“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
Legacy
Justin Rosolino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This honesty
I'm lying dead here in your arms
But miles away
And I have given all that I am
To earn my place
Even my secret stones
The ones that I had saved
[Chorus]
You said you never asked to see
This hollow shell that's left of me
But I leave to you my legacy
And as I fed your hungry soul
With all my river's flow
We were a sight to see
A wonder to behold
And I could see that fear in your movements
That I might fade away
I wonder sometimes does fear scream louder
While I remain
[Chorus]
You said you never meant to be
The keeper of what's left of me
But I leave to you my legacy
You said you never asked to see
This hollow shell that's left of me
But I leave to you my legacy
You said you never meant to be
The keeper of what's left of me
But I leave to you my legacy
And all that I am
And all that I've known
And all that I can give
And all I've shown
And all my flesh, and all my bone
Everything and everything
Everything and everything
Everything
The lyrics of Justin Rosolino's song Legacy portray themes of love, mortality, and legacy. It is evident in the opening lines, "And so it comes to this, my love, this honesty, I'm lying dead here in your arms, but miles away." The singer is in a vulnerable state, acknowledging his mortality and how time is fleeting. He describes how he has given his all to earn his place and has left his secret stones, which represents the best parts of himself, with his partner. The chorus speaks of him leaving his legacy to his partner, as he is aware that he might not live on forever after his death.
The second verse talks about how the singer feeds their partner's hungry soul with all his river's flow, which speaks of how he has given his all in the relationship. However, he notices fear in his partner's movements, fearing that he might fade away while she remains. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the importance of leaving a legacy and how the singer wants his partner to remember him after he's gone.
The song's message is powerful, urging the listener to reflect on how they want to be remembered after their passing. It reminds us that our time on earth is limited, and we must give our all to the ones we love and leave a lasting impact. The song's haunting melody coupled with the profound lyrics makes it a memorable and emotional experience for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
And so it comes to this, my love
I have come to my end and now I reveal everything.
This honesty
I am revealing the truth about myself.
I'm lying dead here in your arms
I have given my all and have nothing left to give.
But miles away
Even though I am here, I am emotionally far away.
And I have given all that I am
I have given everything I have to offer.
To earn my place
I have worked hard to get to where I am today.
Even my secret stones
I have given even the things that are most precious to me.
You said you never asked to see
You did not expect me to show you my deepest self.
This hollow shell that's left of me
I feel like I have nothing left inside of me.
But I leave to you my legacy
Even though I feel like I have nothing left, I give you everything I have.
And as I fed your hungry soul
I gave you everything I had to offer.
With all my river's flow
I gave you everything I had, like a river that flows endlessly.
We were a sight to see
Together, we were an amazing thing to witness.
A wonder to behold
Together, we were remarkable and unforgettable.
And I could see that fear in your movements
I saw the fear that you had that I would leave or disappear.
That I might fade away
You were afraid that I would disappear or leave you.
I wonder sometimes does fear scream louder
I wonder if fear is louder than anything else.
While I remain
Even though I am still present.
But I leave to you my legacy
Despite your fears, I give you everything I have to offer.
You said you never meant to be
You did not expect to be left with what's left of me.
The keeper of what's left of me
You did not expect to have to take care of me in my weakened state.
And all that I am
I give you everything that I am.
And all that I've known
I give you all of the knowledge that I possess.
And all that I can give
I give you everything I have to give.
And all I've shown
I give you everything I have revealed about myself.
And all my flesh, and all my bone
I give you everything that I am made of.
Everything and everything
I give you all of me, without reservation.
Everything and everything
I give you all that I have to offer, without holding back.
Contributed by Chase C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.