Gill plays the piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion. His piano stylings range from haunting, to upbeat, to mythic sounding. His music is full of heart, humor, personality and superb musicianship. He uses traditional instruments like banjos, ukuleles and accordions in non traditional ways. His solo compositions and performances are enhanced through the use of story telling, audience participation and even hand puppets and hand-made masks.
In 2008, Gill released his debut solo album entitled "Stuff".
In 2017, Gill released his second solo album entitled “Life in the Multiverse”
For more info visit the artist's website; http://www.zachgill.com/bio
Back In The Day
Zach Gill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was a single mom, raising my mom
With the money she made
Working in a beauty salon
Her husband was gone, and her plans got changed
Still she did the best she could
Back in the day
Cause it's her eyes, and she gets so far away
Your grand-daddy bought me that piano
After he came home from the war
You know the world keeps getting stranger
But I still feel the same
I love you now like I loved you then
Back in the day
I had a pair of kangaroos
Not the animals, but the tennis shoes
Kept my lunch money in a pocket on the side
I was convinced that the shoes made me jump high
I guess it was because of the name
Still I loved the idea just the same
Cause it's her eyes, and she gets so far away
Feels more like a dream
That's your daddy with a moustache
That's your mommy being free
You know the world keeps getting stranger
But I still feel the same
I love you now like I loved you then
Afgahn rugs and tapestries
Made from memories and dreams
Growing old or growing young
I'll hold you in my heart
(???)
Cause it's her eyes, and she gets so far away
She's talking at the floor
Your grand-daddy bought me that piano
After he came home from the war
You know the world keeps getting stranger
But I still feel the same
I love you now like I loved you then
You know I need you now like I needed you then
You know I love you now like I loved you then
Like I loved you
Back in the day
The song "Back in the Day" by Zach Gill reflects on the memories of his grandmother and his upbringing. The first verse, "Back in the day, like my grandma used to say, She was a single mom, raising my mom, With the money she made, working in a beauty salon," is a reflection on how hardworking his grandmother was, raising his mom alone and working to provide for her family. The chorus, "Cause it's her eyes, and she gets so far away, She's talking at the floor, You know the world keeps getting stranger, But I still feel the same, I love you now like I loved you then, Back in the day," suggests the nostalgia and love he has for his grandmother, despite being in the present where things have changed.
The second verse, "I had a pair of kangaroos, Not the animals, but the tennis shoes, Kept my lunch money in a pocket on the side, I was convinced that the shoes made me jump high," is a reflection on his childhood and his attachment to material possessions. However, the bridge talks about how his memories have become tangible through Afghan rugs and tapestries, made from memories and dreams, suggesting that his memories and attachments to objects carry deeper meanings. The song ends with, "You know I need you now like I needed you then, You know I love you now like I loved you then, Like I loved you, Back in the day," emphasizing the unchanging love between him and his grandmother.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the day, like my grandma used to say
In the past, as my grandmother would tell me
She was a single mom, raising my mom
My grandmother was a single mother raising my mother
With the money she made, working in a beauty salon
She earned money by working in a beauty salon
Her husband was gone, and her plans got changed
Her husband was absent, which disrupted her plans
Still she did the best she could, Back in the day
Nevertheless, she tried her hardest in those times
Cause it's her eyes, and she gets so far away
Her eyes glaze over, lost in memory
She's talking at the floor
She speaks softly, lost in thought
Your grand-daddy bought me that piano, After he came home from the war
Your grandfather gifted me that piano after returning from war
You know the world keeps getting stranger, But I still feel the same
The world changes, but my love remains constant
I love you now like I loved you then
My love for you never fades
I had a pair of kangaroos
I owned a type of tennis shoes called kangaroos
Not the animals, but the tennis shoes
To clarify, I mean the shoes
Kept my lunch money in a pocket on the side
I stored my lunch money in a pocket on the shoe's side
I was convinced that the shoes made me jump high
I believed the shoes boosted my jumping ability
I guess it was because of the name
I assume it was due to the name 'kangaroos'
Still I loved the idea just the same
Regardless, I adored the concept of the shoes
Feels more like a dream, That's your daddy with a moustache
It feels surreal, that's my father with a moustache
That's your mommy being free
That's your mother living freely
Afgahn rugs and tapestries, Made from memories and dreams
Afghan rugs and tapestries woven with memories and dreams
Growing old or growing young, I'll hold you in my heart
As I age, my love for you will remain eternal
(???)
Unclear or ambiguous line
You know I need you now like I needed you then
I still require you now as I did in the past
You know I love you now like I loved you then, Like I loved you
My love for you is the same as it was in the past
Back in the day
In the past
Contributed by Reagan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.