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The Good Life star… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists with this name:
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The Good Life started out as a means for Tim Kasher to use a songwriting approach that differed from his other projects (namely, Cursive), but it didn’t take long for the solo project to become a band, and for that band to finally come into its own.
The Good Life’s sound has evolved from the refined, quiet pop of the first full-length, Novena on a Nocturn, to the moody hooks of 2002’s Black Out, to the sing-along anthems of divorce and disillusionment found on the recent Lovers Need Lawyers EP. The sum of these parts is found on Album of the Year.
Album of the Year brings all that is the sound of The Good Life to fruition – catchy, moody pop rock that fluctuates between the all-ages club and the smoky cabaret, right alongside sing-along crescendos that spin into cinematic bursts. In short, every song has a plan – every song is going someplace, and lyrically, going there will inevitably involve leaving, being left, or leaving in anticipation of being left. Kasher’s ability to cleverly turn an innocuous phrase into a malicious slur of ill will leaves you not knowing whether to laugh or cry, all the while giving you the distinct impression that you’ll be quoting him at some point down the road. With that said, could Album of the Year just as well be called Break-up Album of the Year? Maybe. But that would limit it to being compared only to other break-up albums, and, well, it can hold its own.
The follow-up to this year’s Lovers Need Lawyers EP features Tim Kasher, Stefanie Drootin, Ryan Fox, and Roger Lewis, as well as a guest vocal performance on "Inmates" from former The Good Life member Jiha Lee.
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The Good Life is also a recent Nels Cline live project based on the music of Ornette Colleman. The other band memebers are: Ben Goldberg on clarinet, John Dietrich on electric guitar, Trevor Dunn on electric bass and Scott Amendola on drums.
Leaving Omaha
The Good Life Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
waiting for a diploma
Lookin' 'round at my classmates,
ready to disown them.
My bags were packed, I was ready to leave,
for University-
I was moving up and out-
out of Omaha...
One night I was drinking alone,
so I drove out to Denver
to visit an old friend
who had settled down there.
I kept on driving all through the night
and threw up at dawn's early light-
sick on caffeine pills.
My friend, he escaped from Omaha...
I never will.
I had a lover once,
she was a nomad.
I would've followed her anywhere,
so we moved out to Portland.
She was selling baggage-
I bought all I could-
and that was all it took to make my escape.
Oh Omaha,
you never looked so good.
I am leaving.
I'm sailing away.
My time in Iowa was just a holiday.
I've gotta get back over that bridge
to the town were I live-
I guess that's where I'll stay.
Omaha
In "Leaving Omaha", The Good Life takes on a coming-of-age narrative that speaks of leaving home and never really being able to escape. The song begins with the singer attending his graduation ceremony from the Orpheum Theatre in Omaha, surrounded by his classmates whom he confesses he is ready to disown. His bags are packed, and he is moving up and out of Omaha, but as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the journey was to no avail.
In the second verse, the singer tells of reaching a point where he escapes; he drives to Denver to visit his friend, who had already left Omaha. He keeps driving all through the night, sickening with caffeine, and throwing up by the morning. He never escapes Omaha despite his efforts to leave.
The last verse introduces his lover, a nomad, and the two move out to Portland. He buys all the baggage that she is selling, and that's all it takes to make his escape. The singer mentions how Omaha never looked so good, and it is the escape that has made the town look alluring.
Overall, the song speaks to the experience of youth trying to escape their hometowns but inevitably returning to them. The song is a nostalgic ode to Omaha, celebrating its beauty and shortcomings.
Line by Line Meaning
On Stage at the Orpheum
Narrator sets the scene by telling us where he is
waiting for a diploma
Narrator is waiting for his diploma to be awarded
Lookin' 'round at my classmates,
Narrator is observing his classmates
ready to disown them.
Narrator had negative feelings towards his classmates
My bags were packed, I was ready to leave,
Narrator was prepared and eager to leave
for University-
Narrator was leaving for university
I was moving up and out-
Narrator felt he was moving forward in life
out of Omaha...
Narrator was leaving the city of Omaha
it didn't last
Narrator's excitement for leaving didn't last long
One night I was drinking alone,
Narrator describes the setting when he recalls the next experience
so I drove out to Denver
Narrator decided to drive to Denver
to visit an old friend
Narrator's reason for driving to Denver
who had settled down there.
Narrator's friend had made a home in Denver
I kept on driving all through the night
Narrator describes his actions of driving throughout the night
and threw up at dawn's early light-
Narrator felt ill and got sick early in the morning
sick on caffeine pills.
Narrator was possibly using stimulants to stay awake during his drive
My friend, he escaped from Omaha...
Narrator's friend was able to leave Omaha permanently
I never will.
Narrator implies he will never be able to escape Omaha
I had a lover once,
Narrator reflects on a past romantic relationship
she was a nomad.
Narrator describes his partner as someone who travels often
I would've followed her anywhere,
Narrator was willing to go anywhere for his partner
so we moved out to Portland.
Narrator and his partner moved to Portland together
She was selling baggage-
Narrator's partner was working in baggage sales
I bought all I could-
Narrator bought all the baggage he could to help his partner sell
and that was all it took to make my escape.
Narrator was able to leave Omaha with his partner
Oh Omaha,
Narrator addresses the city of Omaha
you never looked so good.
Narrator reflects on finding newfound appreciation for Omaha
I am leaving.
Narrator is leaving again
I'm sailing away.
Narrator is leaving via water transportation
My time in Iowa was just a holiday.
Narrator reflects on an experience that was only temporary
I've gotta get back over that bridge
Narrator is returning to a specific location
to the town were I live-
Narrator lives in a different town than Omaha
I guess that's where I'll stay.
Narrator seemingly plans to stay where he is
Omaha
Narrator mentions the city one last time
Contributed by Addison L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.