Prior to their eponymous 2001 album, each had made appearances on the other's solo recordings, but this disc marked their first official release as a duo. The album is described as more rock-based than their earlier solo traditional-folk recordings. The majority of the songs were penned by Julie Miller and rounded out by the duo's co-written "Dirty Water" and covers of songs by folk-rock icons Richard Thompson, Utah Phillips and Bob Dylan. The album was named "Album of the Year" at the first annual awards of the Americana Music Association.
Since then, the duo has released "Love Snuck Up" (2004) and "Written in Chalk" (2009).
Chalk
Buddy & Julie Miller Lyrics
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So you wouldn't know how you made my heart break
I tried so hard to save you from yourself
But I never could cry out loud for help
All I did was help you tell a lie
You never even knew it when I said goodbye
I ran so far and I don't know why
You never even knew who I was
You saw about as far as a blind man does
I carried you with me everywhere I went
I carried everything till my back was bent
All I did was help you tell a lie
You never even knew it when I said goodbye
It keeps on raining and I don't know why
All our words are written down in chalk
Out in the rain on the sidewalk
If all our heartaches were in a stack
They'd go all the way up to heaven and back
We don't know all the trouble we're in
We don't know how to get home again
Jesus come and save us from our sin
The Buddy & Julie Miller song “Chalk” seems to have two main themes, both related to unspoken truths or unrecognized emotions in a relationship. The first theme is the singer’s feeling that they were “pretend[ing]” to be someone else for their partner’s sake, hiding their true emotions and heartbreak in order to protect their partner’s feelings. The second theme is the idea that we often carry invisible burdens with us that we never let anyone else see or acknowledge, resulting in an incomplete understanding of ourselves and our relationships. This is captured in the repeated reference to “all our words” and “all our heartaches...in a stack”, as if these hidden feelings are piling up and weighing us down.
The lyrics depict a sense of frustration with trying to keep up a facade, and the pain of feeling invisible or misunderstood. The line “you never even knew who I was” seems particularly poignant, expressing a sense of disappointment that the singer’s true self was never seen or appreciated by their partner. The desire for rescue and salvation in the final line suggests that the relationship has become more than just a matter of confusion or miscommunication; it has become a matter of spiritual redemption.
Line by Line Meaning
I always pretended for your sake
I acted like everything was okay for you.
So you wouldn't know how you made my heart break
I kept my pain hidden, so you wouldn't feel guilty.
I tried so hard to save you from yourself
I did everything in my power to help you, but you didn't want to be helped.
But I never could cry out loud for help
I struggled silently with my own problems, unable to ask for support.
All I did was help you tell a lie
I enabled your behavior by going along with your deception.
You never even knew it when I said goodbye
When I left, you didn't even realize how complicit I was in your falsehoods.
I ran so far and I don't know why
I distanced myself from you, but I'm not sure if it was the right choice.
You never even knew who I was
You didn't truly know me and my struggles.
You saw about as far as a blind man does
Your perspective was limited, like a person who can't see.
I carried you with me everywhere I went
I couldn't shake off the impact you had on me, even after leaving.
I carried everything till my back was bent
The weight of my burdens became too much to bear.
It keeps on raining and I don't know why
I feel like I'm in a never-ending storm of difficult emotions without a clear reason.
All our words are written down in chalk
Our promises and memories are impermanent, like writing in chalk.
Out in the rain on the sidewalk
Our past is exposed and fading away like chalk on a wet sidewalk.
If all our heartaches were in a stack
Our accumulated pain would be overwhelming.
They'd go all the way up to heaven and back
Our hurt would reach unfathomable heights.
We don't know all the trouble we're in
We may not realize the extent of our problems until it's too late.
We don't know how to get home again
We feel lost and without direction.
Jesus come and save us from our sin
We turn to a higher power for salvation and forgiveness.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JULIE ANNE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind