With the wildfires in LA, I saw the recent evacuation warning in Agoura Hills and remembered an article about Jason selling his place there a few years back. I know he lives out in TN now, but I was curious so I found the listing for his old place (beautiful!) and noticed a few potential connections to the song:
“the hills on fire”
CA wildfires are common, maybe motivation for the move? Maybe the first time he experienced it was when he was 15 and he’s thinking back on it now?
“there’s a canyon where I’d hide…”
Based on Maps, it looks like his old house was in, or just to the north of, Triunfo Canyon
Goodbye Kanan
Kanan Rd. is the main road that the gated community (where his house was) sits on
This is probably my favorite track off their EP, and to date, the very last song they released. Reflecting back on this, if I’m right, could’ve been Jason’s way of saying goodbye to the LH-era of his life. The house sold in April of 2021 and this song came out later that year in November.
Definitely went down the rabbit hole the other night with the news about the wildfires but this makes the song all the more interesting and makes a nice closing track to the band if that’s what it was.
Great sleuthing! I love this interpretation of leaving Kanan Rd being metaphorical for the closing of the Lifehouse chapter of his work. It’s the last song they officially released, has the big-ending structure of Everything/Flight, an outstanding vocal performance, and the hopeful darkness of all their best songs. Lifehouse at its finest. If this is in fact the last thing they do as a band, this song feels like a meaningful conclusion. Since then, Øzwald has released several albums and Jason’s released two outstanding solo records with a very different sound than the GK EP.
You very well could be right about the fires too; what a tragic situation. Hope his family in LA is safe!
Oh my, I never thought it that way! Looking at the song as a goodbye to Lifehouse does bring different meaning to some of the lyrics.
“There’s a chance that this is just a dream
There’s a chance that this isn’t up to me”
He’s unsure of this is the reality he’s living in. There might be more factors in play, not just himself. Studio, band mates, financial etc. When ‘Windows’ happened could also be a factor. Hence, wanting to be closer with his wife
“Wasn’t your fault but the lines were blurred with bloodshot eyes
As the headlights left you hypnotized“
These lines are also interesting but I’m not sure what’s the intended meaning without figuring out first whom ‘you’ refers to
“There’s a canyon where I hide
It’s deep as it is wide
Like the chasm that I felt inside“
There are moments where he doesn’t feel the music choices, the studio decisions or whatever things at play are right. Feeling divisive — creatively unsatisfied thus hiding this different sound / creative path deep inside
“I don’t know where to begin
So I’ll start right at the end
Yeah, it’s goodbye, goodbye Kanan“
Best place to start is start anew. Thus no more Lifehouse, and onto new era of sound / style i.e Øzwald and Jason Wade
This is of course highly SPECULATIVE from me haha. Just thinking out loud here. @shawn really changed my perspective on the song. I always thought it’s farewell to his time in Kanan Rd
