J.R. is said to have started dabbling in music when he was six and his mother mandated – as she did with his older and younger brothers – that he take piano lessons. A self-taught guitar and banjo player, J.R.’s fondness for old gospel hymns, bluesmen like Son House and R.L. Burnside, and artists like The Carter Family and Tom Waits, helped shape his sound, which has been described as “haunting stomp blues tempered with a touch of honey.”
Growing up the middle of three brothers, J.R.’s childhood developed in him a strong sense of home and yearning to return to it – despite being shot in the back by his blood brother with a BB gun – the pellet is still nestled comfortably behind his ribs to this day.
J.R. pulls from a constellation of sensory experiences “the smell of being in an apple orchard first thing in the morning, the sound of boots on old wood floorboards, the feeling of falling asleep to the hum of a fan in the summer, early autumn in the country” that inspire and inform his music.
With a musical style that adeptly toes the line between folky and sorrowful lullabies to dirty, grainy, blues-influenced songs, J.R.’s voice communicates a level of intimacy and passion that carries with it a quiet sense of loss, yearning, and wanting.
Performing on stage with a kick drum, high-hat, and guitar/banjo (as well as the occasional harmonica and kazoo) J.R.’s live shows are visually impressive – a powerful and dynamic display that showcases his musical and emotional range.
His songs speak of sorrow and hope, a longing for home, and, he says, “The more unsavory desires and wants in your life – those demons and devils that haunt you.” *
*taken from his website, The-Wildness.com.
Broken Land
The Bones of J.R. Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seeing your dreams
swing from tall trees
Quick to tarnishing
Sweeping the streets
Brooklyn you've changed on me
Brooklyn you've changed on me
I would set this sky on fire
If I was given the chance
But now how my heart it over flows
Cause I am feeling old
Cause I am feeling old
Oh what I give to start
Over and over again
I'd rather believe
You are on my side
Ignorance is my sweetest friend
Ignorance is my sweetest friend
Where are my friends
I hear them singing in the streets
Where are my lungs
I lost them between my sheets
Cause all the sweet memories
(All the sweet memories)
Bring on such misery
(Bring on such misery)
Brooklyn you've changed on me
(Brooklyn you've changed on me)
Brooklyn you've changed on me
The opening lines of The Bones of J.R. Jones's song Broken Land are quite cryptic and abstract. The use of the phrase "silver tongues to whips" is a metaphor that compares the harsh words people speak to the crack of an actual whip. The second line, "Seeing your dreams swing from tall trees" is a reference to the horrific history of lynching in America. The image of swinging dreams suggests people of color being hanged on trees, then being left to die. This could also be a commentary on gentrification, where people's dreams are uprooted and replaced by developments that prioritize profit over community.
The next lines "Quick to tarnishing, sweeping the streets" might be an allusion to the idea of scrubbing the gritty neighborhoods clean to fit the mold of the ideal "up-and-coming" urban environment. Brooklyn, a once rough-and-tumble borough, is now filled with trendy bars, coffee shops, and luxury condos. The phrase "Brooklyn you've changed on me" is repeated throughout the song, highlighting how the transformation of the city has left a bitter taste in the artist's mouth.
The lyrics also touch on themes of loneliness, aging, and the yearning for a fresh start. The line "Where are my friends, I hear them singing in the streets" could be an expression of nostalgia for the Brooklyn of the past when the artist had a circle of close companions. The final lines of the song, "All the sweet memories, bring on such misery", speak to the painful realization that the past can never be recaptured, and that trying to do so can only lead to further heartbreak and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Silver tongues to whips
Smooth talk can turn into a painful weapon
Seeing your dreams swing from tall trees
Witnessing hopes and aspirations being destroyed
Quick to tarnishing, sweeping the streets
Things can lose their shine very quickly and be forgotten
Brooklyn you've changed on me
The place he once knew and loved is no longer the same
Somewhere this sailor's romanced
The sailor may have experienced love in a distant land
I would set this sky on fire, If I was given the chance
He would do anything to change his current situation
But now how my heart it overflows, Cause I am feeling old
He feels overwhelmed and burdened by his emotions
Oh what I give to start over and over again
Wishing he could reset and have a fresh start in life
I'd rather believe you are on my side
Choosing to believe in a positive outcome
Ignorance is my sweetest friend
Preferring to be unaware of certain things in order to avoid pain
Where are my friends, I hear them singing in the streets
Feeling alone and disconnected from others
Where are my lungs, I lost them between my sheets
Lost the desire and motivation to pursue his dreams
Cause all the sweet memories (All the sweet memories), Bring on such misery (Bring on such misery)
Longing for the past only brings sadness and pain
Brooklyn you've changed on me (Brooklyn you've changed on me)
Reiterating that the place he once knew and loved is no longer the same
Contributed by Brayden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nolan
on Bless Your Soul
Oh, when all of your ghosts in your dark hollow
All them move to whats holy in you
Oh and Bless Your Soul
If your keeping time, aint hard if your blind
Just tap your feet to your prayers off beat
Oh and Bless Your Soul
Oh, Lord only knows
'Cause I, got all sorts of time
Yes I got all sorts of time
Oh, when all of your ghost in your dark hollow
All them move to whats holy in you
'Cuase your keeping time, aint hard if your blind
Just tap your feet of your prayers off beat
Oh and BLESS YOUR SOUL
Lord only knows
'Cause I, got all sorts of time
I got all sorts of time
Yes I got all sorts of time
Mel Menchini
on St. James' Bed
These are the lyrics to "St. James Infirmary" not "St. James's Bed". They're not even close. Literally the only thing they have in common is St. James.
Tonio Niémo
on Hearts Racing
Love this one... keep it simple, keep that melancholia...