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.
The Light
Mason Jennings Lyrics
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Light is thrown by the setting sun
Speeds along this vast familiar
And silently crosses everyone
It's the light that's changing
It's the light that's changing
It's the light that's changing
Across the schoolyards, across the gardens
Across the chapels where lovers have leapt
Across the table in our old kitchen
Across the cities where our future slept
It's the light that's changing
It's the light that's changing
It's the light that's changing
It's only the light
What can I do to defy you?
Oh, what can I do to deny you?
'Cause I want no part of this breaking
This is a hurtful mistake you are making
And to me this love was true and shining
Oh, these years were real and defining
Please, please don't forget how much I meant to you
When, when you are redefined by someone new
Across what's left of these old places
Across the playgrounds where old friends play
Across the lines on familiar faces
Across the nothing that we say
It's the light that's breaking
It's the light that's breaking
It's the light that's breaking
It's only the light
The song “The Light” by Mason Jennings is a contemplative tune that explores the idea of transition and change. The first verse sets the scene of a sun setting, and how the light illuminates everything in its path. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the idea that “it’s the light that’s changing,” and how that simple shift can have a profound impact on our lives.
The second verse provides specific examples of the places that the light touches - schoolyards, gardens, chapels, kitchens, and cities. Hovering just below the surface is the subtext of a relationship falling apart, with the light emphasizing how everything is shifting and the singer feeling powerless to stop it. The third verse is a plea to the other person, a last-ditch effort to try and hold on to what they had, or at least to be remembered as someone important.
Overall, the song is a meditation on the inevitability of change and how it can disorient and hurt us. However, it also shows the beauty in that change, how the light can illuminate new possibilities and bring us to a different place.
Line by Line Meaning
And regardless in the evening
Even in the evening, when darkness falls
Light is thrown by the setting sun
The sun sets and produces light
Speeds along this vast familiar
The light spreads along a wide area
And silently crosses everyone
The light affects everyone without making any sound
It's the light that's changing
The light is in a state of flux
It's only the light
Nothing is changing except the light
Across the schoolyards, across the gardens
Light is present everywhere, including schools and gardens
Across the chapels where lovers have leapt
Even in places popular with lovers, the light still shines
Across the table in our old kitchen
Light is found everywhere, even in places of nostalgia like an old kitchen table
Across the cities where our future slept
The light affects big cities where futures are made
What can I do to defy you?
What can be done to resist the impact of the changing light?
Oh, what can I do to deny you?
How can I pretend that the light isn't changing?
'Cause I want no part of this breaking
I don't want to be a part of this disruptive change
This is a hurtful mistake you are making
The change caused by the light is harmful and a mistake
And to me this love was true and shining
The love was once real and bright for me under this light
Oh, these years were real and defining
These years were important and have shaped us
Please, please don't forget how much I meant to you
Don't forget the love that we once shared
When, when you are redefined by someone new
When you move on to new love, don't forget the past
Across what's left of these old places
The light still shines on the remaining parts of our old lives
Across the playgrounds where old friends play
Even in places of nostalgia and memory, the light still shines
Across the lines on familiar faces
The light illuminates familiar faces in a new way
Across the nothing that we say
Even in silence, the light still shines
It's the light that's breaking
Now the light is breaking apart and changing everything
It's only the light
But ultimately only the light is responsible for what's happening
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mason Stewart Jennings
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind