- The Tennessean
"He howls like a wildcat, shreds guitar and pounds a piano like a veteran of some long-forgotten honky-tonk war and writes songs with such grit you'd swear he is a cantankerous old man."
- The Knoxville Daily Times
When Rick Brantley opens his mouth, it is time to listen. Behind his thunderous voice, pounding piano, and pulsing rock guitar lies a vision, or, as Brantley puts it, a "battle cry." Expect to discover the heart of the human existence: the desperation and disillusionment, cynicism and longing, but also an inexhaustible hope. It’s as if he has developed a true artistic detachment that bleeds authenticity. It is hard to believe that the music and lungs responsible for this authentic 21st century "millennium rock n' roll" originates from such a young Georgia native, but Brantley sees his youth as an asset.
On stage, Brantley's youthful energy collides with his world-weary insight, creating an irresistible friction. Though his fiery music could certainly stand alone, it is the often-wistful lyrics that give Brantley's songs their dimension. He gives rock n' roll a conscience and an overwhelming sense of triumph and couples that with a belief that music must be more than just a soundtrack. In his own words, he views himself and his music as "a mouthpiece for many things: tolerance, freedom, love, hope, justice, peace...war...God's instrument to change this world."
It seems Brantley has created the perfect balancing act. He combines Otis Redding's moan and Joe Cocker's growl with all the heart-pounding intensity of a breathless Bruce Springsteen. Add a horn section, a couple gospel background singers, and an unshakeable purpose, and you find yourself listening to Rick Brantley. It is the flickering human spirit standing up to the grit of reality.
www.rickbrantley.com
Half Mile Hill
Rick Brantley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eights years old
Standing on top
Of the world below
Me and my dad
Talking man to man
Suitcase packed
He was moving out
But I had my doubts
And I have them still
Up on half mile hill
You could see the ball field
Watch the cars go round the courthouse
See the sun go down
Where the streets lamps glow
On those chequerboard roads
Wishing I could fly like a cut string kite
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Is anybody listening?
Half mile hill
Seventeen
Tail end of summer
Angie and me
Kicking beer cans off the side
One last time
She was wildcat tough
I was scarecrow thin
We were thick as thieves till the bitter end
Trying to make time stand still
Up on half mile hill
You could see the ball field
Watch the cars go round the courthouse
See the sun go down
Where the streets lamps glow
On those chequerboard roads
Wishing we could fly like a cut string kite
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Is anybody listening?
Hey all you lovers and leavers
Stuck inbetweeners
Loners and stoners
Old drunks and dreamers
Rumbling, stumbling
All looking for something
Past that no trespassing sign
You could see the ball field
Watch the cars go round the courthouse
See the sun go down
Where the streets lamps glow
On those chequerboard roads
Wishing you could fly like a cut string kite
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Is anybody listening?
Oh, is anybody, anybody listening
Oh you better be listening
Up on half mile hill
The song "Half Mile Hill" by Rick Brantley has deep emotional lyrics that evoke a sense of nostalgia for the past. The song is about a location known as half mile hill, which seems to be a place of significance for the singer. In the first verse, Brantley sings about being eight years old and standing at the top of half mile hill with his dad. They were packing a suitcase because his dad was moving out, and Brantley couldn't help but have doubts about his parent's separation. However, his father told him it was no one's fault, leaving Brantley with mixed emotions.
The second verse takes place at age seventeen. Brantley is with a girl named Angie, and they're kicking beer cans off the side of half mile hill. They were thick as thieves until the bitter end, trying to make time stand still. The setting of the song, half mile hill, is a hilltop overlooking a small town with a ballfield, courthouse, and checkerboard roads. Brantley wishes he could fly like a cut string kite, tapping on the floor of heaven, wondering if anyone is listening. The final verse is a plea to everyone, from the lovers and leavers to the loners and stoners, to listen and see the beauty of half mile hill. It represents a moment frozen in time, and Brantley wants everyone to experience it.
Overall, the song captures the intense emotions and memories that a place can hold. Half mile hill represents a time in Brantley's life where he experienced both heartache and joy. It's a reflection on the complexity of life and how the world keeps moving forward, even though we wish to hold onto certain moments forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Half mile hill
The setting of the story, a hill that overlooks the town
Eights years old
The singer's age when he first stood on Half Mile Hill
Standing on top
The singer is physically standing on top of Half Mile Hill
Of the world below
The artist is looking out over the town from Half Mile Hill
Me and my dad
The artist's father is with him on Half Mile Hill
Talking man to man
The conversation between the singer and his father is a serious, adult one
Suitcase packed
The father is leaving and has packed his luggage
He was moving out
The father is leaving the family home
Said it's no one's fault
The father is stating that there is no one to blame for his leaving
But I had my doubts
The artist does not believe his father's explanation for leaving
And I have them still
The singer still has doubts about his father's departure
Up on half mile hill
Reinforcing the setting of the story - the events are taking place on Half Mile Hill
You could see the ball field
From Half Mile Hill, there is a view of the town's baseball field
Watch the cars go round the courthouse
There is a road around the courthouse that can be viewed from Half Mile Hill
See the sun go down
Half Mile Hill provides a good vantage point to watch the sunset
Where the streets lamps glow
When viewed from Half Mile Hill, it is possible to see the town's street lamps at night
On those chequerboard roads
The roads in the town are perfectly straight and can be seen in a grid pattern from Half Mile Hill
Wishing I could fly like a cut string kite
The singer feels a sense of freedom and a desire to escape his current situation
Tapping on the floor of heaven
The singer is looking for a deeper connection to something greater than himself
Is anybody listening?
The artist is looking for someone to hear his thoughts and feelings
Half mile hill
Reinforcing the setting of the story - the events are taking place on Half Mile Hill
Seventeen
The artist's age during the second part of the story
Tail end of summer
The time of year when the event takes place
Angie and me
The artist is with a girl named Angie
Kicking beer cans off the side
The singer and Angie are being carefree and mischievous
One last time
The singer and Angie won't be able to do this again
She was wildcat tough
Angie was a strong, determined person
I was scarecrow thin
The artist was thin and lanky
We were thick as thieves till the bitter end
The artist and Angie were very close, but their relationship ended unhappily
Trying to make time stand still
The singer wants to preserve this moment in time forever
Up on half mile hill
Reinforcing the setting of the story - the events are taking place on Half Mile Hill
Hey all you lovers and leavers
The artist is speaking to anyone who has ever loved and lost
Stuck inbetweeners
People caught between events or stages in life
Loners and stoners
People who are isolated or feel out of place
Old drunks and dreamers
People who have experienced life and have unfulfilled desires
Rumbling, stumbling
People who have difficulty moving forward in life
All looking for something
Everyone is searching for something in life
Past that no trespassing sign
There are obstacles in life that people are not supposed to overcome, but they try anyway
You could see the ball field
Reiteration of an earlier line - Half Mile Hill provides a view of the town's baseball field
Watch the cars go round the courthouse
Reiteration of an earlier line - there is a road around the courthouse that can be viewed from Half Mile Hill
See the sun go down
Reiteration of an earlier line - Half Mile Hill is a good place to watch the sunset
Where the streets lamps glow
Reiteration of an earlier line - Half Mile Hill provides a view of the town's street lamps at night
On those chequerboard roads
Reiteration of an earlier line - the roads in the town are straight and can be seen in a grid pattern from Half Mile Hill
Wishing you could fly like a cut string kite
Reiteration of an earlier line - people want to experience a sense of freedom and escape from their current situation
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Reiteration of an earlier line - people are searching for a connection to something greater than themselves
Tapping on the floor of heaven
Reiteration of an earlier line - people are looking for someone to hear their thoughts and feelings
Oh, is anybody, anybody listening
Reiteration of an earlier line - people want someone to hear their innermost thoughts and feelings
Oh you better be listening
A plea for someone to pay attention to what is happening in the world
Up on half mile hill
Reinforcement of the setting of the story and a way to bring the song to a close.
Contributed by Daniel H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.