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.
Roadhouse Girl
Ray LaMontagne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They ain't fit for a lady
Mama says the bar room
That's no place for a child
Annie takes to nine ball
Like a dog takes to lazy
She'll drive the boys crazy
She'll draw a fine line
She's a roadhouse girl
That's all I'm a-saying
After all
There ain't no law
Against you having a good time
A roadhouse girl
And I ain't complaining
She might be crass
Hard to please
But she's a good friend of mine
She got soft emotion, but she don't let it show none
She sure as hell won't let you know, son
Unless you take your time
I've seen the very best so far, she don't take no shine
To you at all
She'll just kick your ass at pinball and let you buy
The wine
She's a roadhouse girl
That's all I'm a-saying
After all
There ain't no law
Against you having a good time
She's a roadhouse girl
And I ain't complaining
She might be crass
Hard to please
But she's a good friend of mine
She's been thrown, one too many times
All the love that she has known
Is the hardest kind
Mama says that blue jeans
They ain't fit for a lady
Mama says the bar room
That's no place for a child
Annie takes to nine ball
Like a dog takes to lazy
She'll drive the boys crazy
She'll draw a fine line
She's a roadhouse girl
That's all I'm a-saying
After all
There ain't no law
Against you having a good time
Roadhouse girl
And I ain't complaining
She might be crass
Hard to please
But she's a good friend of mine
She might be crass
Hard to please
But she's a good friend of mine
"Roadhouse Girl" is a tribute to a woman who frequents bars and appreciates the game of nine-ball, a somewhat neglected pool game. The song highlights the dichotomy between the conservative standards expected of women and the unique characteristics of the roadhouse girl. The lyrics suggest that Annie, the roadhouse girl, is tough and skilled at nine-ball, making her a target of admiration and desire for the boys who frequent the bar.
Despite the social norms of the time, Annie is not afraid to be herself, even if she's a "crass" and "hard to please" friend to those who know her. The chorus points out that there's no law against having a good time, emphasizing that the roadhouse girl is an individual who's not afraid to live life to the fullest, regardless of expectations or judgements.
In conclusion, Ray LaMontagne's "Roadhouse Girl" is a tribute to an unconventional woman who lives life on her terms, despite social pressures and expectations. The song suggests that people should embrace their true selves and not be afraid to have a good time, even if it means going against conventional norms and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Mama says that blue jeans
According to her mother, a lady should not wear blue jeans
They ain't fit for a lady
Blue jeans are not suitable clothing for a woman
Mama says the bar room
Her mother believes that children should not be in a bar room
That's no place for a child
A bar is not an appropriate place for a young person to be in
Annie takes to nine ball
Annie is good at playing pool
Like a dog takes to lazy
Annie is really good at playing pool
She'll drive the boys crazy
The guys will really like her
She'll draw a fine line
She knows how to set boundaries
She's a roadhouse girl
She's a woman who spends time in bars
That's all I'm a-saying
That's the only thing I'm trying to say
After all
In the end
There ain't no law
There's no rule or regulation
Against you having a good time
Preventing you from enjoying yourself is not prohibited
And I ain't complaining
I have no problem with her being a roadhouse girl
She might be crass
She might be outspoken and have bad manners
Hard to please
It's not easy to satisfy her
But she's a good friend of mine
Despite her flaws, I value her friendship
She got soft emotion, but she don't let it show none
She has feelings, but she doesn't like to express them
She sure as hell won't let you know, son
She definitely won't tell you, my friend
Unless you take your time
Unless you invest time in getting to know her
I've seen the very best so far, she don't take no shine
I've seen a lot, but she's not impressed by anything
To you at all
To you, in particular
She'll just kick your ass at pinball and let you buy
She'll beat you at pinball and let you pay for the drinks
The wine
Wine or any other alcoholic beverage
She's been thrown, one too many times
She's been hurt many times
All the love that she has known
All the love she's experienced in her life
Is the hardest kind
It's not easy to love her
Contributed by Mason L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.