Songs: Ohia was largely a solo project for singer-songwriter Jason Molina (… Read Full Bio ↴Songs: Ohia was largely a solo project for singer-songwriter Jason Molina (December 30, 1973 – March 16, 2013). Critics and fans alike have found considerable difficulty in trying to define the band's sound, usually settling on more general labels such as indie rock and folk-rock. Most are quick to draw comparisons to Neil Young and Will Oldham, (the latter of which Molina has collaborated with, alongside Alasdair Roberts, as the Amalgamated Sons of Rest). Molina died aged 39 on March 16, 2013, in Indianapolis as a result of alcohol abuse-related organ failure. Henry Owings, a friend of the musician, published an article on his online music magazine Chunklet that said Molina had struggled with alcoholism for most of the decade leading up to his death.

Molina was born in Lorain, Ohio and attended Oberlin College. After playing bass guitar in various heavy metal bands in and around Cleveland, Ohio, Molina made the decision to become a solo artist, recruiting other musicians as needed. He made several home recordings under various names, including Songs: Albian, Songs: Radix, and Songs: Unitas, which he distributed himself at live performances. Molina's first release under the Songs: Ohia moniker came in 1996 as a single on Palace Records, Nor Cease Thou Never Now. This was followed by the 1997 full-length album Songs: Ohia (known among fans as the Black Album), released on the Bloomington, Indiana-based label Secretly Canadian, the label on which Molina has remained since. Though the band is still virtually unknown in the mainstream, 2002's Didn't It Rain garnered widespread critical acclaim with the indie community throughout the United States, and is arguably the group's most popular album. He also released Axxess and Ace and The Ghost both in 1999. 2000 saw the release of the "passionate" album The Lioness and the very sparse Ghost Tropic.

The release of Magnolia Electric Co. in 2003 marked a shift in direction for Songs: Ohia. Several major differences set this album apart from previous Songs: Ohia releases. Firstly, the album, recorded with renowned producer/engineer Steve Albini, is the most upbeat and straightforward rock album in the Songs: Ohia catalogue. Every song was recorded live in the studio with a full band. The album's sound draws heavily from the Southern rock and folk-rock of the 1960s and 70s, as well as, to some degree, Molina's heavy metal roots (British metal pioneers Black Sabbath are often cited as one of Jason Molina's biggest influences). For the first time, Magnolia Electric Co. sees Molina relinquishing vocal duties on two of the eight tracks; Lawrence Peters lends his voice to "The Old Black Hen", while fellow Secretly Canadian artist Scout Niblett takes over on "Peoria Lunch Box Blues" (both songs were written by Molina).

From 2003 on Molina buried the moniker Songs: Ohia, to go on under the name Magnolia Electric Co. which he used he for his full band records up until his death. Jason Molina died March 16th 2013 of natural causes at age 39.
http://www.last.fm/music/Magnolia+Electric+Co./+wiki

Goodnight Lover
Songs: Ohia Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You mistrusted what will bleed
What will not die will not leave
The heart was first in that line
Though it was under those conditions
We were free (x3)
Under those conditions
Of pain that would not leave
You were all i ever trusted

You're self made (x3)
You made it on hard work and risk
Hard work (x3)
How will i live without you
Without your customs
Of working and thinking action through
These days are obvious to you, budgetive
How selfish for time to conclude
What would be the day
For leaving to work it's charm on you
And i can tell by that look
You were thingking the same thing to
If this can't last just what can last (x2)
Then it's lights out after this kiss (x2)
Then time can't torment us (x2)
This will have to serve (x3)

Goodnight lover (x2)
Wherever you are (x3)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Songs: Ohia's "Goodnight Lover" appear to be a reflection on the end of a relationship. The singer of the song appears to be both heartbroken and somewhat in awe of their former lover. The title, "Goodnight Lover," suggests a finality to the situation, while the repetitions of phrases like "under those conditions" and "hard work" imply a sense of practicality and resignation. The singer seems to understand that the relationship ended for a reason and that it was likely for the best, but they still can't help but mourn the loss.

The first stanza contains some of the most enigmatic lines in the song: "You mistrusted what will bleed / What will not die will not leave / The heart was first in that line / Though it was under those conditions." It's difficult to say for certain what these lines mean, but they seem to imply a fear of vulnerability and a desire for self-protection. The singer may be suggesting that their ex-partner was afraid to open up and be vulnerable, which made it difficult for them to truly connect. The repetition of "under those conditions" in this stanza and elsewhere in the song implies that there were certain circumstances that made the relationship difficult, even untenable.

The second stanza seems to be a tribute to the ex-lover's work ethic and determination: "How will I live without you / Without your customs / Of working and thinking action through / These days are obvious to you, budgetive." The singer is clearly impressed by their ex-partner's ability to work hard and make things happen. However, there's a sense of sadness here as well, as if the singer is mourning the loss of that work ethic and determination in their own life. The final lines of the song are a gentle goodbye: "Goodnight lover / Wherever you are." The singer acknowledges that their former lover has moved on and that they must do the same.

Line by Line Meaning

You mistrusted what will bleed
You didn't trust things that were vulnerable or could hurt you

What will not die will not leave
Things that are strong and resilient will stay with you

The heart was first in that line
The most important thing was the heart and its place in the situation

Though it was under those conditions
Despite the difficult circumstances

We were free (x3)
We were free despite the pain and difficulties

You were all i ever trusted
You were the only one I relied on and trusted

You're self made (x3)
You built yourself up through hard work and taking risks

How will i live without you
I don't know how I'll manage if you're not here

Without your customs
Without the way you do things and approach life

Of working and thinking action through
Of being deliberate and thoughtful in your actions

These days are obvious to you, budgetive
These days are clear and focused for you