She released the EP Starfire in July 2016. In January 2017, she announced she had signed a label deal with the newly reformed Monument Records. Smith has played at Lollapalooza, Bourbon & Beyond Festival, Americana Fest and ACL Fest.
She has written songs recorded by Meghan Trainor ("Like I'm Gonna Lose You", duet with John Legend, #1 on Billboard Adult Top 40 chart), Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton ("You Can't Make Old Friends"), and more.
Novocaine
Caitlyn Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No amount of time could wash you away
No holy prayer is gonna save me
This love affair is like a shallow grave
Ooooh, give me a shot strong as you got, Baby
Cause I don't wanna feel a thing
Noooo no no no
I gotta numb the fire flowing through my vains
Ooh, with sweet novocaine, novocaine
I'm paralysed, I forget you
No longer hyponotized with what you do to me
And time after time i let you defeat me
I finnaly found a place you can't reach me, yea.
Give me a shot strong as you got, baby
Cause I don't wanna feel a thing
Noooo no no no
Broken in two, strung out on you
I gotta numb the fire flowing through my vains
Yea, with sweet novocaine, oh yea, novocaine, baby
Oooooh, give me a shot strong as you got, baby
Cause I don't wanna feel a thing
Noooo no no no
Broken in two, strung out on you
I gotta numb the fire flowing through my vaines
Oh, with sweet novocaine, novocaine
Red river of wine won't drown you
No amount of time could wash you away.
Caitlyn Smith's song "Novocaine" is a ballad about a love affair with the kind of bittersweet pain that one can't resist reliving. The opening lines, "a red river of wine won't drown you / no amount of time could wash you away" set a tone that is both passionate and all-consuming. The singer is taken captive by the unshakeable grip of this love and can't seem to escape its hold, which is symbolized by the "shallow grave" that is the relationship.
In the chorus, the desperation of the singer becomes more palpable as they declare their need for "a shot strong as you got" so as not to "feel a thing." They are so consumed by the relationship that they are willing to resort to any means just to numb the pain that comes with it. In contrast, the bridge is a moment of clarity for the singer as they realize that they have forgotten about the person causing all this pain and have finally found a place where they cannot be reached.
Overall, "Novocaine" is a deeply personal song about the intense emotions that come with being in love, even when that love is causing us pain. The song expresses the sense of powerlessness that can come with being so deeply consumed by someone else, and the need to find ways to numb that pain so that one can go on living with it.
Line by Line Meaning
A red river of wine won't drown you
No matter how much I drown my sorrows with alcohol, it won't make me forget about you.
No amount of time could wash you away
Even after all this time, I still can't get you out of my thoughts.
No holy prayer is gonna save me
I am beyond saving, no matter how much I pray or how much divine intervention I seek.
This love affair is like a shallow grave
Our relationship is like a grave that is not deep enough to bury my feelings for you completely.
Ooooh, give me a shot strong as you got, Baby
I want a drink that is as strong as the hold you have over me.
Cause I don't wanna feel a thing
I am so hurt and broken that I don't want to feel any emotions anymore.
Broken in two, strung out on you
I am shattered into pieces, and I am addicted to you.
I gotta numb the fire flowing through my veins
I need to numb the intense pain and desire I feel for you.
Ooh, with sweet novocaine, novocaine
I want to numb myself with novocaine, a powerful anesthetic.
I'm paralyzed, I forget you
I am so emotionally traumatized that I can't even remember you properly anymore.
No longer hypnotized with what you do to me
I am no longer under your spell and am awake to the reality of our relationship.
And time after time I let you defeat me
I keep on letting you hurt me and conquer me, despite knowing it will only lead to more pain.
I finally found a place you can't reach me, yea.
I have found a place in my heart and mind where you no longer have any control over me.
Yea, with sweet novocaine, oh yea, novocaine, baby
Novocaine seems to be the only thing that can numb the pain, and I am asking for it again.
Red river of wine won't drown you
No matter how much I try to forget, you'll always be present in my life like an ever-flowing river.
No amount of time could wash you away.
I know time can be a great healer, but it never seems to have worked for me in terms of getting over you.
Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.