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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The Old Black Hen
Songs: Ohia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singing the Bad Luck Lullaby
Come right on in, it's midnight again
Time for the Bad Luck Lullaby
You know the one it's the same one you sung
When you wrote down the Revelations
Now sing it over the cradle of the child who's born next
Leave all the truth in so they know what comes next
Show how we're looking for it all of our lives
When I saw the Banner hanging over my door
I already knew who the party was for
All of my pain found a partner in that room
And the devil's tail swayed with the tune
Make that Black Record
Roll the tapes all night long
Make that Black Record
And we'll all sing along
Look down the long street
And see who's that crying
Tell them that every day I lived
I was trying to sing the Blues
The way I find them
The Old Black Hen by Songs: Ohia is a song that is shrouded in darkness, pain, and mystery. The lyrics suggest a deep sadness and a cry for help. The singer asks the Old Black Hen to come in and sing the Bad Luck Lullaby. This lullaby has been sung before and it seems to be a reminder of the dark and horrible times that the singer has gone through. The lyrics suggest that this lullaby has something to do with the Revelations, possibly the book of Revelations in the Bible, which is a book full of prophecies about the end of the world. The singer asks the Old Black Hen to leave all the truth in, so that the child who is born next will know what comes next. This suggests that the singer is warning the child of what is to come, possibly a reference to the end of the world.
The singer then goes on to talk about a Banner that was hanging over his door, which he already knew was a party for him. However, the party was not a happy one. All of his pain found a partner in that room, and the devil's tail swayed with the tune. This suggests that the singer is surrounded by darkness, and he's not sure if he can get out of it. He then talks about making a Black Record and rolling the tapes all night long, suggesting that he wants to capture the darkness and the pain in his music so that everyone can hear it. However, he also suggests that he's trying to sing the Blues, the way he finds them, which may suggest that he's still searching for the truth.
Line by Line Meaning
Old Black Hen is that you again
Referring to a common symbol of bad luck, acknowledging that misfortune is present
Singing the Bad Luck Lullaby
The sound of pain and sorrow is being communicated through a haunting melody
Come right on in, it's midnight again
Inviting the sorrow to fully envelop the surroundings, acknowledging the continuous presence of hardship
Time for the Bad Luck Lullaby
The recurrence of difficult times is inevitable, and the melody seems to mark these occasions as they arise
You know the one it's the same one you sung
The familiarity of the tune highlights the consistent experience of hardship
When you wrote down the Revelations
The lyrics of the song are steeped in religious allusions, invoking themes of apocalypse and revelation
Now sing it over the cradle of the child who's born next
The song is being imparted onto a new generation, passing down the lessons learned from hardship
Leave all the truth in so they know what comes next
The harsh realities of life should be communicated so that future generations may be prepared for them
Leave in the true love that they'll never find
Although love may be elusive, it's important to hold onto the idea of it as a source of hope
Show how we're looking for it all of our lives
Love, in all its forms, is a constant pursuit throughout the journey of life
When I saw the Banner hanging over my door
The metaphorical banner is a sign of celebration, but the singer knows that hardship is inevitable even amidst moments of happiness
I already knew who the party was for
Despite this knowledge, the artist continues to partake in life's festivities
All of my pain found a partner in that room
The singer is surrounded by people who can relate to the struggles that have been experienced
And the devil's tail swayed with the tune
The devil, representative of hardship, seems to be present even in times of celebration
Make that Black Record
The singer wishes to document the struggles experienced in a permanent and meaningful way
Roll the tapes all night long
The artist desires to fully capture the range of emotions and experiences through music
And we'll all sing along
Others are invited to join in the expression of pain and hardship through music
Look down the long street
Taking a moment to observe the journey that has been taken thus far
And see who's that crying
Observing others going through their own difficult experiences and empathizing with their pain
Tell them that every day I lived
Communicating that life is a struggle, but there's beauty in the experience of living through it
I was trying to sing the Blues
The music serves as a way to process and express the pain experienced in life
The way I find them
The artist's personal way of expressing the blues is unique and serves as a reflection of their individual experience
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jason Molina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind