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.
Michael's Song
Mason Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
18 years from here if you go by the roads
Lived a man from Columbus, Ohio
He's been my father since a long time ago
He said, "I'll stay behind you"
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
And I remember days and days and days, spinnin' harmony
Christmas day spinnin' white oak park
All those brown bags of a dollars worth of candy
I saw him walk from a rap scene, then rap ever saw
He said, "I'll stay behind you"
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you till the day I die
I haven't seen ya much since I was 12 years old
I don't suppose I'll see ya much on the rest of the road
And you should know that I miss you often
I miss your lap as much as you miss your mother's
And I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you till the day I die
I wonder if you picture me as sings rider to the sea
Sometimes you wonder if I come out alive
Well, up jumped Dingo he was grinning like 'whatever'
I'm may stray far but I'll be back by five
He said I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you, son of mine
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you
I'll stay behind you till the day I die
The song "Michael's Song" by Mason Jennings is a heartfelt tribute to the singer's father. The song is set in the cold Midwestern state of Minnesota where the singer grew up. The lyrics depict memories of the singer's childhood days spent with his father. He remembers Christmas day at the White Oak Park, and the brown bags of dollar's worth of candy his father used to give him. The lyrics reveal that his father had been there for him since he was a young boy, and he had always promised to stand behind him no matter what. The singer admits he hasn't seen much of his father since he was 12 years old, but he still longs for the days when he'd sit on his father's lap.
The chorus of the song is a testament of his father's promise to stand by him throughout his life. Michael promises to "stay behind him" until the day he dies. Despite the distance and lost time, the singer still remembers his father's unwavering love and support, and it's clear that he still holds a special place in his heart.
Overall, "Michael's Song" is an emotional and touching tribute to a father who stood by his son through thick and thin. The lyrics reflect on the memories and the special bond shared between a father and son, depicting the importance of family, love, and support.
Line by Line Meaning
Up in the Midwestern cold Minnesota
The setting of the story is in the cold state of Minnesota in the Midwest region of the United States.
18 years from here if you go by the roads
It has been 18 years since the singer's father moved from Ohio to Minnesota if you take the route by road.
Lived a man from Columbus, Ohio
The father of the singer originally hailed from Columbus, Ohio.
He's been my father since a long time ago
The father of the singer has been his dad for a long time.
He said, "I'll stay behind you"
The singer's father promised to always support him in life and be there for him.
I'll stay behind you, I'll stay behind you, son of mine
This line reiterates the father's promise to always remain a guiding force for his son.
And I remember days and days and days, spinnin' harmony
The singer reminisces about the times he spent with his father, creating music together and enjoying each other's company.
Christmas day spinnin' white oak park
The singer recalls spending Christmas with his father at White Oak Park, presumably another moment of bonding.
All those brown bags of a dollars worth of candy
The bags of candy mentioned here symbolize the simple pleasures in the relationship between the singer and his father.
I saw him walk from a rap scene, then rap ever saw
The singer recalls a moment when his father walked away from a rap scene, never to return again.
I haven't seen ya much since I was 12 years old
The singer has not seen much of his father since he was 12 years old.
I don't suppose I'll see ya much on the rest of the road
The singer does not expect to see his father often in the future due to life circumstances.
And you should know that I miss you often
The singer expresses his emotions towards his father, telling him that he misses him a lot.
I miss your lap as much as you miss your mother's
The singer misses the comfort and warmth of his father's lap, as much as the father misses his own mother's lap from when he was young.
I wonder if you picture me as sings rider to the sea
The singer wonders if his father thinks of him as someone who takes great risks and could potentially end up in danger.
Sometimes you wonder if I come out alive
The singer believes that his father may worry about his wellbeing at times.
Well, up jumped Dingo he was grinning like 'whatever'
This line is a random moment of storytelling, with no direct relation to the overall theme of the song.
I'm may stray far but I'll be back by five
The singer reiterates his father's promise to always come back home and be there for his son.
I'll stay behind you, son of mine
This line once again emphasizes the father's commitment to be there for his son no matter what.
I'll stay behind you till the day I die
The father's promise to remain a guiding force for his son is solidified by assuring him that he will be there until his death.
Contributed by Nolan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.