Carrie Luz Rodriguez (born July 31, 1978, in Austin, Texas) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Carrie Luz Rodriguez (born July 31, 1978, in Austin, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of Texan singer-songwriter David Rodriguez and Texas painter Katy Nail, and the granddaughter of prolific Texas essayist Frances Nail. She sings and plays the fiddle, mandobird and tenor guitar.

Love and family have always been sources of inspiration for critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter/musician Rodriguez, but never have they featured so prominently than on her release Love & Circumstance, a covers album that includes songs written by her father, and once performed by her great aunt.

Rodriguez' journey from teenage violin student to touring the world with the likes of Chip Taylor (famed songwriter of "Wild Thing), Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, has resulted in a prodigious output of recordings - eight albums in as many years - for the young musician; with the new album, Carrie relies on others to handle the songwriting duties, she provides the interpretations.

"In 2009, after a very busy few years, I felt like I should take a step back and assess the situation," she says, during a quick stop between tours. "The idea of doing a covers record had been developing for a while, and had been prompted by requests I get at every show for a recording of some of the covers I play live, especially 'La Punalada Trapera.' I stated to wonder what kind of album I could make that would be a fit for that song."

Besides the contributions from her immediate family, Love & Circumstance, includes compositions from her extended musical family and friends, including John Hiatt/Nick Lowe/Ry Cooder/Jim Keltner (aka Little Village), Buddy Miller & Julie Miller, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Richard Thompson, Townes Van Zandt, M. Ward, Merle Haggard & Bonnie Owens, Hank Williams, and Lucinda Williams.

"It was very important for me to go back to my roots with this record and concentrate on what was important to me," Rodriguez explains, "songwriters like Richard Thompson, Townes, Hank, they're the ones who initially inspired me." And Rodriguez' inspirations are being admired, with Thompson exclaiming "It is always a thrill to write a song and have someone else take it to unexpected places. Thank you (Carrie) for the heartfelt and impassioned performance."

Rodriguez' professional career was launched in 2001 after a show at South By Southwest introduced her to Taylor, with whom she has recorded four full albums and an EP. Her musical development started much earlier, however, and at the hands of an equally seasoned songwriting veteran, her father David Rodriquez. "My dad gave me a Leonard Cohen record for my ninth birthday! I hated it. But of course I rediscovered it at thirteen and loved it." By fifteen Rodriguez and her dad were touring the Netherlands together; chops were being honed.

Rodriguez' maternal side of the family also influenced her musical upbringing. Not only was her mother a fanatical opera enthusiast, her great-aunt, Eva Garza, was a popular Latin recording artist in the 50's, and it was from Garza that Rodriguez first heard 'La Punalada Trapera,' which soon became a mainstay in her live set. Having family friends include Lyle Lovett, who invited Rodriguez to sit in with his band when she was at college, also helped her develop as a performer.

The list of bold faced names that have come into Rodriguez' orbit over the years also includes Lee Townsend, the famed producer, who collaborated with Carrie on the selection of songs for the album, and ultimately produced the project at her new label's (Ninth Street Opus) studios in Berkeley and at the renowned Fantasy Studios.

As might be expected from her and Townsend's A-list connections, the list of players on Love & Circumstance includes a sterling roster of music greats including Bill Frisell (guitars), Greg Leisz (pedal steel & slide guitars), Aoife O'Donovan (background vocals), and Buddy Miller (background vocals).

"Greg Leisz is the greatest pedal steel player in the world, and for someone with a Bill Frisell record collection getting to play with him is a dream," gushes Rodriguez, reminding us that despite a decade and a half in the trenches she's still a young (31) and impassioned music fan.

Those who have been following Carrie Rodriguez throughout her career will find Love & Circumstance an exciting addition to her oeuvre, new fans will get a glimpse of the rising star's influences; both will revel in the sterling musicianship and heartfelt interpretations of new and classic songs.

"This is a really important record for me,' says Rodriguez, 'not just because it gave me the chance to go back to my roots, but also because it celebrates my family."

And for those who need a more intimate experience with Carrie Rodriguez, you'll find her where she started, live and on the road.

02/10 - A. Pollock

Can't Cry Enough
Carrie Rodriguez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna live my life
Like every day's the last
Without a simple goodbye
It all goes by so fast

And now that you're gone
I can't cry hard enough
I can't cry hard enough

For you to hear me now

I'm gonna open my eyes
And see for the first time
I've let go of you
Like a child letting go of his kite

Oh, there it goes up in the sky
There it goes beyond the clouds
For no reason why
I can't cry hard enough
No, I can't cry hard enough
For you to hear me now

Gonna look back in vain
And see you standing there
When all that remains
Is just the empty air

And now that you're gone
I can't cry hard enough
No, I can't cry hard enough
For you to hear me now

There it goes, up in the sky
There it goes, beyond the clouds
For no reason why
I can't cry hard enough
No, I can't cry hard enough
For you to hear me now

I'm gonna live my life
Like every day's the last

I can't cry hard enough
For you to hear me now

Overall Meaning

Carrie Rodriguez's song Can't Cry Enough is a powerful ballad about the pain of losing someone very dear to one, and realizing that they can no longer hear your tears no matter how hard you cry. The opening lines of the song express the singer's resolve to live each day to the fullest without any regrets as each day is a precious gift that should not be wasted. The singer acknowledges that life is fleeting, and one must cherish every moment.

The chorus of the song, "And now that you're gone, I can't cry hard enough, for you to hear me now" is emotionally charged and conveys the depth of the singer's feelings of loss and longing. She is struggling to come to terms with the fact that the person she lost is no longer with her and that no matter how deeply she feels, he cannot hear or respond. The contrast between the forces of life and the emptiness of loss is poignantly expressed.

The final stanza speaks of the singer's resolve to move on with her life, but the simple image of a child letting go of a kite and watching it drift up into the sky is a sad and beautiful way of showing that, while you can move on, the ache of the loss will always be there. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes that the pain is so intense that it is impossible to express it adequately.

Overall, the lyrics of Can't Cry Enough are a heartfelt expression of the pain of losing a loved one, and the bittersweet process of moving on while never truly leaving the memory of the loss behind.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna live my life
I am going to live my life.

Like every day's the last
I will live each day as if it is my last.

Without a simple goodbye
Without a proper farewell.

It all goes by so fast
Life goes by quickly.

And now that you're gone
Since you have departed.

I can't cry hard enough
My tears are not enough to express my sorrow.

For you to hear me now
For you to know my pain.

I'm gonna open my eyes
I will open my eyes.

And see for the first time
I will see things anew.

I've let go of you
I have released you.

Like a child letting go of his kite
Like a child releasing a kite.