthlessness
So I wrote this little song of protest
This song is my rebellious way of standing against your self-deprecating thoughts
Against the voices that convince you you're forgettable
I protest against the voices that make you think you are not worth remembering
Anyone can make believe that everything's okay
Everyone has the capability to pretend that everything is fine and normal
You can pretend you're made of stone
You can choose to be emotionally numb and appear unaffected
You can pretend there's nothing wrong
You can pretend that your struggles do not exist and everything is perfect
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
Even people who lack intelligence or wisdom can learn to become strong
Now you think that you're pathetic because you bleed so easily
You perceive yourself as weak and worthless because you feel things deeply
You're wishing you were cold and hard like iron
You desire to be emotionless and tough like a metallic object
You say you're tired of trying to wear your heart upon your sleeve
You express being exhausted from showing your emotions to people too openly and getting hurt often
'Cause it usually just ends up getting trampled on
Your open display of emotions often leads others to exploit your vulnerability
And they say blessed are the ones who live in poverty
They say that the people living in poverty are fortunate
When you're beaten down and bruised
When you are defeated and wounded
And you got nothing more to lose
When you have nothing left to lose
And blessed are the ones who can't seem to hide their frailty
The people who are unable to hide their weakness are considered fortunate
'Cause for them love is much easier to choose
Because it is easier for such people to find love
So you can keep the myths of inner strength and self-sufficiency
You can continue to have faith in the false notion of internal strength and self-dependency
But give me that suffering heart who's honest with the pain
I prefer someone who is in pain but honestly acknowledges it
'Cause the stronger people always tend to bore me anyway
I find less attractive people who appear too strong and made-up
And the weak ones, they remind me I'm not alone
The weaker ones make me feel less alone in my own struggles
And you can pretend you're made of stone
You can put up a front of being tough and unfeeling
And nothing ever goes wrong
You can even pretend that everything is always perfect and nothing ever goes wrong
Anyone can make believe and take the easy way
Everyone can pretend and take the effortless path
Any fool can learn to make themselves strong
Even someone who is not wise can learn how to become strong
And anyone can learn to make themselves strong
Anyone has the ability to become strong and resilient
Contributed by Isabelle N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.