Slaid Cleaves’ music is marked by both the quirky blend of isolated eccentricity and steely resilience of his Yankee upbringing and the weathered soul of Texas, the state he has called home for over a decade now. First registering on the national folk scene by winning the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk competition in 1992, Cleaves released his national debut No Angel Knows (Philo/Rounder) in 1997, following a string of self-released albums and many nights logged in folk clubs as both a performer and a soundman. Met with effusive critical praise, No Angel Knows was followed by Broke Down (Philo/Rounder) in 2000, which expanded his audience exponentially by virtue of its exceedingly well-crafted songs and rugged Gurf Morlix production. In addition to the title track, a Rod Picott collaboration that won Song of the Year at the Austin Music Awards in 2001, Broke Down featured a couple of interpretations of other writers’ songs prefiguring Slaid’s later work, including a poignant reading of fellow Austinite Karen Poston’s “Lydia.”
Following Broke Down came 2004’s Wishbones (Philo/Rounder), a richly detailed exploration of life’s darker corners where still a ray of hope somehow shines. Wishbones climbed to the top of the Americana Radio chart coming in at #1 for 2004 while Slaid toured relentlessly promoting the album. It was after the recording of Wishbones that Cleaves began to consider the endeavor that became Unsung. “Over the years,” Cleaves explains, “as I grew as a songwriter, my songs began to make up the bulk of my sets. But I continued to throw in the odd song by a hero or friend, both in my shows and on the records I made. I did that partly out of tribute to my influences, but also to give my set, or album, some context and some variety.” These are songs from the songwriter trenches – compositions Cleaves first heard at late-night song-swaps, open-mic nights, during downtime at recording sessions, and on modest self-released CDs. Thanks to the work of producers David Henry and Rod Picott (a long-time Cleaves cohort and fellow Mainer), the performances and backdrops on Unsung are as evocative and captivating as the songs themselves. Cleaves’ gifts as an interpreter are such that the line between singer and song vanish completely.
"Cleaves tells gorgeously compact stories in a voice packed with Texas trail dust." -- Entertainment Weekly
"...one of the finest singer-songwriters in Texas." -- Neil Strauss, The New York Times
One Good Year
Slaid Cleaves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like the day before
Same old skies of grey
Same empty bottles on the floor
Another year gone by
And I'm thinking once again
How can I take this losing hand
And somehow win
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
I'm burning oil
Engine's running rough
I drive from job to job
But it's never enough
I can't find the will
To just up and get away
Some kind of chains holding me down
To make me stay
Just give me one good year
It's a bitter wind
In your face every day
It's the little sins
That wear your soul away
When you start giving in
Where do the promises all go
Will your darkest hour
Write a blank check on your soul?
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
A good one can turn him around
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
Slaid Cleaves's song "One Good Year" is about the desperation one feels when they reach a point in their life where nothing seems to be going well. The song starts on New Year's Day, the beginning of a new year, which gives the sense of a new start or a fresh beginning. However, for the singer, it is just another day with the same old problems. He is surrounded by the same grey skies and empty bottles on the floor.
Throughout the song, the singer speaks about his struggles in life. He has been chasing grace, but it has not been easily found. He longs for just one good year to get his feet back on the ground. The singer is burning oil, and his engine is running rough, depicting the state of his life. The daily grind of driving from job to job wears him down, but he cannot find the will to leave. He feels chained to his current situation and unable to escape.
The tone of the song is somber and reflective, showcasing the struggles of the singer. The lyrics speak to the listener's desire for a fresh start or a new beginning, but it is not always easy to achieve. It takes resilience, determination, and a bit of good luck to get things moving in the right direction.
Line by Line Meaning
It's New Years Day
The start of a new year
Just like the day before
No change or improvement from yesterday
Same old skies of grey
Dull and gloomy weather
Same empty bottles on the floor
Continued drinking and disappointment
Another year gone by
Time is passing quickly
And I'm thinking once again
Reflecting on past failures
How can I take this losing hand
Difficulty in dealing with challenges
And somehow win
Striving for success despite challenges
Just give me one good year
Desperation for a positive change
To get my feet back on the ground
To regain stability and control
I've been chasing grace
Pursuing a better life
But grace ain't so easily found
Difficulties in achieving success
One bad hand can devil a man
Small setbacks can lead to big failures
Chase him and carry him down
Negative thoughts and actions can be overwhelming
I gotta get out of here
Need for a change of scenery or lifestyle
It's a bitter wind
Harsh reality of life
In your face every day
Constantly facing challenges
It's the little sins
Small mistakes that add up over time
That wear your soul away
Negative experiences that slowly break down your spirit
When you start giving in
Losing motivation and hope
Where do the promises all go
Doubting the future
Will your darkest hour
Moments of struggle and pain
Write a blank check on your soul?
Taking a toll on one's mental, emotional, and spiritual health
A good one can turn him around
A positive change can lead to success
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SLAID CLEAVES, STEVE BROOKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GeVaR
It's New Years Day
Just like the day before
Same old skies of grey
Same empty bottles on the floor
Another year gone by
And I'm thinking once again
How can I take this losing hand
And somehow win
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
I'm burning oil
Engine's running rough
I drive from job to job
But it's never enough
I can't find the will
To just up and get away
Some kind of chains holding me down
To make me stay
Just give me one good year
It's a bitter wind
In your face every day
It's the little sins
That wear your soul away
When you start giving in
Where do the promises all go
Will your darkest hour
Write a blank check on your soul?
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
A good one can turn him around
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
tinker3330
"I've been chasin' grace, but grace aint so easily found...." Awesome lyric!
Toddz Rodz
This song and album helped me get through more than a couple of exceptionally crappy years. Thanks Slaid!
guntotinmedic
Me too Todd’s, me too brother. I saw slaid live in Austin when I demob’ed from Iraq to ft Sam Houston in San Antonio, talked to him a lot in between sets, heard some of our conversation in still fighting the war. He is a damn cool dude.
ruthie
how did you know about this song/artist, was he on the radio ?
Martin Ian Goldberg
Extreme talent that's held up through the years; still one of my favorite albums of all time. The writing, interpretation, and execution are all top notch.
Gordon Baker
Slaid is one of the best lyricists I've ever found. This, and many other of his other songs, truly touch my soul.
GeVaR
It's New Years Day
Just like the day before
Same old skies of grey
Same empty bottles on the floor
Another year gone by
And I'm thinking once again
How can I take this losing hand
And somehow win
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
Chase him and carry him down
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
I'm burning oil
Engine's running rough
I drive from job to job
But it's never enough
I can't find the will
To just up and get away
Some kind of chains holding me down
To make me stay
Just give me one good year
It's a bitter wind
In your face every day
It's the little sins
That wear your soul away
When you start giving in
Where do the promises all go
Will your darkest hour
Write a blank check on your soul?
Just give me one good year
To get my feet back on the ground
I've been chasing grace
But grace ain't so easily found
One bad hand can devil a man
A good one can turn him around
I gotta get out of here
Just give me one good year
Erica H
Just discovered Slaid Cleaves when my local station here in Austin played "Wishbones". I cannot believe this man is not more well known, one listen and you can't stop.
Tiny purple fishes Runlaughingthruyourfingers
@ruthie yeah ruthie that’s how ya do it ! Like Slaid ? Try Gurf Morlix “One more second” “Madeline’s bones” so many more to peruse attentively.
ruthie
yeah i heard him on my local-small station too, punched in some lyrics to see who this was :)