May 2010 saw the release of her new album, Lifted of the Ground.
Your Shirt
Chely Wright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And one button doesn't match
You sewed that one on yourself
And at the time it made me laugh
It's frayed on the collar it's so old and faded out blue
And I'll never wash it 'cause
It smells so exactly like you
When you left it I'm sure
But the irony is that I can't live without it
I wear your shirt like it's your arms around me
I put it on and you just surround me
It's so soft on my skin
Like the touch of your hands
So good it hurts
I should burn it I know
Tear it up I'm this close
But for the moment I just can't let go
Of your shirt
It keeps me warm when I sleep
And those nights I don't
It keeps me company
I've got it on in the mornings having coffee
And after work when I'm watching TV
It's my comfort it's my torture and yes I realize
It's just some worn out old fabric
But it's my consolation prize
And I'd be a wreck in a New York minute
If I think too long of how you held me in it
I wear your shirt like it's your arms around me
I put it on and you just surround me
It's so soft on my skin
Like the touch of your hands
So good it hurts
I should burn it I know
Tear it up I'm this close
But for the moment I just can't let go
Of your shirt
Your shirt I love your shirt
In Chely Wright's song "Your Shirt," the singer sings about a piece of clothing that has become a tangible reminder of a lost love. The shirt in question is old, faded, and frayed around the collar, with a rip in the elbow and a button that doesn't quite match. But despite its imperfections, the shirt holds great sentimental value to the singer, who wears it constantly, day and night, as if it were a substitute for the arms of her ex-lover. The singer refuses to wash the shirt, as its scent reminds her so strongly of her lost love that she might never forget it. The chorus repeats the theme of the shirt being a constant source of comfort, pain, and longing for the singer, who knows that she should let it go but can't seem to bring herself to do so.
The song taps into the universal experience of holding onto physical objects as a way of keeping memories alive. The shirt becomes a metaphor for the singer's emotional attachment to her ex-lover, as well as a testament to the power of memory to sustain us through loss and pain. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, but they resonate deeply with anyone who has ever clung to a keepsake as a way of holding onto something they can't have.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a rip in the elbow of the left sleeve
One elbow of the left sleeve has a torn patch
And one button doesn't match
One button on the shirt doesn't match the others
You sewed that one on yourself
You sewed that misfit button on the shirt yourself
And at the time it made me laugh
I found it funny at that time
It's frayed on the collar it's so old and faded out blue
The collar of the shirt is frayed and the shirt has become old and the color is faded to blue
And I'll never wash it 'cause
I won't wash the shirt because
It smells so exactly like you
It smells exactly like you and I like it
When you left it I'm sure
When you left your shirt behind, I'm sure
You didn't think twice about it
You didn't care about leaving it behind
But the irony is that I can't live without it
Ironically, I have become attached to your shirt and can't live without it
I wear your shirt like it's your arms around me
I wear your shirt as if your arms are wrapped around me
I put it on and you just surround me
Wearing the shirt makes me feel like you are surrounding me
It's so soft on my skin
The shirt feels soft on my skin
Like the touch of your hands
It feels like your hands are touching me
So good it hurts
It feels so good that it hurts
I should burn it I know
I should get rid of it, I know
Tear it up I'm this close
I am so close to tearing it up
But for the moment I just can't let go
But at the moment, I can't let go of it
It keeps me warm when I sleep
The shirt keeps me warm when I sleep
And those nights I don't
On the nights I don't wear it
It keeps me company
The shirt keeps me company
I've got it on in the mornings having coffee
I wear the shirt in the morning while having coffee
And after work when I'm watching TV
I wear the shirt after work while watching TV
It's my comfort it's my torture and yes I realize
The shirt brings me comfort and pain, and I am aware of it
It's just some worn out old fabric
It's just a worn-out fabric
But it's my consolation prize
But to me, it's a consolation prize
And I'd be a wreck in a New York minute
I would be an emotional mess in a very short time
If I think too long of how you held me in it
If I dwell too long on how you held me while wearing the shirt
Your shirt I love your shirt
I love your shirt
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: POUNDLAMB, LISA A. DREW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cliffordgibson7326
If you are listening to this song in 2023 you are a legend my friend!
@williamfuller3877
2024 🫣
@benmurray9668
She should be massively famous
@seancarson7929
I remember seeing this video on CMT and going to Wal-Mart the NEXT DAY and buying this CD.
whatever happened to this woman?
she was talented and VERY easy on the eyes...
@OgiJun
God I miss this. Takes me back...
@jumpfart666
Found this cd at a pawn shop for 1.00$. I still love these songs.
@-B-B
"Losing my heart every time you sing to me on your guitar" imagine being that lucky guy...
@Dacra77
I remember seeing her at her dad's hardware store before she became famous. she's a good girl
@davidarcudi230
That's why she quit singing
@miguelaguirre9032
She's a very beautiful Lady and she can sing really good and have's a beautiful voice too i love her song's💖💕💓💗❤💌💘💞💖🌹