Born in Hawaii, Jennings moved with his family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at an early age. Jennings learned to play guitar at the age of 13, when he began writing songs. Jennings later dropped out of school and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to pursue his musical career.
Jennings produced his self-titled debut album in 1997 on an analog four-track in the basement of a rented home, manning all instruments himself. In October 1998, after bringing drummer Chris Stock and bassist Robert Skoro on board, he began a weekly gig at Minneapolis' 400 Bar as the Mason Jennings Band. Garnering local praise and a wide fan base, Mason began touring nationally.
His 2000 album Birds Flying Away revealed Jennings' political activism and penchant for singing first-person narratives of imaginary rustic characters. Following the release of this album, Noah Levy took over drumming duties from Stock.
2002 saw the release of two albums: the studio piece Century Spring and a "fans only" collection of acoustic rarities, Simple Life. An EP supporting Century Spring was also released, featuring the album's opening track, "Living In The Moment," two live tracks, and the previously-unreleased "Emperor Ashoka." Jennings released all three discs -- and re-released his earlier albums -- on his homebrewed record label, Architect Records.
In 2003, Skoro and Levy left the band (the former to pursue a solo career), and were replaced by bassist Chris Morrissey (formerly of Bill Mike Band) and drummer Brian Mcleod.
On 10 February 2004, Jennings released Use Your Voice, which notably included the songs "Keepin' It Real," a foot-stomper ostensibly written at the request of Shrek 2 producers (but not used in the film), and "The Ballad of Paul and Sheila," an acoustic dirge for late Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone. On the 30th, September of that year, the band released a DVD entitled Use Your Van, which chronicled the recording of Use Your Voice and part of the promotional tour. The DVD was filmed by Andy Grund.
On June 17, 2005, news broke that Jennings had finally signed with a major label: Glacial Pace, a subsidiary of Sony's Epic Records headed by Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock. Minnesota's Star Tribune broke the story, and credited Brock with convincing Jennings to sign after the Mason Jennings Band had opened for several Modest Mouse shows in 2004. Jennings had long avoided the major labels, citing desires to maintain creative control and dodge big-label politics.
Jennings recorded his sixth album, "Boneclouds," at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, MN. The album was released on May 16, 2006 by Glacial Pace.
After considerable success on "Boneclouds", Jennings released his seventh full length album "In the Ever" in 2008. The album was released under Jack Johnson's "Brushfire Records".
In September 2009, Blood of Man was released on CD and vinyl format. In late 2010, Live at First Ave., his first ever live album, was released.
Godless
Mason Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Even as the helicopters come for me
My wife sleeps in her clothes in the corner
I'm looking down at the police on the street
We all woke on this planet together
With the earth below and the sky above
Answer me this, would you do the same
K-k-killed a man and now I'm on the run
K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run
K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run
Godless burning underneath the sun
K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run
K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run
K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run
Godless burning underneath the sun
Don't sleep in the light
(Let 'em come, let 'em come)
Don't sleep in the light
(Let 'em come, let 'em come)
Don't sleep in the light
(Let 'em come, let 'em come)
Don't sleep in the light
(Let 'em come)
The lyrics of Mason Jennings's song, "Godless," describe a scene of the singer being hunted down by the police after committing a crime. He represents himself as an unyielding person who cannot be conquered, despite the police helicopters hovering over him. Meanwhile, his wife prepares for the worst by sleeping in her clothes in a corner. The lyrics are preceded by a message of solidarity, that all humans share the same planet and live under the same sky. The singer then challenges listeners asking if they would take the same extreme measures he did, if someone were to rape the woman they loved.
The chorus, "K-k-killed a man, now I'm on the run. Godless burning underneath the sun," hints at a feeling of remorse amidst the chaos. He knows that what he did was unforgivable and now he is on the run without respite, feeling the burning guilt of his actions. The repeated line, "Don't sleep in the light, let 'em come," seems to suggest that he is mentally preparing for the inevitable.
Overall, the lyrics of "Godless" create a complex portrayal of a man whose actions are morally questionable, yet who displays an ultimately strong and unrelenting character.
Line by Line Meaning
This is not a conquering, I am not conquered
I am not submitting to any authority or force, and I am not being defeated either.
Even as the helicopters come for me
Despite the helicopters coming for me, I remain unyielding.
My wife sleeps in her clothes in the corner
My wife is fearful and hiding in the corner, dressed to escape if necessary.
I'm looking down at the police on the street
I am watching the police move on the street below from a higher vantage point.
We all woke on this planet together
Every human being found themselves on Earth without their choice or control.
With the earth below and the sky above
We share the Earth as our home and the sky as our common view.
Answer me this, would you do the same
I'm posing a thought experiment to challenge your beliefs.
If somebody raped the woman you love?
What if the person you loved most was a victim of a heinous crime?
K-k-killed a man and now I'm on the run
I'm being chased because of how I reacted to a violent attack.
Godless burning underneath the sun
I feel like an outcast from society and the surroundings seem hostile.
Don't sleep in the light
Don't be ignorant or idle, stay vigilant.
(Let 'em come, let 'em come)
Prepare for any challenge that may arise and stand your ground.
Don't sleep in the light
Pay attention to the situation you're in and take action accordingly.
(Let 'em come, let 'em come)
Be ready to face consequences but also don't let them push you around.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MASON STEWART JENNINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind