After many years spen… Read Full Bio ↴Scott Hirsch is an American singer-songwriter.
After many years spent as a steadfast and inventive collaborator—not only playing bass and producing four albums with Hiss Golden Messenger, but in large part forging that band’s sonic signature—multi-instrumentalist, recordist, and audio engineer Hirsch made a solo album called Blue Rider Songs.
The album features notable, and notably subtle, contributions from Jade Hendrix (harmony vocals); Thomas Heyman (pedal steel), Hirsch’s old bandmate in the San Francisco group the Court and Spark; and HGM stalwarts Phil Cook (organ and harmonica) and Matt Douglas (saxophones), among others.
The songs on the album emerged from various personal contexts: a year of near-constant touring with Hiss Golden Messenger in 2015; a move with his family from Brooklyn to Ojai, California, and the launch of his new Echo Magic West studio there; and above all, the process of making the self-titled Golden Gunn album with longtime musical partner M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger and their mutual friend Steve Gunn. Hirsch wrote much of the music on that album, and watching Taylor and Gunn set words and vocals to his instrumental productions proved the necessary catalyst to take his writing and recording into fresh territory under his own name. Hirsch even reinterprets Golden Gunn standout track “The Sun Comes up a Purple Diamond”.
The album title references Der Blaue Rieter, the short-lived German modernist art movement (1911-14) pioneered by painters Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, who were fascinated by color theory and synesthesia (for Kandinsky, blue was the color of spirituality, abstraction, and the eternal).
When You Were Old
Scott Hirsch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through the darkness
Through the night
What you said when you were old
In this wild country
On the road
On our way to gold
Lost time behind the moon
Spirits fill the air
I'm a fool for you
You were there in a summer dress
We were dreaming our dreams
Aim to the West
Dark horizon, black and blue
Hood ornaments
Am I losing you?
I'm a fool for you
We're on our way
On our way to gold
The lyrics of Scott Hirsch's song When You Were Old speaks of memories from the past and the hope for the future. It begins with the shining of an instant light which brings brightness through the darkness and night, symbolizing the hope that always exists even in the darkest times. The next line reveals a conversation with an older person in the wilderness, where they shared their wisdom of the world, referring to the phrase 'what you said when you were old.' The phrase represents an exploration of generational wisdom, where the singer appears to hold reverence for the insight and wisdom shared with them by an older person.
The next line, "We're on our way to gold," signifies hope, and the possibility of a better tomorrow as it suggests that the singers' journey is towards something positive. The line "Lost time behind the moon" is a reference to the past or nostalgia, where the singer is acknowledging that time has passed, and it's lost in the past, never to be recovered. The line "Spirits fill the air" is a metaphor, which might suggest that the person is surrounded by positive energy or higher power. The next lines are "I'm a fool for you," which suggests the singer's love or longing for someone, even if it might be an unrequited one.
The reference to the "summer dress" and "dreams" signify happy moments and memories that have been shared with someone close in the past. The line "Aim to the West" might suggest wanting to move forward, face new challenges, and make new memories. The line "Dark horizon, black and blue" is a metaphor for uncertain times, and the reference to "Hood ornaments" is imagery, representing the beauty or the things that can make life better, even when times are uncertain. The final lines, "We're on our way, on our way to gold" signify hope, that despite the uncertainties or challenges, the journey continues towards something positive.
Line by Line Meaning
Shine down, instant light
A bright illumination suddenly appears
Through the darkness
It cuts through the black of night
Through the night
It guides through midnight's plight
What you said when you were old
The wisdom you imparted in your later years
In this wild country
In the untamed and rugged terrain
On the road
During our journey
We're on our way
Our path is set
On our way to gold
Towards a prize that awaits us
Lost time behind the moon
Moments that have passed by, hidden from view
Spirits fill the air
A mystical energy permeates the atmosphere
I'm a fool for you
Emotionally attached to you, despite potential harm
You were there in a summer dress
You made a lasting impression in a beautiful garment
We were dreaming our dreams
We shared a common vision of our future
Aim to the West
Our goals point towards the setting sun
Dark horizon, black and blue
A menacing future looms on the horizon
Hood ornaments
Decorations on a vehicle, highlighting its beauty
Am I losing you?
Are our paths diverging, with separation inevitable?
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave
Written by: SCOTT HIRSCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind