Early life
LaMontagne was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 1973, one of six children raised by his mother. In his early teens he lived in Morgan, Utah, and was more interested in drawing images of Dungeons & Dragons than in his school work. After graduating from high school, LaMontagne moved to Lewiston, Maine, and found work in a shoe factory. LaMontagne also spent a significant amount of time in Wilton, Maine. Other sources state that by his teen years he was living in Maine, spending time in Turner and Buckfield.
Style
LaMontagne has a unique vocal style which he says is created by singing through his gut instead of through his nose. He cites Stephen Stills, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko as strong musical influences while critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley.[failed verification] A Rolling Stone review of his album Supernova referred to his voice as an "impeccably weathered tenor croon" and his phrasing as "marble-mouthed."
Awards
For his debut album, LaMontagne won four awards, including three Boston Music Awards (Best Male Singer-Songwriter, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year) and an XM Nation Music Award for Acoustic Rock Artist of the Year. LaMontagne has received a nomination from the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards for Best New Touring Artist, the BRIT Awards for International Breakthrough Act, the MOJO Awards for Best New Act, and was given the title of Best Voice in 2006 by Esquire.
In 2011, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs received two Grammy Award nominations, and they were awarded the Grammy for the Best Contemporary Folk Album for God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise.
Controversy
On July 23, 2014, during a show at the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids, Michigan, LaMontagne interrupted a song and walked off stage as a result of two fans talking during his concert, after having previously asked the audience to quiet down. The incident included yelling profanity at the couple before walking off stage. Once the couple was escorted away LaMontagne continued the concert.
On September 20, 2016, LaMontagne announced that he was canceling a September 22 show at the Bass Concert Hall at the University of Texas at Austin, due to Texas's recently implemented campus carry law.
Personal life
In 2009, LaMontagne paid $1.05 million for a 103-acre farm in Ashfield, Massachusetts, the former residence of U.S. Ambassador William C. Bullitt, where he lives with his wife, Sarah Sousa, and their two children in the farmhouse built in 1830. Sousa is a published poet via Red Mountain Press and their sons are budding artists. He refers to himself as a "very private person" and rarely gives interviews.
Back on the Mountain
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got to get back on the hill
With my dog-eyed country woman
She know how to cure my ill
Ain't it just like Adele
Go on and change your name
So now I got to call her Carmen
Give yourself over
And over again
And I'm tired of starting over
Yes, I think my days
Out on the run are coming to an end
Got to get back on the mountain
Got to get back on still
With a bourbon whiskey freezing
If you got time to kill
I got to get back on the river
I got to get back on the land
Get myself stoned
A little down home
Even if it's second hand
Give yourself over
And over again
And I'm tired of starting over
Guess I think my days
Out on the run are coming to an end
Got to get back on the mountain
Oh yeah
Got to get back on the hill
I got to get back on the mountain
Got to get back on the hill
The song "Back on the Mountain" by Ray LaMontagne expresses the singer's desire to return to simpler times and reconnect with nature. He yearns to escape the pressures of modern life and find solace in the mountains and hills with his country woman and his dog. LaMontagne likens his situation to that of Adele, who changed her name and identity, and to that of anyone who constantly feels the need to start over. He sings about wanting to give himself over to nature and the simplicity of life, and he knows that his days of running away from it all are coming to an end.
Throughout the song, LaMontagne repeats the phrase "Got to get back on the mountain" and "Got to get back on the hill," emphasizing his longing to return to the natural world. He also mentions bourbon whiskey and getting stoned, perhaps as a way to temporarily check out of reality and escape from the stresses of life. Ultimately, the song is a celebration of the beauty and healing power of nature and a reminder that sometimes the best way to find peace is to disconnect from the modern world and return to our roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Got to get back on the mountain
The singer needs to return to a simpler life, where he can find peace of mind on the mountain.
Got to get back on the hill
The singer yearns to reconnect with nature, possibly in a place where he once found solace.
With my dog-eyed country woman
The singer's significant other is a woman with a deep connection to nature, who understands his need to find himself there once again.
She know how to cure my ill
The woman understands the artist's struggles and knows how to help him find comfort and healing in nature.
Ain't it just like Adele
This line is a reference to someone who changed their name. The artist compares this to his own situation where he must now call someone by a different name.
Go on and change your name
The singer is faced with a change he must accept, but still loves the person just the same.
So now I got to call her Carmen
The singer is forced to use a new name for the person he loves, which may cause some discomfort or awkwardness.
Give yourself over
The artist is asking himself to surrender to the natural beauty of the world, and allow it to heal him.
And over again
This phrase emphasizes the artist's need to continually surrender himself to the natural world, as a way to find lasting healing.
And I'm tired of starting over
The artist has gone through many changes in his life, perhaps struggling to find a consistent source of comfort and stability.
Yes, I think my days
The singer acknowledges that his time spent running from his problems and searching for stability is coming to an end.
Out on the run are coming to an end
The artist feels that he is nearing a time in his life where he will be able to settle down, and find the peace and stability he has been looking for.
With a bourbon whiskey freezing
The singer desires to return to a place in nature where he can relax and enjoy his surroundings, even in cold weather.
If you got time to kill
The singer is inviting others to join him in nature, and enjoy its beauty and tranquility.
I got to get back on the river
The singer yearns to reconnect with the natural world, particularly the river where he can find peace and solitude.
I got to get back on the land
The artist desires to leave behind the pressures of modern society and return to a simpler, more natural way of living.
Get myself stoned
The artist is looking for an altered state of mind, induced through natural means such as spending time in nature.
A little down home
The singer is seeking solace in the familiar comforts of home, which he hopes to find in nature.
Even if it's second hand
The singer is willing to take whatever he can get, no matter how small or insignificant, if it means reconnecting with nature and finding peace within himself.
Oh yeah
This line is used to emphasize the artist's enthusiasm and passion for returning to the natural beauty of the world.
Writer(s): RAYCHARLES JACK LAMONTAGNE
Contributed by Isabella N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Magnolia Moonbloom 🌼
Thank you so much for posting this..I can't find the earlier albums anywhere..and my old cds are all scratched.
ScumbagTrav
I've got all of them! I'll keep posting them. Thanks for taking the time to comment. Will push me to keep posting! Have a great one!
Andluth
I can buff out those cds. PM me