Peoria Lunch Box Blues
Songs: Ohia feat. Scout Niblett Lyrics
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I think a name you might choose is nobody's blues
You see when you are just a kid
They think you won't remember what they did
They think you won't remember, but you did
Then you learned how to say "everything you love
Tries to get away
Everything you love finally does
See how if fits right in there with heaven
The constellations and comiskey's lights
Two old friends in the night
Who always knew they would if they could
Meet one last time in the old neighborhood
Hey wait a minute things ain't looking that good
Its getting quiet and the light's getting dim
This ain't like no place I've ever been
What kind of trouble am I in?
Oh gwen, here they come again
It's nobody's blues
Here they come again
The lyrics of Songs: Ohia's "Peoria Lunch Box Blues" provide a unique insight into a person's internal struggles as they reflect on their past experiences. The song is essentially an ode to nostalgia and the realization that everything you love tries to get away from you. The song opens with a person wondering what their friend, Gwendolyn, would call the blues that they are experiencing. The singer then explains that the name of the blues they are facing is Nobody's Blues. The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness, abandonment, and disillusionment as the singer acknowledges that they were abandoned by those they loved and trusted.
The second part of the song presents the singer's observation of the sky, where they see the skyline and how it blends with heaven. The singer notices the constellations and the neighborhood lights, two old friends in the night who always knew that they would meet one last time in the old neighborhood. However, the singer's mood changes as things start falling apart. The streets become quiet, and the light's getting dim, which leads to anxiety and fear. The singer's mood reaches its peak as they realize that "Here they come again. It's nobody's blues."
The song is a melancholic reflection on the past by Jason Molina, the songwriter of Songs: Ohia. Molina was known for his poignant lyrics and insightful observations of the human condition, which he showcased in his other popular songs such as "Didn't It Rain" and "Farewell Transmission."
Line by Line Meaning
Gwendolyn I wonder what you'd've called them
The singer wonders what name his loved one, Gwendolyn, would give to his sad feelings about his childhood.
I think a name you might choose is nobody's blues
Gwendolyn might give these sad feelings a name that suggests no one can understand them fully, hence nobody's blues.
You see when you are just a kid
The singer explains that these painful childhood memories are rooted in his young age.
They think you won't remember what they did
Adults underestimate the memory capacity of children and presume they won't recall unpleasant things that happened to them.
They think you won't remember, but you did
The artist, contrary to the adults' assumptions, remembers the bad things that they hoped he wouldn't.
Then you learned how to say "everything you love
Tries to get away
Everything you love finally does"
As he grew older, the singer learned that everything he loves eventually leaves him.
"its finally looking good up there our skyline
See how if fits right in there with heaven"
Despite the sadness and loss in his life, the singer finds beauty in the city skyline, which he believes complements the beauty of heaven above.
The constellations and comiskey's lights
Two old friends in the night
Who always knew they would if they could
Meet one last time in the old neighborhood
The artist sees the stars and the lights of Comiskey Park as longtime friends who belonged together, despite the passage of time and the changes in their old neighborhood.
Hey wait a minute things ain't looking that good
Its getting quiet and the light's getting dim
This ain't like no place I've ever been
What kind of trouble am I in?
The artist suddenly becomes aware of a change in atmosphere, and he feels anxious and uneasy, unsure of what lies ahead.
Oh gwen, here they come again
It's nobody's blues
Here they come again
The artist faces the return of his unhappy memories, which he believes cannot be completely understood or shared by anyone else, including Gwen.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB.
Written by: Jason Molina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind