Vic Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 - December 25, 2009) was a singer-songwrite… Read Full Bio ↴Vic Chesnutt (November 12, 1964 - December 25, 2009) was a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who lived in Athens, Georgia, United States.

Around 1985, Chesnutt moved to Athens and joined the band, The La-Di-Da's. After leaving that group he began performing solo on a regular basis at the 40 Watt Club; it was there that he was spotted by Michael Stipe of R.E.M.; Stipe produced Chesnutt's first two albums, Little (1990) and West of Rome (1991).

In 1992 Chesnutt was the subject of a PBS documentary, Speed Racer. He also had a small role in the 1996 Billy Bob Thornton movie Sling Blade which he later described self-mockingly as a poor performance.

In 1996, Chesnutt was exposed to a wider audience with the release of the tribute album Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation, the proceeds from which went to the Sweet Relief Fund. The album consisted of Chesnutt covers by famous musicians including Garbage, The Smashing Pumpkins (with Red Red Meat), Madonna, R.E.M. and Live.

He recorded several times with other groups and artists. Most notably he made two albums with fellow Athens, GA recording artist Widespread Panic, under the name of brute. Chesnutt's album The Salesman and Bernadette (1998) was recorded with alt-country group Lambchop as the backing band. The album Merriment was a collaborative effort between Chesnutt and Kelly and Nikki Keneipp, with Vic writing and singing the songs, and the Keneipps playing the music. The 2005 album Ghetto Bells features famed guitarist Bill Frisell, whom Chesnutt met in 2004 at the renowned Century of Song concert series at the German festival RuhrTriennale. Chesnutt's wife, Tina Chesnutt, frequently plays bass on his albums. His niece, and fellow songwriter, Liz Durrett also appeared on the Ghetto Bells album.

Chesnutt's first four albums were released on the independent Texas Hotel label. He then recorded About to Choke (1996) for Capitol, which was his first and only major record label recording. The Salesman and Bernadette (1998) was on PolyGram; Merriment (2000) was on the Backburner Records label; spinART was the label for the self performed and recorded Left to His Own Devices (2001). Vic then found a new home at the New West Records label, who have released two albums for him so far. In 2004 New West also re-released the early Texas Hotel recordings, including expanded liner notes and extra tracks.

In the winter of 2006, he recorded his newest album, North Star Deserter at the Hotel2Tango in Montreal. It was released on September 11, 2007 by Constellation Records. The record includes contributions from Constellation artists Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, as well as Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto. The album was produced by documentary filmmaker Jem Cohen. He also appeared as a guest musician on Cowboy Junkies' 2007 album Trinity Revisited, a 20th anniversary edition of their classic album The Trinity Session.

On Dec 25th 2009, Vic Chesnutt died after falling into a coma following a suicide attempt.

Official Website: Vic Chesnutt

Flying
Vic Chesnutt Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm flying
Across the ocean
And I'm soaring
Back home
To the place I was born
And probably raised.
And I'm flying
Across the mountains and valleys,

Back home to the one that I love so happily.

Can ya blame me for feeling homesick
'Cause I've been away such a very long long time
I served a while in the county jail
Five years for being hungry tired and poor

On and on

Yes I will follow
With your buttons and bows.

Overall Meaning

The song "Flying" by Vic Chesnutt is a reflective and introspective ballad about the longing for home and the yearning for a sense of belonging. The opening lines "I'm flying across the ocean, and I'm soaring back home, to the place I was born and probably raised" convey a strong sense of homesickness and the desire to return to one's roots. Chesnutt's voice is raw and emotional, adding to the intensity of the song's theme.

The second verse reveals more details as to why the singer is feeling homesick. He served five years in the county jail for being hungry, tired, and poor. This shows a strong sense of injustice and a system failing to provide for those in need. It also adds to the emotional intensity of the song and highlights the struggles faced by many.

The final lines "On and on, yes, I will follow, with your buttons and bows" are mysterious and may be interpreted in different ways. Perhaps it suggests the singer following someone who embodies the comfort of home, or the sense of belonging he is seeking.

Overall, "Flying" by Vic Chesnutt is a poignant and powerful song that captures the yearning for home and the sense of displacement and struggle that many experience.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm flying
I feel free and liberated.

Across the ocean
I'm currently traveling far away from home.

And I'm soaring
I'm having a great time and experiencing high emotions.

Back home
I'm on my way back to my place of origin.

To the place I was born
I'm returning to my birthplace.

And probably raised.
I also grew up there.

And I'm flying
I'm still experiencing a sense of freedom and excitement.

Across the mountains and valleys,
I'm going through different types of terrain on my journey back home.

Back home to the one that I love so happily.
I'm returning to my loved one, who makes me very happy.

Can ya blame me for feeling homesick
Do you blame me for missing my home?

'Cause I've been away such a very long long time
I've been away from home for a very extended period of time.