An acoustic ballad profiling the emotional turmoil in a generation of a Florida family. From the perspective of one of the sons, the song wrestles with the complexities and weight of family dynamics, relational duty, and personal identity.
[Verse 1]
The cherry gum would cover up the cigarettes we smoked
The 7 Up would balance out the beer
Mom would make us dinner and we'd all try not to choke
Dad was working later every year
[Verse 2]
We count the trucks on Highway 1 on their way to Jacksonville
Wonderin’ where they headed on from there
My brothers and my sister all stood spiritually still
As if those roads became the answer to their prayers
[Chorus 1]
But I didn't want it any other way
This town was the one thing that felt right
All these tourists could be kings during the day
But not in St. Augustine at night
[Verse 3]
I was working at the bait shack, supplying all the fishing tours
Pretty soon I was chartering a boat
My dad said I needed dumb luck and a secret stash of Coors
If I stood a chance at keeping things afloat
[Verse 4]
That's when my girlfriend told me, "There’s a baby on the way
And I need to know you're gonna go to bat"
Well, I never put off 'til tomorrow the things I shoulda done today
No, I've always waited way longer than that
[Chorus 2]
I have never had much say in how I felt
I've been guided by my barroom appetites
So if this world belongs to everybody else
Just leave me St. Augustine at night
[Bridge]
The Lord must really love us common folk
'Cause he made so goddamn much
Now if he'd just point the way to go
If he could just start speaking up
[Verse 5]
Our oldest brother left this world for leading one too many lives
I guess he settled for none at all
The rest of us just grew apart and blamed our husbands and our wives
When anyone was asked why they don't call
[Verse 6]
Life became a series of birthdays, cars and pets
Just anything to look forward to
I don’t talk about mistakes, I don’t talk about regrets
At this point, I'm not sure what good it would do
[Chorus 3]
But I’m not asking for anybody's help
As I gaze out where the stars dance with the lights
If I'm not sure how I feel about myself
I still got St. Augustine at night
I still got St. Augustine at night
St. Augustine at Night was written by Taylor Goldsmith.
St. Augustine at Night was produced by Dave Cobb.
Dawes released St. Augustine at Night on Thu Aug 06 2020.
A song about one’s relationship to their hometown. But also a song about the varying degrees in which we all watch our lives pass us by.
– Dawes in the YouTube description for the song