Father and son duo Son Of John dropped their latest single “Lonely Door” and it’s absolutely worth a listen (or two, or three, or ten).
The Castlegar, B.C. natives have been making music together for over a decade but officially formed the duo Son of John (a nod to their shared surname) in 2017. In 2019 they received a BCCMA nomination for Traditional Country/Roots Artist of the Year.
They come by their country sound naturally. Johnny grew up farming in Saskatchewan and Javan was raised in rural BC on the family farm. This lends an authenticity to their bluegrass-like sound that features fiddle, mandolin, banjo, and dobro as well as beautiful vocal harmonies.
The song opens with a mellow fiddle sound, leading into vocals reminiscent of Neil Young that match the melancholy lyrics that continue throughout the song.
This is a bit of a departure from their debut single, “Country Pure”, which boasts an upbeat sound that’ll have people clamouring for a two-stepping partner.
Rather than pushing people to the dance floor, the cool sounds of “Lonely Door” will have you sit back, close your eyes, and either enjoy the music or reflect on your struggles. Either way, it’s a great tune backed by a wealth of musical talent.
The “Lonely Door” Lyric Video
When listening to “Lonely Door” you can hear that this is an incredibly personal song for these two.
The idea behind “Lonely Door” came when Johnny’s father lost his wife and commented “things don’t matter much anymore”. “That’s the line that sparked the idea,” says Johnny. “However, the song isn’t explicitly about that of course. It’s about someone who realizes the mistakes he made in life and the pain it has caused, thereby creating the analogy of walking through a lonely door.”
Listening to these two sing is always such a treat. Their music includes a familiar sound that brings up feelings of nostalgia.
“We recorded this song in November 2019, and at that time we lived in a completely different world,” Javan says. “How crazy is that? If we were lonely, we could just call up a friend and go for a beer or visit them in their home without worrying if we had our mask or remembered the latest restrictions of social gatherings or physical distancing. We could shake hands, hug, and enjoy the company of others; catch a movie, or a hockey game.”
Javan continued to talk about the single, “so, when my dad wrote the song several years ago, we had no idea that we’d be releasing the song in 2021, after a year where people endured a world where being lonely had taken on a whole new meaning. We just want people to know that you’re not alone in that feeling of loneliness, and we’ll walk back through the lonely door together when this is all done … so with that in mind, please enjoy our song”
Take Javan’s lead … enjoy the song. Take some time to sit and take in the lyrics in the lyric video. The message in the song is profound.
It’s worth a few listens. Be sure to watch the video below, and stream “Lonely Door” on Apple Music and Spotify.
Watch The Lyric Video For “Lonely Door” By Son Of John
Stream “Lonely Door” By Son of John
Lauren Lee
Growing up, I was an avid country music hater. Dean Brody won me over in my 20s and my enjoyment of the genre has steadily increased since then, especially after moving to Alberta. I'm a lover of music, explorer of new places, asker of questions, admirer of nature, and socializer extraordinaire.
