Romano's 2011 album Sleep Beneath the Willow was a longlisted nominee for the 2011 Polaris Music Prize, and his 2013 album Come Cry With Me was longlisted for the 2013 Polaris Music Prize.
If I've Only One Time Askin' was nominated for a 2016 Juno Award for Adult Alternative Album of the Year.
On January 4, 2018, Romano released two simultaneous surprise albums, Human Touch and Nerveless.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Romano released several new albums of both newly recorded and archival material in quick succession. He then recorded a series of albums with a band as Daniel Romano's Outfit.
Ugly Human Heart Pt. 1
Daniel Romano Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With her stringy hair
All tangled like a brier
My habits took her by the hands
But this time they were branded from the fire
Oh
If I had any sense at all
I would have had those officers arrest her
But something in the desperate light of nature
Wouldn't let good reason register
Her ugly human heart
We walked the arid sunrise
And then back again
Through webs already spun
We were dancing on the unmarked graves of everything that
Cannot be undone
Oh
If I was wearing anything at all
I probably wore it on my sleeve
'Cause love's enough for any fool to put on
Quick as something to believe in like
Her ugly human heart
Yes, there were shapes of ancient wonder
'Long the trails of piling rocks
And foggy dew
And though it seemed like make believe
The assassins are all fleshy and true
What about you?
All the while I stood in style
My fingers either occupied or crossed
And though our cards were counted
We still folded every hand until we lost
Everything but
Her ugly human heart
In Daniel Romano's song Ugly Human Heart Pt. 1, the lyrics describe the singer's encounter with a woman who enters a tavern with "stringy hair, all tangled like a brier". Despite her unkempt appearance, the singer feels drawn to her and takes her hand. He acknowledges that he should have had the officers arrest her, but something about her desperation and humanity prevents him from doing so. As they walk together, they eventually end up dancing on "the unmarked graves of everything that cannot be undone", implying that they are both grappling with difficult emotions and past traumas. The lyrics ultimately suggest that while the woman may have an "ugly human heart", she is still worthy of love and compassion.
Line by Line Meaning
She crawled into the tavern
A woman entered the tavern on her hands and knees
With her stringy hair
Her hair was thin and greasy
All tangled like a brier
Her hair was knotted and entangled like a thorny plant
My habits took her by the hands
The artist's actions guided the woman
But this time they were branded from the fire
The artist's actions were influenced by pain and hurt from past experiences
If I had any sense at all
The singer knew what they should have done
I would have had those officers arrest her
The singer should have had law enforcement intervene
But something in the desperate light of nature
There was a feeling of wildness and chaos in the air
Wouldn't let good reason register
The artist couldn't think clearly or logically
Her ugly human heart
The woman's inner, flawed character
We walked the arid sunrise
They were walking through a dry, barren landscape early in the morning
And then back again
They returned to where they started
Through webs already spun
They walked through a complicated and confusing situation that was already in motion
We were dancing on the unmarked graves of everything that
They were metaphorically celebrating the death of everything that
Cannot be undone
Things that couldn't be changed or fixed
If I was wearing anything at all
The artist might not have been wearing any clothes
I probably wore it on my sleeve
The artist was very open and vulnerable
'Cause love's enough for any fool to put on
Because anyone can fall in love easily
Quick as something to believe in like
As easily as believing in something
Her ugly human heart
The woman's flawed inner character
Yes, there were shapes of ancient wonder
There were mysterious and awe-inspiring shapes in the landscape
'Long the trails of piling rocks
These shapes were along paths of stacked rocks
And foggy dew
There was a misty, humid atmosphere
And though it seemed like make believe
Even though it felt like it couldn't be real
The assassins are all fleshy and true
The real dangers were physical, human beings
What about you?
The singer is questioning the listener's situation
All the while I stood in style
The singer was standing confidently
My fingers either occupied or crossed
The artist's hands were busy or folded together
And though our cards were counted
Even though they were keeping score
We still folded every hand until we lost
They gave up before winning
Everything but
Despite losing, they still held onto
Her ugly human heart
The woman's flawed inner character
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Daniel Romano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind