Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Veirs has said that she didn't seriously listen to music until she was in her 20s; instead, she just heard what was in her environment. She listened to folk / country / classical / pop, around the house & on the radio, during her youth.
Attending Carleton College in rural Minnesota, Veirs latched onto feminist punk rock from the Pacific Northwest, eventually starting an all-female punk band called "Rair Kx!". Veirs studied geology and Mandarin Chinese. After college, she embraced older country and folk music. Her first foray into songwriting started with a geological expedition in China, where she served as translator. She was miserable and immersed herself into writing lyrics as a way of coping.
She put out her own self-titled album Laura Veirs, recorded live and featuring just her and guitar, in 1999. She has since made five highly acclaimed records with producer Tucker Martine. 2003 saw the release of Troubled by the Fire, a full-band effort that found the artist sharing the studio with such luminaries as Bill Frisell and violist Eyvind Kang. She signed to Nonesuch Records the following year with the atmospheric follow-up Carbon Glacier. Year of Meteors followed in August of 2005. She collaborated with The Decemberists on "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)", from their 2006 album The Crane Wife. Her sixth record, Saltbreakers, was released worldwide on Nonesuch Records in April 2007. Her seventh album July Flame was released in January 2010.
In November 2011, Veirs released the album Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs For Children. The album presents mostly traditional songs, and features an array of guest musicians, including Colin Meloy, Jim James, and Bela Fleck. The album won a Parents' Choice Award in 2012.
In September 2012 her first feature film soundtrack was released: Hello I Must Be Going.
Veirs tours frequently in Europe, the US and Australia both solo and with her backing band Saltbreakers, consisting of Karl Blau on bass, guitar, and backing vocals, keyboardist Steve Moore, and Tucker Martine on drums.
July Flame
Laura Veirs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet summer peach
High up in the branch
Just out of my reach
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
July flame
I'm seeing fireworks
They're so beautiful
Tell me why it hurts
July flame
Ashes of a secret heart
Falling in my lemonade
Unslakable thirsting in the backyard
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
Can I call you mine?
The lyrics of Laura Veirs's song "July Flame" are rich in vivid imagery and metaphorical language. The song seems to be about the fleeting nature of love and desire, represented by the metaphor of a "July flame" - a short-lived burst of intense passion that burns bright but ultimately fades away. The opening lines describe a sweet summer peach that is just out of reach, symbolizing the elusive nature of the object of desire. The repeated question "Can I call you mine?" speaks to the desire for ownership and possession, for the flame to be something that can be captured and kept.
The second stanza introduces the theme of beauty and pain coexisting, represented by the fireworks that are both beautiful and painful to watch. The line "Tell me why it hurts" suggests a confusion and longing for explanation that often accompanies the experience of love. The third and final stanza brings in the idea of the secret heart that is left in ashes, representing the vulnerability and potential for devastation that comes with opening oneself up to love. The image of the falling ashes in the lemonade and the unslakable thirsting in the backyard convey a sense of longing and emptiness that remains even after the passion has died down.
Overall, "July Flame" is a beautifully crafted song that captures the bittersweet nature of love and longing through rich and evocative language.
Line by Line Meaning
July flame
The intensity of desire, reminiscent of the high heat and passion of summer.
Sweet summer peach
A metaphor for the object of the singer's desire, representing the epitome of sweetness, beauty, and perfection.
High up in the branch
The distance between the singer and their desired object, creating a sense of longing and unattainability.
Just out of my reach
The feeling of frustration and unfulfillment in the face of an unattainable desire.
Can I call you mine?
The repeated plea for validation and acceptance from the desired object, hoping to bridge the distance and claim ownership.
I'm seeing fireworks
A powerful sensory experience, representing the overwhelming emotions and sensations associated with love and desire.
They're so beautiful
The awe and wonder of being consumed by powerful emotions, even as they may be painful and agonizing.
Tell me why it hurts
The confusion and pain of not understanding why such intense emotions can be both beautiful and agonizing.
Ashes of a secret heart
The remnants of a past relationship, hidden away and unresolved but still affecting the singer and their ability to connect with others.
Falling in my lemonade
The way in which memories of past relationships can unexpectedly infiltrate and color even the most mundane and innocent moments, creating a sense of bitterness and regret.
Unslakable thirsting in the backyard
The sense of unfulfillment that persists even in the midst of the beauty and abundance of life, the desire for something more, something deeper.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA VEIRS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind