www.justinrutledge.com
Rutledge has released three albums, No Never Alone, The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park and Man Descending. His fourth album, entitled, "The Early Widows" was released in May 2010 on Six Shooter Records.
Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both of the literary and music world, include Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Richard Brautigan and E.E. Cummings.
In 2006, Justin Rutledge was named Toronto singer-songwriter of the year by NOW magazine.
Rutledge has toured Canada, the UK, the United States and Europe, and has played shows with Kathleen Edwards, Jim Cuddy, Blue Rodeo, Hawksley Workman, Luke Doucet and Dolly Parton.
His critically acclaimed lyrics are sometimes linked by music writers to his time as a university English major; he was editor-in-chief of a University of Toronto literary journal.
History
Early life
Justin Rutledge was born and grew up in the Junction neighbourhood in Toronto, a working class community centered around an intersection of four railway lines. He was raised in an Irish-Catholic family and grew up with aspirations of becoming a writer. To that end he studied English literature, with a major in modern poetry, at the University of Toronto. He dropped out after three years of school as his musical career got in the way. Rutledge told Macleans in an interview that his backup plan would be to finish his university studies in English "if this music thing doesn't work."
No Never Alone (2004-2005)
No Never Alone is Justin Rutledge's first album. In order to pay for the recording he worked as a bartender. Rutledge has remarked, "I would often do a studio session during the day, and then head straight to work until 4 or 5 in the morning"
The album earned Rutledge considerable praise, particularly in the UK, where he was compared to Ryan Adams by Comes With a Smile, who also proclaimed that "A major new talent has landed". Additional UK praise came from Uncut magazine who referred to Rutledge as “a master of gothic understatement” and NME describing the album as "an incredible breakthrough".
It was only receiving this attention in the UK that 'No Never Alone' was released in Rutledge's native Canada.
The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park (2006-2007)
Rutledge's second album, "The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park" was released through Six Shooter Records on October 6, 2006. "Devil on a Bench" is actually Rutledge's second attempt at a sophomore album - He spent a year recording his first attempt, tentatively titled In the Fall, before he scrapped it. He was unsatisfied with the album, and has explained, “I thought a sophomore album should have just a bit more of an assured sense about it. A second step forward should be a step up the ladder as opposed to just asserting your presence. You’re not just saying, ‘hey, I’m still here. You’re saying, ‘hey I’m here and I’ve challenged myself and I’ve hopefully done something that I haven’t done already. In order to challenge himself and create the album he wanted, Rutledge wrote a new batch of songs and recorded them in eight days with his band - opting for a more live recording style.
"The Devil on a Bench in Stanley Park" was nominated for a Juno award in the category "Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Solo" and received the Galaxie Rising Star Award at the Edmonton Folk Festival.
[edit] Man Descending (2008)
Man Descending
Justin Rutledge's third album, "Man Descending" was released on April 8, 2008 through Six Shooter Records. The album is named after a 1982 collection of short stories by Guy Vanderhaeghe, also called "Man Descending". Rutledge was inspired by a line from Vanderhaeghe's book, "A man descending is propelled by inertia; the only initiative left him is whether or not he decides to enjoy the passing scene." He says of the line, "It really resonated with me. As I continued to read the stories, I realized that all these characters in the book were dealing with the same kind of static or inertia in their lives. I kind of took little threads and wove them into songs."
The album features Ron Sexsmith, Jenn Grant, Catherine MacLellan, Hawksley Workman, Melissa McClelland, Joey Wright, Jim Bryson as well as "What Rutledge calls the best band in town; David Baxter, Bazil Donovan and Blake Manning; Burke Carroll and Bob Packwood."
"Man Descending" was long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize.[17] Other praise for "Man Descending" in 2008 included the #5 spot on Exclaim's Wood, Wires & Whiskey top 10 and a nomination for Contemporary Album of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
According to an interview, "Compared to 2006’s The Devil On A Bench In Stanley Park, Rutledge feels Man Descending is a much more patient, intimate and mature album, despite recording it in just three days."
The songs "Alberta Breeze" and "San Sebastian" were written for "In The Fall:" - the album that Rutledge scrapped in 2006, and were rerecorded for Man Descending.
In 2009 Justin Rutledge took part in an interactive documentary series called City Sonic. The series, which featured 20 Toronto artists, had him reflecting on his time performing at the Cameron House.
The Early Widows (2010)
The Early Widows is Justin Rutledge's fourth album, released in May 2010 on Six Shooter Records. Justin wrote several songs with a single character in mind from author Michael Ondaatje's Novel Divisadero after collaborating with Ondaatje on a theatrical adaptation of the novel. Michael Onjaatje also co-wrote several of the songs receiving official credit for the single Be A Man.
The album is produced by Canadian singer-songwriter Hawksley Workman (also credited as a musician on the album) and also features Canadian singer-songwriter Oh Susanna.
Special
Justin Rutledge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a marker I stole from the drugstore
Well, I don't steal much, but sometimes I cave in
I put a picture of you on the dashboard
And I thought all night as I drove
Well, even St. Christopher needs some company sometimes
And the grocer thinks I'm lonely
And the crossing guard won't raise her sign for me
Blue is the color of a boy who misses you
The mailman thinks you're special
And the grocer thinks you're special
Everyone thinks you're special, and I do too
Blue is the color of a boy who misses you
In Justin Rutledge's song "Special," the lyrics explore themes of love, longing, and the feeling of being special to someone. The first two lines set the scene of the singer's actions as they write the name of their beloved on the subway with a stolen marker. This act suggests a desire to leave a lasting mark and symbolizes an attempt to keep the memory of the loved one close.
The following lines reveal the singer's vulnerability and admission that, while they don't typically engage in stealing, they sometimes succumb to their emotions. The act of stealing the marker becomes a metaphor for the singer's willingness to break the norm in their quest for connection and affection.
The second verse introduces the image of a picture on the dashboard, indicating a constant reminder of the loved one's presence. The mention of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, highlights the universal need for companionship, even for someone traditionally associated with guidance and protection.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's perception of the loved one as special, with lines like "The mailman thinks you're special" and "Everyone thinks you're special, and I do too." The repetition of the word "special" underscores the significance and uniqueness of the individual being addressed. The use of the color blue further emphasizes the singer's feelings of sadness, longing, and melancholy as they miss their beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I wrote your name on the subway
I couldn't resist expressing my affection for you publicly by writing your name on a subway wall
With a marker I stole from the drugstore
I impulsively took a marker I didn't pay for to leave this lasting mark for you
Well, I don't steal much, but sometimes I cave in
Although I generally don't engage in illegal activity, my feelings for you made me unable to resist this act of minor theft
I put a picture of you on the dashboard
To have you close to me while driving, I placed a photograph of you in a prominent spot on the car's dashboard
And I thought all night as I drove
During the entire drive, my mind was occupied with thoughts and reflections about you
Well, even St. Christopher needs some company sometimes
Just like the patron saint of travelers, even I, as a mere mortal, seek companionship and emotional connection on my journey
The mailman thinks I'm lonely
The mailman perceives my solitude and assumes that I am yearning for companionship
And the grocer thinks I'm lonely
The grocer also assumes that I am lonely and in need of someone to fill the void in my life
And the crossing guard won't raise her sign for me
Even the crossing guard, who typically assists everyone, seems reluctant to acknowledge or help me because of my apparent loneliness
Blue is the color of a boy who misses you
The feeling of missing you has consumed me to the extent that I've become enveloped in a melancholic and blue state
The mailman thinks you're special
The mailman recognizes your significance and uniqueness in my life
And the grocer thinks you're special
The grocer also acknowledges your special place and importance in my heart
Everyone thinks you're special, and I do too
Not only do others perceive your exceptional qualities, but I am also fully aware and appreciate the specialness that resides within you
Blue is the color of a boy who misses you
The persistent longing and absence of your presence has left me in a constant state of sadness and yearning
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Justin Rutledge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cinderellsworth
Justin, I have just discovered your music through Spotify. This is my kind of music. There is one in particular that has me "hooked" but good...."Chains". Comments are disabled on that song here on YouTube, so I came here to tell you how much I love that song. The total despair of the not only the lyrics but the instrumentals is something my soul finds oddly comforting. I have Chains playing in the background on repeat as I type this. Just wanted to let you know you've gained a new fan who's sharing your music with everyone I can think of. Btw, Captives and Allisonville are my second and third favorites. Many blessings to you and your family. I hope you've faired well through the pandemic, et al. I understand how much the shut-downs have affected musicians. All my best from Idaho. 🌟💫💛 🌹
Nicole Bernard
Such a beautiful video. It really feels like home.
Robbie McQueen
BEAUTIFUL