Casey Dienel (born March 10, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter and pia… Read Full Bio ↴Casey Dienel (born March 10, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She released her debut album, Wind-Up Canary, in 2006 on Hush Records. Dienel presently performs and records as White Hinterland, whose first album, titled Phylactery Factory, was released on March 4, 2008, by the independent record label Dead Oceans.

On January 4, 2008, after a few months hinting at "change," Dienel announced in her blog that "for the present and foreseeable future, there won’t be any more Casey Dienel." Her blog post coincided with Dead Oceans' announcement of the forthcoming release of White Hinterland's album Phylactery Factory.

Baby James
Casey Dienel Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

My first lover was real sweet, he made a woman out of me,
But he left as quick as he came, my Baby James.
Mama said I was naive,
Said one day he'd pick up and leave me.
But 'till then I swore I'd stay for my baby James.

My baby's gone and I can't seem to find him.
He never calls and he's real bad at writing,

Oh where's my baby James?

My first lover was real cruel and he knew what he was doing.
He loved so good I had to stay for my baby James.
Mama said I was naive,
Said one day he'd pick up and leave me.
But 'till that day I best be strong for my Baby James.

He's as cold as an ice box, there's nothing inside him.
Just crack him open, hear the echoes holler.
Where's my baby James?

Oh I begged him not to go,
But nothing would move him.
He said he'd women to meet,
And countries to topple.
Before you cart me away,
Tell him I'm real sorry.
Oh, I love him just the same, my baby James.

Call of f the search party there's nobody coming.
My baby's gone where you never will find him.
Where's my baby?

Where's my baby?
Bye bye baby James!

Overall Meaning

The song "Baby James" by Casey Dienel is a melancholic tune about the singer's past relationships with two men, both of whom she calls "Baby James," and how they have affected her. The first Baby James was sweet and tender, but just as quickly as he came into her life, he left. Her mother warned her that he would leave, but the singer stayed with him despite the warning. The second Baby James was cruel, but he also had a hold on her, and she stayed with him as well. In both cases, the singer's love for Baby James kept her in the relationship, even when things weren't going well.

The lyrics are nostalgic and have a dreamy quality to them, as if the singer is reminiscing about her past. The phrase "Where's my baby James?" is repeated several times throughout the song, emphasizing the longing and yearning the singer feels for her lost loves. In the end, she realizes that both Baby Jameses are gone and not coming back, and she bids them farewell.

The song touches on themes of love, loss, and regret. It speaks to the human desire to hold onto something or someone even when it's not healthy, and the pain that comes with letting go. Overall, "Baby James" is a poignant and emotional exploration of past relationships and the lingering effects they can have on us.

Line by Line Meaning

My first lover was real sweet, he made a woman out of me,
My initial partner was gentle and affectionate towards me, he helped me mature as a woman.

But he left as quick as he came, my Baby James.
However, he departed as rapidly as he arrived, my dear Baby James.

Mama said I was naive,
My mother believed I was foolish,

Said one day he'd pick up and leave me.
Said one day he would desert me,

But 'till then I swore I'd stay for my baby James.
But I vowed to remain with my beloved Baby James until he leaves me.

My baby's gone and I can't seem to find him.
My love has vanished, and I am unable to track him down.

He never calls and he's real bad at writing,
He never contacts me, and he is terrible at communicating through writing,

Oh where's my baby James?
Oh, where is my beloved Baby James?

My first lover was real cruel and he knew what he was doing.
My previous lover was ruthless, and he was fully aware of his actions.

He loved so good I had to stay for my baby James.
However, his love made me feel good enough to remain in the relationship for the sake of my Baby James.

Mama said I was naive,
My mother believed I was foolish,

Said one day he'd pick up and leave me.
Said one day he would desert me,

But 'till that day I best be strong for my Baby James.
But until he leaves me, I must be strong for my dear Baby James.

He's as cold as an ice box, there's nothing inside him.
He is as unemotional as an icebox; there is no sentimentality noteworthy of love.

Just crack him open, hear the echoes holler.
If you were to open him up, you would hear the echoes of emptiness.

Where's my baby James?
Where is my beloved Baby James?

Oh I begged him not to go,
Oh, I pleaded with him not to depart,

But nothing would move him.
However, nothing would sway his decision.

He said he'd women to meet,
He stated he needed to meet other women,

And countries to topple.
And to conquer countries.

Before you cart me away,
Before you take me away,

Tell him I'm real sorry.
Inform him that I am truly apologetic.