Most known for his role as songwriter and lead singer of punk rock band Pennywise, Jim Lindberg has been making inspiring, shout-along skate punk anthems since the 1990s. Musically, he’s influenced by an array of genres from early Hermosa Beach melodic hardcore to the PMA influenced sounds of Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, and Dag Nasty. Lyrically, Jim has often taken inspiration from transcendental philosophers to produce not only heartfelt songs about self-reliance and individualism but also scathing indictments of political hypocrisy and corruption.
On his newly released solo acoustic debut, however, Songs From The Elkhorn Trail, Lindberg takes a much more introspective turn, producing an album that is at once a personal reflection of life, a testament to family and friends, and a look at the fleeting nature of those relationships, and the resulting consequences of loneliness and alienation. With many of the songs being over 25 years in the making, the album is a heartfelt look at Lindberg’s life story. His late father who passed away in 2018 of Alzheimer’s Disease is a huge inspiration for the record, having encouraged him in many aspects of his life; from buying him his first guitar to supporting him quitting his job and going on tour with Pennywise.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the animated video for “Don’t Lay Me Down,” one of the songs that connects the most to the album’s focus on Lindberg’s life and the passing away of his father. The song finds this lifelong punk rocker getting in touch with his folksy side as he serves up lyrics that are poignant and reflective while maybe even causing you to well up. For anyone who has lost a family member to Alzhemier’s, the song is especially impactful. Lindberg keeps it simple with the strumming of his acoustic guitar and layered strings, adding to the emotional feeling of the music. All of this is enhanced by the beautiful animation.
Lindberg describes the inspiration behind the song:
“Don’t Lay Me Down” is the keystone song on the album because it’s about my dad passing away from Alzheimer’s and he had such a profound impact on my life from buying me my first guitar to encouraging me to get my education, but the song is about the events around his passing and what an insidious disease Alzhemier’s is and how it affects everyone involved. I think Rob’s animation perfectly captures that sad twilight time between life and death and the bittersweet exchange that happens between family members when loved ones pass away.”
WATCH:
