Chris Smithers song "Love you like a man" from Smithers first album has been famously covered by Bonnie Raitt who has made it a signature song of hers under the title "Love me like a man" (published on her second Album "Give it up")- she has openly expressed admiration for Chris Smithers songwriting and guitarplaying. Later Raitt's version of the song has been covered by The Dixie Chicks and Diana Krall.
The protagonist of Linda Barnes's series of "Carlotta Carlyle" mysteries is a fan of Smither's music and several of her books mention it.
Slow Surprise
Chris Smither Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Barely noticed and hardly known
One day you'll say "My situation's locked away"
But by tomorrow, you're all alone
It seems so sudden, but it's not, it's only grown
From a seed that long ago was left forgotten in the snow
And has a way with slow surprises on its own
Or a rumble deep in the ground
Things whisper low, and by the time I really know
What's been moving, they've settled down
Too late to see they're shifting 'round
Too late to say "There's bound to be another way"
It's all been said and done without a sound
This comes to me, now that I begin to see
It's not dramatic, it's nothing grand
I used to be half the whole of you and me
Now I'm the limit of half a man
Seems so simple, nothing much to understand
You walked out and closed the door, said "I don't live here anymore"
Now nothing's hanging heavy in my hands
In the song Slow Surprise by Chris Smither, he talks about the way subtle changes come and how it's hard to notice them. This speaks to the idea that sometimes we don't realize how things have changed until it's too late. The line "One day you'll say 'My situation's locked away'" suggests that we can become comfortable in our situations, but that doesn't mean they are secure. We may feel safe and secure about our lives, but that can change quickly, as seen in the line "But by tomorrow, you're all alone."
The theme of the song is about change that happens slowly over time. It's hard to recognize these changes because they happen so gradually. Smither compares it to a boulder rolling slowly or a rumble deep in the ground. These changes seem sudden and unexpected, but in reality, they have been growing for some time. At the end of the song, the singer realizes that nothing is hanging heavy in his hands anymore. This suggests that he has let go of whatever it was that caused him to feel weighed down.
The message of Slow Surprise is that change is an unstoppable force. It's important to be aware of subtle changes that happen gradually and be willing to adjust accordingly. It's also important to let go of things that are weighing you down because holding onto them can hinder growth and progress.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a way subtle changes come to stay
Small changes accumulate over time, and become permanent
Barely noticed and hardly known
Changes happen subtly and often go unnoticed
One day you'll say "My situation's locked away"
At some point, you will feel secure in your current state
But by tomorrow, you're all alone
However, you can quickly find yourself alone and lost
It seems so sudden, but it's not, it's only grown
Even though it may seem sudden, the changes have been building over time.
From a seed that long ago was left forgotten in the snow
These changes likely started with a small incident that was not addressed
And has a way with slow surprises on its own
Small changes can have significant long-term impacts
It's hard to show, but like a boulder rolling slow
It can be challenging to see the changes as they are happening, but they are powerful
Or a rumble deep in the ground
Like the rumbling before an earthquake
Things whisper low, and by the time I really know
The changes can be quiet, and it may take time to realize what is happening
What's been moving, they've settled down
Once the changes have occurred, they become permanent
Too late to see they're shifting 'round
It can be too late to prevent the changes once they are realized
Too late to say "There's bound to be another way"
It is too late to fix the situation once it has reached a certain point
It's all been said and done without a sound
The changes have occurred silently, and there is no reversing them
This comes to me, now that I begin to see
The singer is finally understanding the significance of the changes
It's not dramatic, it's nothing grand
The changes are not necessarily life-changing, but they are still significant
I used to be half the whole of you and me
The singer used to be part of a partnership, but is now alone
Now I'm the limit of half a man
The singer is now incomplete and feels like only half of a person
Seems so simple, nothing much to understand
The situation can seem straightforward but is still challenging to deal with
You walked out and closed the door, said "I don't live here anymore"
The singer's partner left, ending the relationship
Now nothing's hanging heavy in my hands
The singer is now free from the burden of their failed relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRIS SMITHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
darkfey1963
I liked this very much;what wonderful lyrics;they express the loss felt so very well.Thank you for sharing it,and for giving Emmylou props as well! All too often I seem to run into people who feel the need to say that another performer's version is crap;it's refreshing to encounter people who don't do that!
SonofEmmy2
Emmylou Harris did an amazing cover of this great song on the 1998 film soundtrack "The Horse Whisperer". Check it out!
C Quinn
Thanks for composing and posting this. A great presentation of a gem of a song!
asphyxed
+C Quinn You're welcome!
Jim Bouldin
Great song. Made it part of my open mike repertoire.
Petite Nobi
Merci pour ce moment d'écoute merveilleux ... un régal. N.
Marianne Bengtsson
This is a very beautiful song and the video you have made is very good, It suits the song so well. Thank you.
asphyxed
Thanks!
Alan Pat
The meaning just creeps up on you, just brilliant, & so sad!
Pam Morton
so beautiful and sad.