A Georgia boy who grew up in Loganville, near Decatur, Brantley played piano as a child, but didn’t take music seriously until he was in his early 20’s. He explains, “I started writing songs in my head, and it took my interest in music to another level. I had to pick the piano back up so I could cut music to the ideas I heard in my head. Then I started playing guitar to broaden my horizons even more.” Almost immediately, he formed a three-piece band and began playing local coffee shops and bars, going through what he calls, “the typical post-high school lifestyle.” “I wasn’t interested in anything I was doing other than music, and I loved the wide-openness of my life.”
Recording on his laptop and playing the songs he was writing for his friends, Tim saw their genuinely excited reaction. “Two friends heard the songs, and even though we were all broke, they approached me and we pooled our money to buy a microphone and a recording console.” Now recording in earnest, Tim was gathering skill as a songwriter, taking his influences, like David Gray, Elton John, Hall & Oates, Wilco and Fleetwood Mac, and using them to shape his own style. “I grew up with a lot of 70’s rock,” Tim explains, “My mom used to play Carole King all the time. I naturally gravitate to that kind of sound; there’s a warmth and timelessness to it that I’ve always loved.”
As his name grew in and around the Atlanta area, the pieces began to fall into place for Tim. Entering a citywide battle of the bands in Atlanta, Tim and his band won, which earned them some much needed cash and the notoriety to begin playing bigger shows for an ever-increasing local audience. Recording continuously, Tim hooked up with local producer Russ T. Cobb (Avril Lavigne, Hot Hot Heat, MxPx) and the two recorded an album at Butch Walker’s studio in Atlanta. The songs sparked major interest from several labels and in the end, he chose to sign with Ben Goldman’s (Ben Folds Five, Fuel, Chevelle) newly formed, independent Blackledge Records label. “Working with Ben and Blackledge has given me the freedom to be myself and to make the music exactly the way I want to make it,” he declares.
That freedom allowed Tim to self-produce Goldtop Heights, as well the space to experiment while making it. He reflects, “There was a lot of trial and error that went into the album. The songwriting is far more detailed, and that was reflected in how I recorded. We recorded twenty-five songs, and I picked ten. I spent months on certain songs, refining them until I thought they were just right.” With Tim on piano, guitar and various percussion, Brent Kinney on guitar, Robbey Handly on bass and Guy Strauss on drums, the sound they got is a commanding and infectious one, modern in feel, while also hearkening back to the 70’s pop/rock that is embedded in his musical DNA. But as Tim says, “It’s a little grittier than I thought it was going to be in the beginning.”
From the opening notes of “Damage,” the album’s first single, one hears that combination of melodic irresistibility and lyrical incisiveness that are becoming Brantley’s hallmarks. “The song is about a friend of mine – more like a letter to a friend in need,” Tim notes, “But the vibe of it – ‘Joe Jackson meets The Greatest American Hero’ wraps up for me the way it felt standing around a radio when I was growing up.”
Indeed, that feeling of being a kid again is one that’s prevalent on Goldtop Heights. Tim explains, “’Goldtop Heights’ and ‘Northside’ are the album’s bookends and I based everything on the tone of those two songs. Part of it is nostalgic. It’s me seeing things through a kid’s eyes – in that way that everything is big and heightened when you’re a child.” It’s that sense of wonder that sweeps through the album, and with the resounding piano chords, shimmering guitars and the steady, yet propulsive rhythm section, it’s 40 minutes of modern pop rock nirvana, made wondrously alive and new again. Tim doesn’t just sing the songs – he inhabits them and lives them out, making his tales of growing up three dimensional in the most powerful of ways.
Tim is currently on the road, honing his live show playing both acoustic and with a band. “It’s gaining momentum,” Tim says. “With the band, we’re getting exciting – there’s a lot of off the cuff stuff that’s happening on stage. Being on the road all the time is something I’ve always wanted.” And on Goldtop Heights, Tim Brantley is playing his songs precisely the way he’s always wanted, creating a fully realized album that is the culmination of where he’s been and where he’s going, and one that is sure to win him the notoriety that is demanded by the depth and quality of his songs.
Bon Voyage
Tim Brantley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lyrics of Tim Brantley's song "Bon Voyage" speak about the difficulty of separating from someone who is important to you. The singer acknowledges that he could leave with the other person, but ultimately decides against it because he would miss them too much. However, he tells the other person to keep in touch if they ever have to leave. The song mentions a change in the weather and longer days, suggesting that the passing of time may be a factor in the decision to separate. The singer acknowledges that the other person's light is brighter than it used to be, and that they are someone he chooses to know and be with.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "good luck, bon voyage my friend", emphasizing the idea that the separation is not permanent and the hope for a future reunion. The singer admits that goodbyes are hard, and that tears have been shed, but ultimately wishes the other person well on their journey.
Overall, the lyrics of "Bon Voyage" convey a sense of bittersweetness in the face of separation, with the singer torn between wanting to stay with the other person and acknowledging that sometimes goodbyes are necessary.
Line by Line Meaning
If you ever choose to go i could go with you
I want you to know that I am always here for you and ready to take any journey with you.
we could just drive away
We can escape from this place and all the problems that it brings with it, by just driving away.
you know its just that id miss you too much
It's difficult for me to see you go because I will miss you a lot.
but if you ever leave if you have to leave keep in touch
Even if you have to leave, promise me that we will not lose touch and will always stay connected.
theres something in the air tonight a change in the weather
There's a vibe in the air which indicates that things are going to change soon.
the days become longer than they were not necessarily better
Time seems to be moving slowly and days seem to be longer than before, but that doesn't mean they are necessarily better.
heres enough but if i ever leave yeah if i need to leave keep in touch
I am content with where I am, but if I ever have to leave, I hope we can keep in touch and stay connected.
youre someone i choose to know to know and be with
You are not just anyone, you are someone special to me, someone I want to know and be with.
youre light is brighter than it was a new and improved you oh yeah
You have grown and become a better person, and your light shines even brighter than before.
dont you ever leave cause love dont grow on trees
Please don't ever leave me, because finding someone who loves you is not easy and love is precious.
theres something in the air tonight and tears on a tissue
There's a sense of sadness mixed with hope in the air tonight, and tears on a tissue reflect the emotions that we feel.
goodbyes are hard enough and were gonna miss you
Saying goodbye is never easy, and it's going to be hard for us to see you go.
good luck bon voyage my friend good luck see you in the end good luck goodbye my friend too bad we cant keep in touch
I wish you good luck on your journey, and hope to see you again at the end of it. Goodbye my friend, it's too bad we won't be able to keep in touch.
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.