Beginning violin lessons at the age of 8, Stratton followed quickly with cello lessons at 10, the piano at 11, and guitar at 16. It was through the piano that Stratton discovered a passion for writing and performing songs. After moving to Los Angeles in 1995, Casey signed with Magic Records. Work then began on the recordings that would eventually become his first full-length release, The Giver and the Grave Digger, which was released in 1996.
In 1997, after deciding not to renew his contract with Magic Records, Stratton began his first self-produced album, Lily Sleeps.
In the summer of 2000 Stratton moved to Chicago where he began a nearly two year hiatus from the record industry. He immersed himself in writing and recorded an independent album called The Winter Children. Many of these tracks would be re-recorded later and included on his Sony release Standing at the Edge.
Stratton's 6th studio album, "DIVIDE", was released in October 2005 on Stratton's independent label, Sleeping Pill Music. His next album, The Crossing, was released in April 2007. This was followed by Orbit, digitally released on February 5, 2008.
Memories and Photographs was released in September 2009, followed by A Winter Moon, an album of holiday music, in December 2009. Casey's next project, Myth & Stars, largely based on Greek Mythology, was released on September 21, 2010.
Ocean
Casey Stratton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Push me up against the wall like your religion
Still we're close enough to ending up alone
With our safety net beneath these bitter words
No sense in reaching up for what we heard
Strong as you are you cannot hold back your sight
Your silence means much more than all of your movements
Laugh again and breathe me far away
You were safer when I knew you as today
Crash into the ocean I know your devotion
Crash into the ocean and wait for the night
I could have guessed that you were wishing for a way out
You can't seem to fall apart without an earthquake
Take my hand and I will show you how to break me
Open up your eyes and see the glare
She is shining down with roses in her hair
And crash into the ocean I know your devotion
Crash into the ocean and wait for the night
Light me up like a devil, a monster lying in the grass beyond the line
Light me up like the china white powder falling from the sea into the sky
Light me up like a dime store angel Mary Mother holding onto sight
Light me up I can hear your moonlight dancing
Crash into the ocean I know your devotion
Crash into the ocean and wait for the night
The song "Ocean" by Casey Stratton explores themes of love, longing, and the fear of being alone. The opening lines, "It's such a long long way down from here / Push me up against the wall like your religion" suggest the emotional depth of the song and the power dynamic between the two lovers. The singer is hesitant to take action because of the fear of being alone, but they also recognize the toxicity of the relationship.
The second verse, "Strong as you are you cannot hold back your sight / Your silence means much more than all of your movements" speaks to the idea that actions speak louder than words. The silence of the partner is more powerful than any grand gestures they could make. The lyrics "Softly whispering my name without a window / Laugh again and breathe me far away / You were safer when I knew you as today" convey the idea that the partner wants to escape the relationship but cannot find the courage to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
It's such a long long way down from here
The situation is too difficult to get out of.
Push me up against the wall like your religion
Acting as if this relationship is as important to you as your religion.
Still we're close enough to ending up alone
Although we're together, we still feel alone in this relationship.
With our safety net beneath these bitter words
We're relying on past memories to keep us safe in this relationship, despite the bitterness.
No sense in reaching up for what we heard
It's pointless to cling to what we've heard, instead of communicating directly with each other.
Strong as you are you cannot hold back your sight
You can't hide your true feelings and emotions.
Your silence means much more than all of your movements
Your silence speaks volumes in this relationship.
Softly whispering my name without a window
Whispering to me privately, without anyone else knowing.
Laugh again and breathe me far away
Let's forget our problems and laugh together to relieve the tension in this relationship.
You were safer when I knew you as today
This relationship was better when we first met.
Crash into the ocean I know your devotion
Let's jump into the unknown together and see how devoted we really are to each other.
Crash into the ocean and wait for the night
Let's take a leap of faith and see where our relationship takes us.
I could have guessed that you were wishing for a way out
I had a feeling that you wanted to end this relationship.
You can't seem to fall apart without an earthquake
Your emotions are strong and intense, they can't be contained.
Take my hand and I will show you how to break me
Let's work together to understand each other's weaknesses and how to handle them.
Open up your eyes and see the glare
Take a closer look and see the truth in our relationship.
She is shining down with roses in her hair
She's beautiful and wearing flowers in her hair.
Light me up like a devil, a monster lying in the grass beyond the line
Ignite a fire in me, bringing out my dark side.
Light me up like the china white powder falling from the sea into the sky
Set me on fire like a powerful, dangerous drug.
Light me up like a dime store angel Mary Mother holding onto sight
Light me up like a cheap, imitation angel, but still holding onto hope in this relationship.
Light me up I can hear your moonlight dancing
Set me on fire, I can feel your emotions moving like the moonlight.
Crash into the ocean I know your devotion
Let's face our fears and see how committed we really are to making this relationship work.
Crash into the ocean and wait for the night
Let's take the plunge together and see where this relationship takes us.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CASEY P. STRATTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind