Indie / Rock / Americana
Denton, Tx
Band Membe… Read Full Bio ↴Young and Brave
Indie / Rock / Americana
Denton, Tx
Band Members
Jon McKnight vox, acoustic & electric guitar
Sarah Lynn Fisher vox, keyboards
Matt Shasteen electric guitar, lap steel, banjo, melodica, Mellotron, synths, backing vox
Ian Mesey bass guitar, backing vox
Ramon Muzquiz drums / perc, backing vox
Influences:
Wilco, Ryan Adams, Jon Brion, Spoon, Velvet Underground, 70's era Bowie, post-Revolver Beatles, Koufax, Tori Amos, Black Keys, The Band, Motown
Say You Will
Young And Brave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As we lay in the tall grass where the shadows fell
Hiding from the children so they would not tell
We would stay there 'til her sister rang the evening bell
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these empty hours
Say you will come again tomorrow
The daughter of a captain on the rolling seas
She would stare across the water from the trees
Last time he was home he held her on his knees
And said, "The next time they would sail away just where they pleased"
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these lifeless sails
And stay until' my ships can find the sea
Jamaica was a sweet young one, I loved her true
She was a comfort and a mercy through and through
Hiding from this world together, next thing I knew
We had brought her things down to the bay, what could I do
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these sails
And we will sail until' our waters have run dry
In "Say You Will," Young And Brave tells the story of a lover's summer fling in Jamaica. The song's first verse describes the intimacy shared by the singer and his lover as they lay in tall grass, hiding from other children. The specific location of their encounter, Jamaica, is significant not only for its tropical paradise vibes but also as a symbol of the carefree, escapist lifestyle of their summer romance. The singer pleads with Jamaica to stay with him and help fill his empty hours, begging her to "say you will come again tomorrow."
The second verse shifts focus to Jamaica herself, revealing her as the daughter of a captain who spends much of her time staring out to sea, waiting for her father's return. Her father tells her that the next time he leaves, he'll sail wherever he pleases -- a detail that foreshadows the singer's own wanderlust and the fleeting nature of their relationship. The singer once again pleads with Jamaica to stay with him, to help him fill his "lifeless sails" until he can find a way to set sail with purpose.
Overall, "Say You Will" taps into the universal feelings of longing and desire that come with a temporary, fleeting affair. The singer is searching for a sense of purpose and direction, and Jamaica represents a brief period of escape from his day-to-day life. Yet, as much as he wants her to stay, he knows deep down that their relationship is ultimately unsustainable.
Line by Line Meaning
Jamaica was the lovely one, I played her well
I treated Jamaica as a game rather than a person
As we lay in the tall grass where the shadows fell
We found a hidden place to be together
Hiding from the children so they would not tell
We tried to keep our secret safe
We would stay there 'til her sister rang the evening bell
We only had a short time before we had to part ways
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these empty hours
Say you will come again tomorrow
I need Jamaica to alleviate my boredom and loneliness, and I hope she'll return tomorrow
The daughter of a captain on the rolling seas
She would stare across the water from the trees
Jamaica was the daughter of a sailor and loved to watch the sea
Last time he was home he held her on his knees
And said, "The next time they would sail away just where they pleased"
Jamaica's father told her they could sail anywhere they wanted on their next trip
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these lifeless sails
And stay until' my ships can find the sea
I need Jamaica to bring life to my purposeless life and wait with me until my opportunities arise
Jamaica was a sweet young one, I loved her true
She was a comfort and a mercy through and through
I loved Jamaica deeply and she was a source of comfort and kindness
Hiding from this world together, next thing I knew
We had brought her things down to the bay, what could I do
Jamaica and I tried to escape from reality together and we ended up at the bay
Jamaica, say you will
Help me find a way to fill these sails
And we will sail until' our waters have run dry
I need Jamaica to help me find purpose and together we will continue forward until we can't anymore
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACKSON BROWNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind