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John Reilly Composer: Jay Clifford |
| Studio Recordings: | Jay Clifford solo home demo recording (uploaded to MySpace in 2006) |
| Releases: | unreleased |
| First Performance: | unknown |
| Song Information: | This song is named after John Reilly, who's name graces Charleston man hole covers. Jay was inspired to write this song during J,LC's busking days in 1994. Since it's inception, the song has only been performed a small handful of times in a concert setting, mainly for Dock Street performances (1996, 2002, and 2005), acoustic shows (2002), and Jay solo shows (2003, & 7/11/04). Jay says it's about an incident that took place in a church, but nobody can bring themselves to tell the whole story. |
| Mislabels: | John Reily / Johnny Reilly / Johnny Reily |
| Lyrical Interpretation: | jumplittlechildren.net - transcribed from Jay's demo. |
John Reilly where have you been?
You tote around your cardinal sin
It lies on the features of your face.
I think it was a year ago,
Shotgun still echoes down by the Mother of Our Saving Grace.
Adeline's not doing well.
She's damn sure that you went to hell, at least never coming back to this place.
Greet your moon like a man possessed.
Rumor was you couldn't get no rest.
Holds his hands to the heaven above, a sacrifice to the holy dove.
Bowed our heads as we heard the preacher say "let us pray."
John Reilly where have you been?
I thought I'd never see you again.
We pined for weeks for you at night.
The solitary whipper will, makes her nest in your copper still.
The brambles keep it out of site.
The town has built a dam across the river of time,
Thought it best to leave the past behind.
Boarded up the windows and the doors,
Just the same as any other chore.
We turned our backs where the preacher used to pray, and walked away.
John Reilly where have you been?
Your heart's like a fire pit.
Your angry eyes are full and blue (bullet blue?).
I knew and I knew you well.
I knew that I could never tell
Exactly what you would do.
The fields have corn have lost their row,
The river swells but it doesn't flow.
I won't remember but I can't forget,
Sunday morning about a year ago.
It's better if you just leave us as you came, just the same.
John Reilly, where will you go?