Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne (born June 18, 1973) is an American songwri… Read Full Bio ↴Raymond Charles Jack LaMontagne (born June 18, 1973) is an American songwriter, singer and musician. LaMontagne has released eight studio albums, Trouble, Till the Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain, God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise, Supernova, Ouroboros, Part of the Light, and Monovision. He was born in New Hampshire and was inspired to create music after hearing an album by Stephen Stills. Critics have compared LaMontagne's music to that of Otis Redding, The Band, Van Morrison, Nick Drake and Tim Buckley.

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.

Pick Up a Gun
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics

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Walk through the field
Sat in a tree
I love you
You don't love me

Pick up a gun
Shoot the TV
I want you

You don't want me

That's OK, I don't give a damn

Stood on a hill
Only to scream
I knew you
You never knew me

That's OK, nothings for free
Never want to see your face again
Never want to see your face again
Never want to see your face again

Got in my car
Drove down the street
I miss you
You don't miss me

Back in my room
Alone in the dark
Can't find you
I can't find me

That's OK, I can't feel a thing
That's OK, I can't feel a thing
Never want to see your face again
Never want to see your face again
Never want to see your face again

Never want to see your face again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ray LaMontagne's "Pick Up a Gun" are poignant and melancholic, describing a tumultuous relationship that has come to an end. The opening lines see the singer walking through a field and sitting in a tree, expressing their love for someone who doesn't love them back. The frustration and desperation of the situation are revealed in the next lines as the singer urges their love interest to pick up a gun and shoot the TV, an act that could symbolize the end of their relationship or the desire to escape from reality.

The following lines express the singer's acceptance of the situation, stating that they don't give a damn about the lack of love from their partner. The lyrics then move to a scene where the singer stands on a hill and screams, revealing that they knew their partner, but their partner didn't know them. The sense of disappointment and loss is palpable in these lines.

Despite the pain, the final lines of the song suggest that the singer is ready to move on. They drive down the street and express their missed feelings, though they know their partner doesn't miss them. The song ends with the singer alone in their room, unable to find themselves or their partner. However, the repetition of the phrase "never want to see your face again" suggests that they are ready to let go and move on.

Overall, "Pick Up a Gun" is a moving and relatable song that captures the ups and downs of a troubled relationship. It explores the emotions of love, rejection, and loss with raw honesty and vulnerability.

Line by Line Meaning

Walk through the field
Started a journey through a field

Sat in a tree
Took a moment to rest in a tree

I love you
Expressed love towards someone

You don't love me
Received no love in return

Pick up a gun
Suggested picking up a firearm

Shoot the TV
Shot at the TV in a fit of anger

I want you
Desired to be with someone

You don't want me
Was rejected by the other person

That's OK, I don't give a damn
Accepted the rejection and didn't care

Stood on a hill
Climbed up a hill to stand

Only to scream
Yelled out in frustration