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.
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Incantation
Songs: Ohia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It spreads through the night
It spreads through the night
And the city's ending
Speak to me if we're near the bottom
Work it out with me
Work it out with me
Blood and the lightning hangs on the tracks and
It spreads through the night
It spreads through the night
To where the city's ending
An absent star
Worked it out with me
Worked it out with me
Spreads through the night
Spreads through the night
The song Incantation by Songs: Ohia is a haunting and poetic take on finding a way forward through tough times. From the outset, the power of movement is emphasized, as the sound of feet hitting the road becomes a metaphor for the spread of something through the night. The image of the city’s ending suggests that there is something beyond the current state of things that must be reached, and that this cannot be done alone. The call to “work it out” is repeated in each verse, indicating that it is not enough to keep moving forward without a companion to help bear the load.
The use of caution as a metaphorical moon hanging on the tracks is a clever way to remind the listener that every step forward comes with its own set of risks and difficulties that must be overcome. The blood and lightning that also “hangs on the tracks” suggests that this journey can be deadly serious, but that there is a kind of beauty and strength that comes with pressing on despite the danger. The final verse, with its “absent star,” adds a touch of forlorn loneliness to the song, reminding us that even with a companion on this journey, it can still feel like we are alone in the universe. Yet, despite the darkness that seems to pervade the song, there is an underlying sense of hope and determination that shines through, urging the listener to keep going even when the end of the road seems impossibly far away.
Line by Line Meaning
The sound of our feet against the road
We are walking on a road and the sound of our footsteps is spreading through the night.
It spreads through the night
The sound of our footsteps is spreading throughout the night.
It spreads through the night
The sound of our footsteps is continuing to spread throughout the night.
And the city's ending
We are nearing the edge of the city.
Speak to me if we're near the bottom
If we are approaching the end, talk to me.
Work it out with me
Let's figure it out together.
Work it out with me
Let's work on this together.
Caution, like the moon, hangs on the tracks
We need to be careful, as danger is present.
Blood and the lightning hangs on the tracks and
There is danger present on the tracks.
It spreads through the night
The danger present on the tracks is spreading throughout the night.
It spreads through the night
The danger present on the tracks continues to spread throughout the night.
To where the city's ending
The danger on the tracks is spreading towards the end of the city.
An absent star
There is a missing element.
Worked it out with me
We figured it out together.
Worked it out with me
We worked together to solve the issue.
Spreads through the night
The solution we found is spreading throughout the night.
Spreads through the night
The solution we found continues to spread throughout the night.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jason Molina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind