Following the dissolution of Red House Painters after the tumultuous release of their last album Old Ramon, Kozelek released a handful of solo recordings before forming Sun Kil Moon in 2002. Their debut album, Ghosts of the Great Highway, was written entirely by Kozelek, and released by Jetset Records in 2003. It is an album centered around the theme of memory, connecting Kozelek's haunting memories with the true-life stories of deceased boxers, such as featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez and flyweight Pancho Villa. Kozelek's music with Sun Kil Moon spans genres such as the simple acoustic country-folk of "Glenn Tipton" to the heavy, Crazy Horse-esque rock of "Salvador Sanchez" and the light-hearted "Lily And Parrots," onto the fourteen minute psychedelic tour de force, "Duk Koo Kim" (another homage to a deceased boxer) and the beautiful and haunting "Gentle Moon" and "Carry Me Ohio." Kozelek's voice is now more flexible and less downcast than in his work with Red House Painters, resulting in a resonant and often beautiful album.
The band's follow-up Tiny Cities was released on November 1st 2005 on Kozelek's own Caldo Verde label. The album covers eleven songs by the indie/alternative group Modest Mouse and, in its sparse production and spare instrumentation, is more or less a solo work by Kozelek.
Kozelek is known for covering songs from bands not normally associated to his genre of slow, introspective music. They are more than traditional covers, as they are extensively re-worked and re-interpreted to the point that they are often not recognizable to the originals, and take on a different meaning despite the lyrics remaining intact word-for-word. Kozelek's 2000 solo debut Rock 'n' Roll Singer featured covers of songs by AC/DC and John Denver.
His solo 2001 follow-up, What's Next to the Moon was an entire album of AC/DC songs done in his typically languid, hypnotically melancholy acoustic style. Even further back, Songs For A Blue Guitar, the 1996 Red House Painters album, featured covers of Yes's Long Distance Runaround, Paul McCartney & Wings's Silly Love Songs and The Cars' "All Mixed Up". Tiny Cities is very much in this tradition, taking the often frenetic, noisy songs of Modest Mouse and transforming them into haunting, acoustic guitar-dominated midtempo ballads filled with a deep-seated, haunting melancholy.
Trucker's Atlas
Sun Kil Moon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to unload my head
I'm going to New York City
and that's in New York,friends
I'm going to Arizona
sex on the rocks all warm and red
and we bled
and the writing in stall said
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm going to get off scot-fucking-free
and we all did
This truckers atlas roads the ways
the freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road locomotive phone
I don't feel and it feels great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I do lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads
I'm going up
going over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot, well
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket
Start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
beeline you might drive three days
and three nights to the tip of Florida
Do you speak the lingo?
Oh No. No no
How far does your road?
Oh no, you don't know
I'm going to Colorado
to unload my head
I'm going to New York City
and that's in New York, friends
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm going to get off scot-fucking-free
And we all did
And the writing in the salt syas
We ride on out to the stars
I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
(c) baculaat-
In Sun Kil Moon's 'Trucker's Atlas,' the singer describes a journey across America, from Colorado to New York City to Arizona to Alaska and beyond. He seeks to 'unload' his head, perhaps indicating a desire to escape his thoughts and find some sense of inner peace. He notes the writing on the walls in a restroom stall that reads, "we write our maps in the stalls," suggesting that the traveler is not alone in his search for direction or guidance. The trucker's atlas acts as a guide for the journey, a source of both comfort and confusion. The roads it charts are unknown to the freeways and highways, and the traveler takes joy in the sense of freedom and disconnection from the world around him.
The lyrics paint a picture of a man searching for something in the vast expanse of America. Whether it's relief from the pressures of everyday life or a sense of connection to a higher power, the journey provides a sense of purpose and direction. The traveler speaks of crossing lines and selling his atlas, suggesting a willingness to break free from established paths and forge his own way. Ultimately, the song is about the transformative power of travel, the freedom of the open road, and the joy of the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going to Colorado
I need to travel to Colorado for a mental reset.
to unload my head
To alleviate my mind from stress and thoughts.
I'm going to New York City
I plan on visiting New York City for a change of pace.
and that's in New York, friends
Just a clarifying point for these lyrics.
I'm going to Arizona
I have a desire to spend time in Arizona.
sex on the rocks all warm and red
I plan on partaking in adult activities while there (in reference to a drink).
and we bled
A vague reference to a past experience.
and the writing in stall said
The graffiti in the bathroom stall read:
"we write our maps in the stalls"
We create our own paths and destinies.
I'm going up to Alaska
I want to visit Alaska for its beauty and freedom.
I'm going to get off scot-fucking-free
I want to experience ultimate liberation and consequence-free living.
and we all did
We achieved our desired goal.
This truckers atlas roads the ways
This road atlas is a resource for truck drivers who know the best routes.
the freeways and highways don't know
Truck drivers are more aware of the quickest and most efficient ways to travel.
The buzz from the bird on my dash
The radio chatter hooked up to my truck is keeping me alert and entertained.
Road locomotive phone
The radio in my truck that maintains communication with fellow truck drivers.
I don't feel and it feels great
Driving constantly is numbing my emotions, which provides relief.
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I got rid of my road atlas when I dropped off a shipment.
I do lines and I crossed roads
I use drugs and travel extensively.
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads
I've traveled on most of the major roads across the country.
I'm going up
I'm heading north.
going over to Montana
I plan on traveling to Montana.
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You have a road atlas that the truck drivers use.
You knew you were all hot, well
You were confident in your ability to navigate the roads.
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket
Perhaps you'll soon experience a mental breakdown or vehicle malfunction.
Start at the northwest corner
Begin your travels in the northwest part of the country.
Go down through California
Travel down the California coast.
beeline you might drive three days
If you travel non-stop, it could take three days to reach the destination.
and three nights to the tip of Florida
It could take three days and nights total travel time to reach Florida.
Do you speak the lingo?
Are you familiar with the language and culture of truck driving?
Oh No. No no
No, you are not familiar with it.
How far does your road?
What is the extent of your travels and experiences?
Oh no, you don't know
You do not have a clear answer to that question.
And the writing in the salt syas
And the graffiti in the restroom stall read:
We ride on out to the stars
We are forging our own destinies while on the open road.
I'm going to Arizona
Once again, I plan to visit Arizona.
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
I plan on having another (red) cocktail and being intimate with a partner (if applicable).
Contributed by Lila Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@yerwazup
I'm going to Colorado
To unload my head
I'm going to New York City
And that's in New York, friends
I'm going to Arizona
Sex on the rocks all warm and red
And we bled
[Verse 2]
And the writing in the stall said
"We write our maps in the stalls"
I'm going up to Alaska
I'm going to get off scot-fucking-free
And we all did
[Chorus X2]
This truckers atlas roads the ways
The freeways and highways don't know
The buzz from the bird on my dash
Road locomotive phone
[Verse 3]
I don't feel and I feel great
I sold my atlas by the freight stairs
I do lines and I crossed roads
I crossed the lines of all the great state roads
[Verse 4]
I'm going up
Going over to Montana
You got yourself a trucker's atlas
You knew you were all hot
Maybe you'll go and blow a gasket
You start at the northwest corner
Go down through California
Beeline you might drive three days
Three nights to the tip of Florida
[Verse 5]
Do you speak the lingo?
Oh, oh, no, no, no
How far does your road go?
@svix123
Hello everyone! It's September of 2013. I can hardly believe how much has happened since I uploaded this. I hope everyone that has been touched by this song is doing and well and finding happiness!
@redguitar69
During my divorce I came upon thus song while training in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains in New Mexico! It hit the spot...
@gustavogarciacasagrande8145
Hey, it's 2022 and I still listening this song here.
@beemelonhead1
Neither are better than the other.. both amazingly beautiful in their own ways
@mouth2548
^ important comment
@lemondom1548
Mark Kozelek has been one of my favorite musicians for a couple of years now.
I've learned his music for several months and can assure you this man has a gift.
Beautiful;
@glenlowfi
Been a fan of Mark and Red House Painters since the early 1990's and he's really hit his stride with this album of MM covers. Brock's writing and Mark's interpretations make a wonderful combination...wildly disparate but effective.
@razors98
But...but no "Da da-da da k dada pshh-pshh da k da da da"
@joesrarefinds4937
^^^^ accurate critique of this cover.
@GideonKSays
I lose track of how many times I can listen to this per day, but each time it does something to me that makes me feel a little better.