Fitzsimmons was raised in the outskirts of the steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the youngest child of two blind parents. Due to the family's inability to communicate through normal visual means, Fitzsimmons' childhood home was filled with a myriad of sounds to replace what eyes could not see. The house was suffused with pianos, guitars, trombones, talking birds, classical records, family sing-a-longs, bedtime stories, and the bellowing of a pipe organ, which his father built into the house with his own hands.
When his father's orchestral records were not resonating through the walls, his mother would educate him on the folk stylings of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel. By the completion of his youth and schooling, Fitzsimmons had become well-versed at a variety of instruments, at the minor expense of social standing, interactional skills, and a knowledge of proper shaving technique.
Fitzsimmons' path into music was likewise unusual, forsaking the hobby for many years to work with the mentally ill and pursue an education in the field of mental health. It was during his last semester of graduate school that William pooled money from past birthdays, holidays, and snow shoveling outings, and bought cheap home recording equipment to begin creating songs again (the first collection of which eventually became his debut album).
After finally achieving his goal of becoming a practicing therapist, William left, and returned again to his love of crafting and playing songs. He felt that is where he most belonged. Somewhere between a singing therapist, and a counselor who writes songs, is where Fitzsimmons endeavors to be. Using songs to address matters that he believes need to be addressed.
William draws from those early folks stylings of his mother's music, and the embellished instrumentation of his father's. He is often compared to contemporaries Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, and the late Elliott Smith, not only for his unique style and skill in writing and proclivity to deal with substantive and evocative subject matter, but also for his use of organic and colorful melodies and arrangements.
His first two records were completely self-produced, Until When We Are Ghosts and Goodnight. Fitzsimmons' friend Ingrid Michaelson joined him with vocals on Goodnight.
The Sparrow And The Crow, was his first studio recorded work, released in September 2008. The album debuted extremely well at #56 on the iTunes Top Albums Chart, and #1 on the iTunes Folk Chart.
While his lyricism deals often with darker undertones (The Sparrow and The Crow album was written following his divorce), a measure of hopefulness is always carefully blended in.
William candidly expresses the process of making The Sparrow And The Crow as follows: “I wrote it first and foremost as a confession and apology to my former wife. It was a way to say things that I needed her to hear that I didn't know how else to say. Second, as a way to exercise the pain from what I'd easily call the worst year of my life. And third, as a way to let others in pain have a way to express and deal with their trouble, and perhaps find some hope at the end of it. It's not a divorce record, or even a “break up" record in the traditional sense, although certainly it contains elements of both. Instead, it's a record about messing up everything, and trying to find a way back home." - AllAboutJazz.com 9/2008His latest album, Derivatives, a novel remix of The Sparrow and The Crow, was released in May 2010 through Mercer Street Records to strong reviews. Pink Ganter's remix of the song So This Is Goodbye is a critic favorite. Also of note, Fitzsimmons covers Kate Perry's I Kissed A Girl, called "a brave move, but a move that completely pays off." by TheFourOhFive.com's Leah Henson. More from Henson's review:
Before a second of music is played, Derivatives is already a fascinating album. The very idea of the delicate, heartfelt and evocative melodies of the previous album from William Fitzsimmons, The Sparrow and the Crow, being re-imagined and remixed to give them a positive spin is an idea that could possibly have terrible repercussions. Fortunately, the remixes are tastefully done and don’t squeeze every bit of essence from the original songs. Instead of unrecognisable songs being created, as so often is the way with remixes, Derivatives is an assembly of songs developed beautifully, creating a continuation from the songs on The Sparrow and the Crow. Electro blips, synths and heavy basslines now accompany Fitzsimmons’ mournful voice, adding to the songs rather than removing key elements from them. ... The intriguing thing about this album is the fact that the songs can be enjoyed on various levels. For a William Fitzsimmons fan who has listened to The Sparrow and the Crow and knows every little nuance of each song, Derivatives is a continuation, welcomed with open arms. - TheFourOhFive.com 5/2010With his expanding tenure as a songwriter, William has received mentions in noted publications such as Billboard, Paste Magazine, Pitchfork, Performing Songwriter Magazine, AllAboutJazz.com, among others. Fitzsimmons' music has been featured on several television programs such as Grey's Anatomy and Army Wives.
