The band's debut self-titled album was released on April 3, 2012. The album's first single, "Ho Hey" reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
The Ho Hey Songfacts reports that Schultz and Fraites were originally based in New York and started collaborating in 2002 after Fraitesโ brother, Josh, who was also Schultzโs best friend died of an overdose. The pair began writing and performing to cope with their grief and they later relocated to Denver, where they met the classically trained Pekarek after advertising for a cellist.
Their self-titled debut album The Lumineers was released on April 3, 2012, on Dualtone Records.
Their second album, Cleopatra, was released in 2016.
The band's third album, titled III, was released on September 13, 2019 and debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200.
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Jimmy Sparks
The Lumineers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Said some things to wounded men they could not allow
When it came to talking, he was always on the run
Everyone knew what the man had done
Ooh he'll take you for a ride
Jimmy believed in the American way
A prison guard, he worked hard and made the minimum wage
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid
A baby boy but the mother had other reasons to live
She left the baby with a note on the bed ooh
It was a struggle just to cover the rent
His jail cut hours and hours little baby was sick
He needed money and he needed it quick, it was 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car
They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall
The waitress babysat the boy at the bar, oh no
After an hour Jimmy doubled his cash
He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed
He said they leave and then they always come back that's a fact
Out on the road they caught a stranger in the lights
His thumb was up and his son asked if the man was alright
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride 'cause its us or them
It was 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Twenty years gone and now the boy is a man
Broke Jimmy's habits got in mountains and mountains of debt
And now the sharks are coming back to collect oh oh
They stripped his jewelry and the boots of Jim's feet
They kick him out the car and said we'll give you a week
8 miles from home and only 18 degrees it was 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Could you spare my blood, damn my blood
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home
His graveyard shift ended and it was starting to snow
He sees an old man walking barefoot alone, it was 3AM
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes
But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice
No you don't ever give a hitcher a ride
'Cause it's us or them
'Cause it's me or him
It was 3AM
3AM
"Jimmy Sparks" is a narrative-driven song by The Lumineers that tells the story of a man named Jimmy Sparks and the challenges he faces in life. Jimmy is portrayed as someone who is always on the run and has a knack for getting himself into trouble. He goes into bars and says things that upset wounded men, portraying him as a troublemaker. Despite his flaws, Jimmy believes in the American way and works as a prison guard, finding his own version of freedom within the confines of his job.
The song delves into Jimmy's personal life, revealing that he loves a woman named Bonnie and they have a child together. However, Bonnie leaves the baby behind with a note on the bed, indicating that she has her own reasons for leaving. Jimmy struggles to make ends meet, as his low-paying job as a prison guard doesn't cover the rent. He becomes desperate when his baby gets sick, and he needs money quickly.
In his desperation, Jimmy takes his son to a gambling hall, leaving him with a waitress at the bar while he tries to win some money. Miraculously, he doubles his cash and takes his son and his winnings, leaving the dealer bemused. However, this momentary windfall is short-lived. Twenty years later, Jimmy's son has broken free from his father's habits but finds himself drowning in debt. The sharks, metaphorically representing his debt collectors, come to collect what he owes, leaving him with nothing.
In the closing scene, Jimmy's son, now a man working the graveyard shift, sees his father walking barefoot in the snow. Despite the tears in his eyes and the plea for help, the son speeds up and heeds his father's advice not to give a hitcher a ride. The song ends on a note of cold-heartedness and the realization that in a world where it's "us or them," survival often comes before compassion.
Overall, "Jimmy Sparks" is a poignant and gritty depiction of the struggles faced by individuals like Jimmy and his son, highlighting the sacrifices and difficult choices they make in a world weighted with hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Jimmy Sparks went into bars and opened up his mouth
Jimmy Sparks frequently went to bars and spoke freely, often saying things that angered or upset others
Said some things to wounded men they could not allow
He said things that wounded and offended others to an extent they couldn't tolerate
When it came to talking, he was always on the run
In conversations, he had a tendency to avoid staying in one place or sticking to one topic
Everyone knew what the man had done
The actions and behavior of Jimmy Sparks were widely known and recognized by everyone
Ooh he'll take you for a ride
He can manipulate or deceive you in some way
Jimmy believed in the American way
Jimmy had faith in the traditional values and principles associated with America
A prison guard, he worked hard and made the minimum wage
He worked diligently as a prison guard but earned only the minimum wage
He found his freedom like a man in a cage ooh
Despite having a job, he felt restricted and constrained in his own life
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid
Jimmy was in love with Bonnie and together they had a child
A baby boy but the mother had other reasons to live
However, Bonnie had different priorities and motivations in life
She left the baby with a note on the bed ooh
Bonnie abandoned the baby, leaving a note explaining her decision
It was a struggle just to cover the rent
It was difficult to earn enough money to pay for their living expenses
His jail cut hours and hours little baby was sick
Jimmy's work at the jail reduced his hours and their baby fell ill
He needed money and he needed it quick, it was 3AM
Desperate for money, he required a solution urgently, even at 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Expressing deep affection or concern for someone
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Can you offer assistance or support to ensure my survival or well-being
Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car
Jimmy woke his son, got him ready, and secured him in the car
They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall
They traveled away from town for an hour and discovered a place for gambling
The waitress babysat the boy at the bar, oh no
To gamble, Jimmy left his son under the care of a waitress at the bar, which was not ideal
After an hour Jimmy doubled his cash
Within an hour, Jimmy managed to double the money he had
He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed
He collected his winnings as well as his son, while the dealer found it amusing
He said they leave and then they always come back that's a fact
The dealer stated that people like Jimmy tend to return to gamble again after leaving
Out on the road they caught a stranger in the lights
While driving on the road, they noticed a stranger illuminated by the headlights
His thumb was up and his son asked if the man was alright
The hitchhiker had his thumb raised, and Jimmy's son inquired about his well-being
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride 'cause its us or them
Jimmy warned that giving a hitchhiker a ride puts them at risk, as it becomes a matter of self-preservation
It was 3AM
This event occurred at 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Expressing deep affection or concern for someone
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Can you offer assistance or support to ensure my survival or well-being
Twenty years gone and now the boy is a man
After two decades have passed, the boy has grown into a man
Broke Jimmy's habits got in mountains and mountains of debt
The son, having abandoned the destructive patterns of Jimmy, found himself deeply in debt
And now the sharks are coming back to collect oh oh
Now, those who lent money are returning to demand repayment
They stripped his jewelry and the boots of Jim's feet
They forcibly took away his jewelry and even his boots
They kick him out the car and said we'll give you a week
They ejected him from the car, stating he had only a week to fulfill his obligations
8 miles from home and only 18 degrees it was 3AM
He was left stranded, eight miles away from home, in extremely cold weather at 3AM
Oh my love, oh my love
Expressing deep affection or concern for someone
Could you spare my blood, damn my blood
Can you offer assistance or support to ensure my survival or well-being
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home
Jimmy's son is now attempting to return home
His graveyard shift ended and it was starting to snow
After finishing his overnight work shift, it began to snow
He sees an old man walking barefoot alone, it was 3AM
At 3AM, he notices an elderly man walking alone without shoes
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes
Jimmy's father gestured with his hands, tears streaming down his face
But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice
However, Jimmy's son chose to increase his speed, recalling the advice his father had given him
No you don't ever give a hitcher a ride
He decided not to offer a ride to the hitchhiker, adhering to his father's warning
'Cause it's us or them
Because it becomes a matter of self-preservation
'Cause it's me or him
Because it becomes a matter of self-preservation
It was 3AM
This event occurred at 3AM
Lyrics ยฉ Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jon Rey Abello
THEORIES AND EXPLANATIONS
This album was inspired by someone whom Wesley Schultz' family took care for for about 10 years. She is an alcoholic ever since they met her and she struggled with it for a very long time. The album centers around the dangers of alcoholism and how it affects everyone. Alcoholism is a disease.
The Sparks Family:
1st Gen: Frank + Donna = Gloria
2nd Gen: Gloria + Husband = Jimmy (from another's sperm)
3rd Gen: Jimmy + Bonnie = Junior
CHAPTER I: GLORIA
Track 1. โDonnaโ
Frank (died 1954) and Donna (died 1979) are Gloriaโs parents. In this MV, Donna and Frank is building the House of Sparks. We later on see how this house become a crucial symbol of the Sparks Family. Gloria is haunted by her past, as we can see when she looks at the picture of her parents, in the โGloriaโ MV. Gloria hates Donna. "Her mother never was one" It might be the main root of her alcoholism. "the truck's always made you worry." Family issues. Gloria hates her life, she โprays for a funeral" and _"sang it like hallelujahโ_. Question is, why did she take her clothes off outside their house?
Track 2. โLife in the Cityโ
Here, we see Gloriaโs biggest regret. It was New Yearโs eve. She did drugs, and was high. Sheโs outside drinking in a Manhattan bar. She meets a random guy, had sex with him, and voila, she conceived Jimmy. Back in their house, Gloria sees her husband already sleeping. We see a note saying that her husband came to the hospital to see his sick mother.
Question is what about the line โAnd I miss my dad and Cleopatra sitting on a phoneโ and why is there a stanza from โSleep on the Floorโ? Can this story possibly be connected to Lumineers' The Ballad of Cleopatra? Is Gloria's Husband the son of Cleopatra, the taxi driver? Wild theory. If it's true, it might be that the reason why Gloria's husband (Cleopatra's son) tries hard to keep his family whole is because he came from a broken one.
Track 3. โGloriaโ
The MV elaborates the dangers of being alcoholic โ domestic violence, bad parenting. Gloria is being a bad mother while raising baby Jimmy. Sheโs stubborn. She always fights with his husband. However, it is clear that her husband loves her, and is very understanding. She hits her husband with a bottle of alcohol. This may be a symbol that her alcoholism make her lose people in her life, as she left her husband, wounded. But the lyrics say that Gloria doesnโt want to wake up after getting drunk. She wants to die. However, she came back running to their house for Jimmy. Jimmy was almost her hope.
CHAPTER II: JUNIOR
Track 4. โIt Wasnโt Easy to be Happy For Youโ
Junior is product of a fucked up family. And of course, it wasn't easy to be happy. This MV is either a hallucination due to his loneliness, or a recollection of a happy memory he had with a girl that left her because "it want easy to be happy" for him... One difference of Junior from his family is he doesn't seem to drink, but he smokes.
Track 5. โLeader Of The Landslideโ
Junior is unlike Jimmy. He hates Jimmy being an alcoholic. We can assume that Jimmy was physically abusing Junior. As we saw when Jimmy was about to hit Junior, Junior was throwing self defense martial arts. Meaning Junior started to learn self defense as a coping mechanism from a possibly repetitive behavior. However, we saw a softer side of Jimmy at the start when theyโre about to bury the dog whoโs probably lived with them for a long time since that dog was there since the โDonnaโ MV. The dog is possible a symbol of Juniorโs Mother, Bonnie. When Junior was lying in bed, he saw vision of her mother. Later in โMy Cellโ MV, Jimmy also saw that same dog. Bonnie (or Gloria) might be the one Junior is referring to as the _"leader of landslide"_.
Track 6. โLeft For Denverโ
Bonnie left for Denver. So Junior is sad and at the same time curious why her mother left. He hates her mother leaving him with his father. He ended up burning the piano/keyboard that Gloria was playing before. Her mother, Bonnie, probably played that piano a lot too. โWhat did you know that I didnโt?โ While searching for answers, he found a gun in his fatherโs things. This might also be a reference to the Lumineers' _'Gun Song'_. Check it out.
CHAPTER III: JIMMY
Track 7. โMy Cellโ
In the start of video, Jimmy was having sex with the girl who entered his house at the latter part of โLeader of the Landslideโ MV. "The shark" entered the room hitting him hard. It turned out that the girl, Julie, is "only after the wallet" of Jimmy, probably for unpaid debt. While the girl is about to leave, Jimmy tried to stop the girl, which reminded him of his wife. Another woman left him helpless (First, Gloria, then Bonnie, then Julie). He also saw a vision of the dog.
Track 8. โJimmy Sparksโ
The lyrics explains it all. Jimmy was a prison guard so heโs used to being a tough man. This can also be an irony and a metaphor because the โMy Cellโ song talks about Jimmy being imprisoned by his emotions, by the past, or by his alcoholism. The lyrics explains how Jimmy actually tried to be a good father while Junior grew up. He struggled raising Junior alone. He even "gambled in bars" to pay for Juniorโs hospitalization. He incurred debt. Growing up, Jimmy advised Junior to "not let hitchers in the car" because itโs โus or themโ.
We see what happened to Jimmy after his encounter in 'My Cell' MV. "It was 3am."_ Jimmy is wounded while walking alone in the road. Parallels: that road again, where Gloria had an accident. โNow Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home, His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow, He sees an old man walking barefoot alone, His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice, No you don't ever give a hitcher a ride.โ
This reminded me of the lyrics in โDonnaโ โ โYou love to judge strangers' karmaโ
Track 9. "April"
Just Junior following Jimmy's advice. Lol.
Track 10. "Salt and The Sea"
The lyrics of this song equates alcohol to salt and the sea โ which are both regarded as cures for anything. When you read the lyrics, it's actually the alcohol speaking to Jimmy. "I'll be your friend in the daylight again, There we will be, like an old enemy". Again, alcoholism is a disease. And for someone with it, they think alcohol is the only answer to their problems. Alcohol is their only friend.
However, in the music video, we see the father and son in their home. At this point, Jimmy is exhausted from a long walk, and Jimmy just came from a bank robbery. Both hopeless and helpless. Except they had each other. Here, we see a parallel again from 'Gloria": the police coming into their place. But now Junior is the one running away instead of Gloria.
One thing I loved about the ending of this series is that: In contrast to the lyrics which portrays alcohol as Jimmy's friend, the video shows that in the end, Jimmy and Junior became each other's friend, last hope, saving grace, lifeline, or cure โ like salt and the sea. I'd like to think that they both realized this at that point.
Alcoholism creates a cycle difficult to break. It affects all the ones that love and care for you. The damage can go generations after generations. So help others, and help yourself. <3
Ieva M.
[Verse 1]
Jimmy Sparks went into bars and opened up his mouth
Said some things to wounded men that they could not allow
When it came to talking, he was always on the run
Everyone knew what the man had done
Oh, he'll take you for a ride
Jimmy believed in the American way
A prison guard, he worked hard and made the minimum wage
He found his freedom lockinโ men in a cage, oh
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid
A baby boy, but the mother had other reasons to live
She left the baby with a note on the bed, oh
It was a struggle just to cover the rent
His jail cut hours and now his little baby was sick
He needed money and he needed it quick
It was 3 AM
[Chorus]
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Verse 2]
Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car
They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall
The waitress babysat the boy at the bar, oh no
After an hour, Jimmy doubled his cash
He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed
He said they leave, but then they always come back, that's a fact
Out on the road, they caught a stranger in the lights
His thumb was up and his son asked if the man was alright
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride 'cause itโs us or them
It was 3 AM
[Chorus]
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Verse 3]
20 years gone and now the boy is a man
Broke Jimmy's habits, got in mountains and mountains of debt
And now the sharks are coming back to collect, oh-oh
They stripped his jewelry and the boots off Jim's feet
They kick him out of the car and say we'll give you a week
Eight miles from home and only 18 degrees
It was 3 AM
[Chorus]
Oh, my love, oh, my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Verse 4]
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home
His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow
He sees an old man walking barefoot alone
It was 3 AM
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes
But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice
No, you don't ever give a hitcher a ride โcause itโs us or them
'Cause itโs me or him
It was 3 AM, 3 AM
Tahmina Suzana
Jimmy Sparks went into bars and opened up his mouth
Said some things to wounded men that they could not allow
When it came to talking he was always on the run
Everyone knew what the man had done
Oh, he'll take you for a ride
Jimmy believed in the American way
A prison guard he worked hard and made the minimum wage
He found his freedom locking men in a cage
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid
A baby boy but the mother had other reasons to live
She left the baby with a note on the bed
It was a struggle just to cover the rent
His jail cut hours and now his little baby was sick
He needed money and he needed it quick
It was three AM
Oh my love oh my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car
They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall
The waitress babysat the boy at the bar
After an hour Jimmy doubled his cash
He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed
He said they leave but then they always come back
That's a fact
Out on the road they caught a stranger in the lights
His thumb was up and the son asked if the man was alright
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride
Cause it's us or them
It was three AM
Oh my love oh my love
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood
Twenty years gone and now the boy is a man
Old Jimmy's habits got him mountains and mountains of debt
And now the sharks are coming back to collect
They strip the jewelry and the boots off Jim's feet
They kick Him out of the car and say we'll give you a week
Eight miles from home and only eighteen degrees
It was three AM
Oh my love oh my love
Would you spare my blood, damn my blood
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home
His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow
He sees an old man walking barefoot alone
It was three AM
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes
But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice
No you don't ever give a hitcher a ride
'Cause it's us or them
'Cause it's me or him
It was three AM
Three AM
The Lumineers
What do you guys think about this chapter of The Sparks family?
Morgan Irosonna
I love it
Fearless heart87
It has been amazing so far, and one if the most moving albums ever!
Goof too goo
Hallo
Morgan Irosonna
I feel like leader of the landslide and Jimmy Sparks are just amazingly connected (outside of the connection between all the songs) both songs are like the philosophical contemplation and result of the choices of Donna, Jimmy and junior
Adriana Ugarte
Really really good!! I love it!!
Jon Rey Abello
THEORIES AND EXPLANATIONS
This album was inspired by someone whom Wesley Schultz' family took care for for about 10 years. She is an alcoholic ever since they met her and she struggled with it for a very long time. The album centers around the dangers of alcoholism and how it affects everyone. Alcoholism is a disease.
The Sparks Family:
1st Gen: Frank + Donna = Gloria
2nd Gen: Gloria + Husband = Jimmy (from another's sperm)
3rd Gen: Jimmy + Bonnie = Junior
CHAPTER I: GLORIA
Track 1. โDonnaโ
Frank (died 1954) and Donna (died 1979) are Gloriaโs parents. In this MV, Donna and Frank is building the House of Sparks. We later on see how this house become a crucial symbol of the Sparks Family. Gloria is haunted by her past, as we can see when she looks at the picture of her parents, in the โGloriaโ MV. Gloria hates Donna. "Her mother never was one" It might be the main root of her alcoholism. "the truck's always made you worry." Family issues. Gloria hates her life, she โprays for a funeral" and _"sang it like hallelujahโ_. Question is, why did she take her clothes off outside their house?
Track 2. โLife in the Cityโ
Here, we see Gloriaโs biggest regret. It was New Yearโs eve. She did drugs, and was high. Sheโs outside drinking in a Manhattan bar. She meets a random guy, had sex with him, and voila, she conceived Jimmy. Back in their house, Gloria sees her husband already sleeping. We see a note saying that her husband came to the hospital to see his sick mother.
Question is what about the line โAnd I miss my dad and Cleopatra sitting on a phoneโ and why is there a stanza from โSleep on the Floorโ? Can this story possibly be connected to Lumineers' The Ballad of Cleopatra? Is Gloria's Husband the son of Cleopatra, the taxi driver? Wild theory. If it's true, it might be that the reason why Gloria's husband (Cleopatra's son) tries hard to keep his family whole is because he came from a broken one.
Track 3. โGloriaโ
The MV elaborates the dangers of being alcoholic โ domestic violence, bad parenting. Gloria is being a bad mother while raising baby Jimmy. Sheโs stubborn. She always fights with his husband. However, it is clear that her husband loves her, and is very understanding. She hits her husband with a bottle of alcohol. This may be a symbol that her alcoholism make her lose people in her life, as she left her husband, wounded. But the lyrics say that Gloria doesnโt want to wake up after getting drunk. She wants to die. However, she came back running to their house for Jimmy. Jimmy was almost her hope.
CHAPTER II: JUNIOR
Track 4. โIt Wasnโt Easy to be Happy For Youโ
Junior is product of a fucked up family. And of course, it wasn't easy to be happy. This MV is either a hallucination due to his loneliness, or a recollection of a happy memory he had with a girl that left her because "it want easy to be happy" for him... One difference of Junior from his family is he doesn't seem to drink, but he smokes.
Track 5. โLeader Of The Landslideโ
Junior is unlike Jimmy. He hates Jimmy being an alcoholic. We can assume that Jimmy was physically abusing Junior. As we saw when Jimmy was about to hit Junior, Junior was throwing self defense martial arts. Meaning Junior started to learn self defense as a coping mechanism from a possibly repetitive behavior. However, we saw a softer side of Jimmy at the start when theyโre about to bury the dog whoโs probably lived with them for a long time since that dog was there since the โDonnaโ MV. The dog is possible a symbol of Juniorโs Mother, Bonnie. When Junior was lying in bed, he saw vision of her mother. Later in โMy Cellโ MV, Jimmy also saw that same dog. Bonnie (or Gloria) might be the one Junior is referring to as the _"leader of landslide"_.
Track 6. โLeft For Denverโ
Bonnie left for Denver. So Junior is sad and at the same time curious why her mother left. He hates her mother leaving him with his father. He ended up burning the piano/keyboard that Gloria was playing before. Her mother, Bonnie, probably played that piano a lot too. โWhat did you know that I didnโt?โ While searching for answers, he found a gun in his fatherโs things. This might also be a reference to the Lumineers' _'Gun Song'_. Check it out.
CHAPTER III: JIMMY
Track 7. โMy Cellโ
In the start of video, Jimmy was having sex with the girl who entered his house at the latter part of โLeader of the Landslideโ MV. "The shark" entered the room hitting him hard. It turned out that the girl, Julie, is "only after the wallet" of Jimmy, probably for unpaid debt. While the girl is about to leave, Jimmy tried to stop the girl, which reminded him of his wife. Another woman left him helpless (First, Gloria, then Bonnie, then Julie). He also saw a vision of the dog.
Track 8. โJimmy Sparksโ
The lyrics explains it all. Jimmy was a prison guard so heโs used to being a tough man. This can also be an irony and a metaphor because the โMy Cellโ song talks about Jimmy being imprisoned by his emotions, by the past, or by his alcoholism. The lyrics explains how Jimmy actually tried to be a good father while Junior grew up. He struggled raising Junior alone. He even "gambled in bars" to pay for Juniorโs hospitalization. He incurred debt. Growing up, Jimmy advised Junior to "not let hitchers in the car" because itโs โus or themโ.
We see what happened to Jimmy after his encounter in 'My Cell' MV. "It was 3am."_ Jimmy is wounded while walking alone in the road. Parallels: that road again, where Gloria had an accident. โNow Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home, His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow, He sees an old man walking barefoot alone, His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice, No you don't ever give a hitcher a ride.โ
This reminded me of the lyrics in โDonnaโ โ โYou love to judge strangers' karmaโ
Track 9. "April"
Just Junior following Jimmy's advice. Lol.
Track 10. "Salt and The Sea"
The lyrics of this song equates alcohol to salt and the sea โ which are both regarded as cures for anything. When you read the lyrics, it's actually the alcohol speaking to Jimmy. "I'll be your friend in the daylight again, There we will be, like an old enemy". Again, alcoholism is a disease. And for someone with it, they think alcohol is the only answer to their problems. Alcohol is their only friend.
However, in the music video, we see the father and son in their home. At this point, Jimmy is exhausted from a long walk, and Jimmy just came from a bank robbery. Both hopeless and helpless. Except they had each other. Here, we see a parallel again from 'Gloria": the police coming into their place. But now Junior is the one running away instead of Gloria.
One thing I loved about the ending of this series is that: In contrast to the lyrics which portrays alcohol as Jimmy's friend, the video shows that in the end, Jimmy and Junior became each other's friend, last hope, saving grace, lifeline, or cure โ like salt and the sea. I'd like to think that they both realized this at that point.
Alcoholism creates a cycle difficult to break. It affects all the ones that love and care for you. The damage can go generations after generations. So help others, and help yourself. <3
Kenia Castro
Wooow
Kie Vitness
that's heavy
Arunima Chatterjee
Woah that's damn heavy