In his own words (from his myspace page):
“For me it’s all about the SONG. I remember watching my father sitting at our dining room table for hours and hours with his pencil and pad crafting his songs; spending the time to find the perfect word, the perfect chord, the perfect melody. That really made an impression on me. When I write a song it really is a kind of science, an operation; but it isn’t mathematical or calculated, it is alive and breathing and moving. At the risk of sounding like a hippie on a soapbox, music is still powerful and holy and sacred to me. You can turn it into a product and a business, but you can’t start it that way. To me the genesis of a song has to be honest and unassuming. I truly believe that God hands me these gifts and it is my job to translate them as honestly as I can. You have to let a song be what it is. We can’t lose that. When I write songs, I like to focus on the fact that we are all the same and we are all just searching for answers and trying to make sense of everything. It's about exploring life and celebrating truth when you find it.”
Midland
Sean McConnell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pours a coffee cup and folds the linen
Just another here we go again day in Midland
She grabs the keys and the Marbole Reds
Off of the table next to her bed
They don't give a shit what the surgeon general says
Here in Midland
Time moves slow and disappears
Folks pass through and leave her here
Here in Midland
Jenny drives down to Joes bar and grill
She unlocks the door and turns on the till
No one to serve just time to kill here in Midland
She grabs an ashtray and pulls up a stool
Lights a cigarette turn on the news
Says what is this world coming to
Here in Midland
Day to day year to year
Time moves slow and disappears
Folks pass through and leave her here
Here in Midland
Jenny gets home at 3 a.m.
Pulls her pockets out and goes to bed
She'll get back up at half past ten
Here in Midland
Here in Midland
Round here in Midland
Round here in Midland
Round here in Midland
Round here in Midland
Round here in Midland
The song "Midland" by Sean McConnell is a reflection on the monotonous small-town life that the singer Jenny is living. She wakes up late, drinks coffee, and prepares for another day identical to the last one. The Marbole Reds signify her downfall – she is getting old and has developed a habit to cope with the boredom of her life in Midland. The lyrics speak to the dejection that grows within Jenny as time passes slowly in the small town. The lack of change or excitement in her life is palpable, and she is left with nothing to do but find solace in the familiarity of the bar and the cigarettes she smokes.
Jenny's life is static, with people leaving her as they pass through town, highlighting her loneliness. The song paints a vivid portrait of her life in Midland, where every day is routine, and she is stuck in a never-ending cycle with no prospects of getting out. Her routine is a reflection of the town's monotony, and the lyrics show that Midland is a place where nothing ever happens, and life goes on just the same. The song conveys a sense of hopelessness, and Sean McConnell gives a voice to those who are trapped in a place that they can't escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Jenny wakes up half past ten
Jenny sleeps in until 10:30am
Pours a coffee cup and folds the linen
She makes coffee and does household chores
Just another here we go again day in Midland
Her life is monotonous and lacks excitement in Midland
She grabs the keys and the Marbole Reds
She takes her keys and cigarettes
Off of the table next to her bed
She takes the items from her bedside table
They don't give a shit what the surgeon general says
People ignore health warnings in Midland
Here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Day to day year to year
Life in Midland is stagnant
Time moves slow and disappears
Time feels slow and uneventful in Midland
Folks pass through and leave her here
People come and go, but Jenny stays in Midland
Jenny drives down to Joes bar and grill
Jenny goes to work at a local bar
She unlocks the door and turns on the till
She opens the bar and prepares for customers
No one to serve just time to kill here in Midland
There are few customers, so she has time to waste
She grabs an ashtray and pulls up a stool
Jenny takes a break and smokes a cigarette
Lights a cigarette turn on the news
She watches TV while on her break
Says what is this world coming to
Jenny expresses disillusionment with the state of the world
Jenny gets home at 3 a.m.
Jenny stays up late after work
Pulls her pockets out and goes to bed
Jenny empties her pockets and goes to sleep
She'll get back up at half past ten
She will repeat her routine the next day
Round here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Round here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Round here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Round here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Round here in Midland
This is a repeated refrain throughout the song
Writer(s): Sean Mcconnell
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.