On And On And On

Album: Blunderbuss (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • White told NME regarding this waltzing country tune: "It was the bassline I wanted it to feed off, this grooving bassline. It had such a jazzy feel to it when we started I was like, 'Wow, this is really taking off into another direction, it almost could be an eight-minute song.' It really got off on all the musicians, it really felt good to them."
  • White said to NME regarding the song's meaning: "There's this character who's jealous of inanimate objects, a rock and the moon and the sun, because they don't have to change, they don't have to alter what they are, they just are and that's it."
  • In most of White's songs, he gets to vocals right away, but this track has a 56-second intro, the longest of any song he's written.
  • Fats Kaplin, who played pedal steel on the track, told Uncut: "This song was one of the first we worked on doing the Blunderbuss sessions, without it being specific whether or not there would even be an album. He was just working on stuff. Jack went, 'Hey, let's start with steel guitar,' very impromptu. And because of that, and the way the organ sounds, it's a gentler song."

    "The cryptic lyrics could be interpreted in different ways, with a sense of not belonging, which runs through some of Jack stuff," he added. "Or that idea of being an outsider. The mysterious quality of it sums up a lot of aspects about Jack."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.