Season 1 of his television show, Sex, God, Rock 'n Roll, was filmed in Boulder, CO in the fall of 2008. It aired on HDNet in the US and Canada in late spring 2009 and has since been released on DVD.
Jonah
Stuart Davis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your father is a general
Benjamin's a murderer
Your sister is a sponge
Your mother is worker
Jonah, I ran into your mom
She isn't aging very well
Cause hiding pain is work, and your mother is a worker
Jonah, some thoughts about your sister
Her eyes are always closed
Ever since that day she's held a certain pose
It's not a coma, she's the opposite of numb
Some people soak pain up, and your sister is a sponge
And your mother is a worker
Jonah, I still see Ben
But if I bring your name up the conversation ends
Cause he loaned you the shotgun you took up to the cabin
Whatever people say, he only hears the words 'Benjamin's a murderer'
Your sister is a sponge, your mother is a worker
Jonah, Jonah, news about your dad
You thought he drank before
Now he drinks, his body is at war and his stomach's never full
Cause your father is a general, Benjamin's a murderer,
Your sister is a sponge your mother is a worker
Jonah, they gave me your goddamn dogs
I'm sick of what they do
They bark at everything until they see it isn't you
Cause the dogs are still expecting, your father is a general
Benjamin's a murderer, your sister is a sponge your mother is a worker
The lyrics to Stuart Davis's song "Jonah" explore the aftermath of a tragic event in the life of the eponymous character. Through the verses, we come to understand that Jonah has committed some sort of violent act that has left his family fractured and struggling to cope. The chorus, which repeats the same lines about the family members over and over again, reinforces the theme of their stagnancy and inability to move on from the trauma of Jonah's actions.
The opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, with the dogs still expecting Jonah's return as if nothing has changed. The list of family members and their descriptions that follow are haunting, with Jonah's father and Benjamin being generals and murderers respectively. This sets up a state of constant tension and unease, with Jonah's actions having an ongoing reverberating effect.
The second verse delves deeper into the experiences of Jonah's sister and mother. His sister seems to be in a state of emotional shock or trauma, with her eyes always closed and her body frozen in a pose. Meanwhile, his mother is struggling to cope with her pain, and her face shows the strain of her effort to keep it all together. The repetition of the phrase "your mother is a worker" highlights her unrelenting struggle to maintain a facade of normalcy.
The third verse speaks about Jonah's acquaintance Ben, who lent him the shotgun he used in the horrific event. It's clear that Ben is shunned by others due to his association with Jonah, and the only thing people think of when they hear his name is that he was somehow involved in the tragedy. The final lines of the song circle back to the beginning, with the mention of the dogs and the repetition of the chorus driving home the point that nothing has changed.
Overall, "Jonah" is a devastating examination of how a single action can have far-reaching consequences that forever alter the lives of everyone involved.
Line by Line Meaning
The dogs are still expecting
Despite your absence, Jonah, the dogs still wait hopefully for your return.
Your father is a general
Your father is a commanding figure with high expectations and strict rules.
Benjamin’s a murderer
Benjamin has been labeled a killer by many and his reputation precedes him in conversation.
Your sister is a sponge
Your sister seems to take on and soak up the pain and negativity of those around her.
Your mother is a worker
Your mother is a tireless individual who tries to hide any pain she feels in order to maintain a sense of order and control.
Jonah, I ran into your mom
I had an encounter with your mother and here are my observations about her.
She isn’t aging very well
I’ve noticed that she appears to be struggling and is not aging gracefully.
Sometimes I think her face is gonna burst
It seems like your mother is holding back intense emotions that may soon come to surface in a very dramatic way.
Cause hiding pain is work, and your mother is a worker
Your mother is constantly working hard to suppress any pain or negative emotions she might be feeling.
Jonah, some thoughts about your sister
I’ve been thinking about your sister and wanted to share my observations with you.
Her eyes are always closed
I’ve noticed that your sister seems to be closed off or disconnected from the world around her in some way.
Ever since that day she’s held a certain pose
Something happened that caused your sister to physically or emotionally develop a certain mannerism that she has held onto since.
It’s not a coma, she’s the opposite of numb
Your sister is not numb to the world or emotions, but rather she seems to be absorbing and reacting to everything around her in a very intense way.
Some people soak pain up, and your sister is a sponge
Your sister seems to be very empathetic and takes on the pain and emotions of those around her, even if it’s at her own expense.
Jonah, I still see Ben
I’ve been keeping in touch with Benjamin and he’s asked about you.
But if I bring your name up the conversation ends
The mention of your name seems to send conversation with Benjamin towards an uncomfortable silence.
Cause he loaned you the shotgun you took up to the cabin
There is tension between you and Benjamin because of an incident involving a shotgun that you borrowed from him and took to a cabin.
Whatever people say, he only hears the words ‘Benjamin’s a murderer’
Benjamin has been labeled with this identity by others, and it seems to be what he hears and focuses on most.
Jonah, Jonah, news about your dad
I have some news to share with you about your father.
You thought he drank before
Your father had a drinking problem before, but the situation has worsened.
Now he drinks, his body is at war and his stomach's never full
Your father has taken to drinking heavily and his health is suffering greatly as a result.
Jonah, they gave me your goddamn dogs
I’ve been given the responsibility of taking care of your dogs.
I’m sick of what they do
Your dogs’ behavior has become exhausting to deal with.
They bark at everything until they see it isn't you
Your dogs seem to be very attached to you and will loudly react to any new person or stimuli until they realize it’s not you.
Cause the dogs are still expecting, your father is a general, Benjamin's a murderer, your sister is a sponge, your mother is a worker
Even when you’re not around, the expectations and roles of those in your life remain the same, causing tension and difficulty for all involved.
Contributed by Avery L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Aezakmi
GOD DAMN IT FINALLY.
Backstory: My dad used to sing this song to me when I was around 1-4 and I still remember it. My dad went to this. He lived there. I remember him singing it to me and I couldn’t sleep so I decided to try and find the song again. God, to have him sing it to me one more time while I fall asleep.... but I’m older and wouldn’t it be weird? (Note: no my father didn’t pass away)
James O'Blivion
Wow, what a great story!
Glad If I could help you rediscover this marvelous song.
nasreal
Davis is one of my favorite artists and I love this song. I'd love to see someone like him with some actual talent out there on the national scene rather than what we currently have. Not that there aren't SOME good artists, but we could use more like Davis.
Steeelman29
You are the man Stuart! Has to be one of the greatest song writers no one ever heard of
RatatRatR
love this song
dtoddh
A classis from Stu. Master of the acoustic guitar.
Juunishi
Great song.
A.P. Hill
I've never lost someone to suicide but my foster brother is now at the end of his life. He's been mentally and physically handicapped his whole life and at this point they are just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible. I know about loss, but it doesn't make it any easier. I mean, he's at the point where, if he were an animal, a pet, you would have them put down, and that terrifies me. I mean, the specter of death is always there, but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with.
hubb2109
Damn quick capo change.
newgness
hey man. this is great song. read into a little deeper. its not just words blurted out