Oh Susanna was the recording name of Canadian-American alt-country musician… Read Full Bio ↴Oh Susanna was the recording name of Canadian-American alt-country musician Suzie Ungerleider (born in Northampton, MA, and raised in Vancouver) from 1995 to 2021. Performing under the name Oh Susanna, alluding to the classic American folk song "Oh! Susanna" to protect her privacy, Ungerleider announced in 2021 that she was retiring the Oh Susanna stage name after learning more about the complicated racial history of the song "Oh! Susanna".

Ungerleider played her first show under the name Oh Susanna at the Railway Club in Vancouver in July 1995, and released her first independent recording, a seven-song EP, in 1997. Around this time, she decided to relocate to Toronto after attending Blue Rodeo's Stardust Picnic festival. In 1999, she released her full-length debut, Johnstown, and toured Canada and the United States with fellow musicians Veda Hille and Kinnie Starr, in what they dubbed the "Scrappy Bitch Tour".

At the 19th Genie Awards in 1999, she won the Genie Award for Best Original Song, for her song "River Blue" from the film The Fishing Trip. She subsequently released eight more recordings, Sleepy Little Sailor (2001), Oh Susanna (2003), Short Stories (2007), Soon the Birds (2011), Namedropper (2014), A Girl in Teen City (2017), and Decemberly (2018) a holiday EP with Michael Johnston.

In 2021, she announced that she was retiring the Oh Susanna stage name after learning more about the complicated racial history of the song "Oh! Susanna". She is now releasing under her own name.

Discography:
Oh Susanna EP (1997)
Johnstown (1999)
Sleepy Little Sailor (2001)
Oh Susanna (2003)
Short Stories (2007)
Soon The Birds (2011)
Namedropper (2014)
A Girl in Teen City (2017)
Decemberly (2018) (with Michael Johnston)

Greyhound Bus
Oh Susanna Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Greyhound Bus
(S.Ungerleider)

I'm bound for the Greyhound Bus
I've got noone left to trust
Kiss my ass, eat my dust
I've got dreams I've gotta dream

So long to the whipping post
Hello to the golden coast
Hang my heart on a hitching post
Where they got clean air to breathe

When I was seventeen, I gave up my little girl
But she stills haunt my dream
In the pocket of my jeans I've got a picture torn and curled
I wonder if she's just like me

Twenty years on the line
Sweating tears just to make a dime
Punch the clock, it's quitting time
There's so much I've got to see

Maybe I will find my girl
My heart will be my messenger
It's wings are town, but man it's pure
And it beats inside of me

When I was seventeen, I gave up my little girl
But she stills haunt my dream
In the pocket of my jeans I've got a picture torn and curled
I wonder if she's just like me

Maybe I will find my girl
My heart will be my messenger

It's wings are town, but man it's pure
And it beats inside of me

Overall Meaning

The song "Greyhound Bus" by Oh Susanna tells the story of a person who is on board the Greyhound Bus, traveling to the West Coast. The singer is searching for something, perhaps a new life or a second chance, after feeling betrayed by those they once trusted. The opening lines suggest a sense of alienation and abandonment, as the singer indicates they've got "no one left to trust" and that they're leaving behind a "whipping post". However, despite this sense of heartbreak, the singer maintains a strong determination to pursue their dreams, regardless of the risks. The chorus echoes this resolve, emphasizing the singer's eagerness to explore the world and to follow their heart wherever it may lead.

The second verse contains a poignant memory from the singer's past; when they were seventeen, they had to give up their child for adoption. The torn and curled picture in their pocket serves as a reminder of the painful past, but also perhaps a glimmer of hope. The final verse returns to the singer's search for their heart's desire, which in this case is the possibility of finding their lost child. The heart is personified as a messenger with pure wings, implying that the singer's quest is driven by genuine intentions and a sense of decency.

The song overall captures the spirit of a person struggling with their past and present, yet still willing to push forward and seek out all that life has to offer. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is both haunted by their regrets and uplifted by their hope. The song is a testament to the human spirit's resilience, and is ultimately hopeful in its message.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm bound for the Greyhound Bus
I am traveling on the Greyhound Bus.

I've got no one left to trust
I do not have anyone that I trust anymore.

Kiss my ass, eat my dust
I am leaving behind people who have wronged me.

I've got dreams I've gotta dream
I have my own dreams and plans to pursue.

So long to the whipping post
I am leaving behind a difficult and oppressive situation.

Hello to the golden coast
I am moving to the west coast of the United States.

Hang my heart on a hitching post
I hope to find love and companionship in my new location.

Where they got clean air to breathe
The air quality is better where I am going.

When I was seventeen, I gave up my little girl
When I was young, I gave up my daughter for adoption.

But she stills haunt my dream
I still think about my daughter often.

In the pocket of my jeans I've got a picture torn and curled
I keep a picture of my daughter with me always.