Fitzsimmons' music is available on iTunes and from his web store and myspace page.
Passion Play
William Fitzsimmons Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow
I've been running from Saul, he's been giving chase
When I look in his eyes, all I see is my face
You're still on my back after all these years
Chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers
I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor
Or how you can breathe with your hands on boards
I just want to be not what I am today
I just want to be better than my friends might say
I just want a small part in your passions play
Do you hear when I call in the midst of wrong?
Do you hear these here words while I sing this song?
Are you caught up in me like I heard you say
Or just some big cashier that I'll have to pay?
Just want to be not what I am today
I just want to be better than my friends might say
I just want a small part in your passions play
The song "Passion Play" by William Fitzsimmons is a deep and introspective look at the struggles and desires of a person who feels lost and disconnected from themselves and the world around them. The opening lines of the song, "I should not have hid where my heart can't follow, 'Cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow" suggest that the singer has been avoiding difficult emotions or situations, and is now finding it hard to come to terms with them. The mention of Saul chasing him, with the singer seeing his own face in Saul's eyes, could be interpreted as his inner demons that he has been trying to escape finally catching up to him.
The chorus of the song, "I just want to be not what I am today, I just want to be better than my friends might say, I just want a small part in your passions play" reveals the singer's yearning for growth, self-improvement, and a sense of purpose. He feels the need to shed his current persona, and become someone better, not for the validation of others, but for his own sake. The line "a small part in your passions play" suggests that he wants to be a significant part of something bigger than himself, to find meaning and fulfillment in his life.
The second verse of the song, "You're still on my back after all these years, Chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers, I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor, Or how you can breathe with your hands on boards" further reflects the singer's inner conflict, where he recognizes the presence of a guiding force that has been trying to steer him in the right direction. He acknowledges that this force has been with him for a long time and has been helping him shed his superficial layers. The line "I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor, Or how you can breathe with your hands on boards" suggests that this force does not have any tangible support and yet manages to survive, and this gives him hope.
Overall, "Passion Play" is a song about the universal struggle of finding one's identity, purpose, and meaning in life. It speaks to the human desire for growth, change, and a meaningful existence.
Line by Line Meaning
I should not have hid where my heart can't follow
I regret not being true to myself and hiding from what I truly desired.
'Cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow
Being graceful can sometimes feel like too much of a burden to bear.
I've been running from Saul, he's been giving chase
I've been trying to escape my own weaknesses and doubts, but they keep haunting me.
When I look in his eyes, all I see is my face
My fears and doubts are a part of me, and when I confront them, I see myself in them.
You're still on my back after all these years
My past mistakes and regrets continue to weigh heavily on my mind and soul.
Chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers
My past life of falseness and materialism has been a kind of hell, and I'm still trying to escape it.
I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor
I don't know how to find stability and comfort in life when everything seems to be going wrong.
Or how you can breathe with your hands on boards
I don't know how to keep going when everything is closing in on me, and I feel like I can't breathe.
I just want to be not what I am today
I want to change for the better and not be stuck in my current state.
I just want to be better than my friends might say
I want to be the best version of myself, not just for myself, but also to prove my worth to others.
I just want a small part in your passions play
I want to be a part of something greater than myself, something that gives me meaning and purpose.
Do you hear when I call in the midst of wrong?
Do you listen to me and give me guidance when I'm lost and making mistakes?
Do you hear these here words while I sing this song?
Do you understand the pain and longing that I'm expressing through my music?
Are you caught up in me like I heard you say
Are you really invested in me and my life, like you promised?
Or just some big cashier that I'll have to pay?
Or are you just using me for your own gain, and I'll end up paying the price?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind