Chris Whitley (born Christopher Becker Whitley on 31 August 1960; died 20 … Read Full Bio ↴Chris Whitley (born Christopher Becker Whitley on 31 August 1960; died 20 November 2005) was an American blues/rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. During his 25-year career he released more than a dozen albums, had two songs in the top 50 of the US Billboard mainstream rock charts and received two Independent Music Awards. Whitley's sound was drawn from the traditions of blues, jazz and rock and he recorded songs by artists from many genres.

A man of rare poetic honesty, Whitleymaintained a resolute musical integrity throughout his career. His more than a dozen albums range from raw-boned folk-rock to lush electro-blues.

Whitley was born in Houston, Texas. Though relatively unknown to the mainstream, he worked with many top named musicians throughout his career. In 1991, U2/Peter Gabriel producer Daniel Lanois and his protégé, Malcolm Burn, recorded Whitley's debut album Living With the Law (Malcolm Burn also produced 2005's Soft Dangerous Shores). In 2000, Whitley worked with Chris Wood and Billy Martin from the famed trio of Medeski, Martin and Wood, on the Perfect Day album. Others like Dave Matthews and Bruce Hornsby also appeared on 2001's Rocket House.

Whitley played a unique brand of confessional acoustic and electric blues, mixed with inspired modern rock. His lyrics often contained overt sexual references and sometimes bordered on the surreal. An avid fan of jazz saxophone legend John Coltrane, Whitley was a master of the National / Dobro, made famous by many of the great Mississippi delta blues players of the 1930's. Whitley also appeared in the concert documentary Hellhounds on my Trail - The Afterlife of Robert Johnson, with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir, Fleetwood Mac co-founder Peter Green, jam band Gov't Mule, and blues guitarist Keb' Mo. In addition to recording his original material, Whitley has also guested on albums by Mike Watt, Rob Wasserman, Cassandra Wilson, Dave Pirner (of Soul Asylum) and Shawn Colvin.

"The notable constant has been the quality of craftmanship, and the consistent question of how Whitley's combination of super songs, muscular-but-poetic lyrics, athletic voice and rock-god guitar work hasn't earned him a wider audience." - Detroit Free Press

"The post-Hendrix explosion of whammybar wankers hasn't produced a single axeman who can compare to Chris Whitley. His eerie, bluesy voice and American gothic tunes frequently draw attention from the fact that he picks like a pissed off Doc Watson jacked through a Marshall stack" - RollingStone.com

Health and death

In fall 2005, Chris Whitley cancelled his tour due to health issues. Dan Whitley, his brother, revealed on November 11, 2005 that he was "in a comfortable warm home with hospice care at his disposal". Later that week it was revealed that he was terminally ill with lung cancer. On November 20, 2005, his death (at the age of 45) was announced by Dan Whitley and Chris' daughter, Trixie Whitley.

Aerial
Chris Whitley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sheets of golden velvet rain
Lubricate my naked steel again
Let the day go by far below
Million miles of sky all I know

Aerial, aerial, get on

Aerial power glide

Preparing to see her, I got to rise
And now I'm touching myself
I'm painting my eyes

Let the day go by far below
Million miles of sky all I know

Aerial, aerial, get on
Aerial, aerial, get on

I got friends from other systems too
They all need the same thing you do

Let the day go by far below
Million miles of sky all that I know
Let the day go by all I know

Aerial, aerial, get on

Aerial, [Incomprehensible], get on
Aerial

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Chris Whitley's song "Aerial" are about the freedom and exhilaration of flying. The opening lines, "Sheets of golden velvet rain/Lubricate my naked steel again," describe the sensation of flying through precipitation and the need to keep the plane's metal clean and functioning. The chorus, "Aerial, aerial, get on," is a call to action, urging the listener to join in the excitement of flying.

The second verse describes the preparation for takeoff and the excitement of seeing the world from above. The line, "And now I'm touching myself/I'm painting my eyes," suggests a feeling of heightened senses and anticipation. The third verse introduces the idea of connections beyond earth, as the singer mentions friends from other systems who also seek the sensation of flight.

Ultimately, "Aerial" celebrates the beauty and freedom of flying, and the chorus serves as an invitation to experience it for oneself.

Line by Line Meaning

Sheets of golden velvet rain
The golden raindrops smoothly cover a metallic structure, resembling the feel of a velvety texture

Lubricate my naked steel again
The raindrops act as a lubricant on the exposed metal surface, providing a smooth surface for ease of movement

Let the day go by far below
The singer wants to detach himself from everything going on below him, and just focus on the vast sky above him

Million miles of sky all I know
The vastness of the sky and the endlessness of space are the only things known to the singer

Aerial, aerial, get on
The singer feels compelled to fly and explore the sky, and urges himself to do so

Aerial power glide
The singer is soaring through the air with ease and grace

Preparing to see her, I got to rise
The singer anticipates meeting the one he loves, and psyches himself up to fly higher

And now I'm touching myself
The singer is taking control of his own destiny and taking action by flying higher and accomplishing what he desires

I'm painting my eyes
The singer is opening his eyes to the beauty and magnitude of the world around him, including the brilliant colors of the sky

I got friends from other systems too
The singer has met other people who share his love of flying and adventure

They all need the same thing you do
The singer realizes that others are just like him, seeking freedom and excitement in the skies above them

Aerial, aerial, get on
The singer encourages himself once again to fly high and explore the beauty of the world above

Aerial, [Incomprehensible], get on
The singer repeats his urge to fly higher and higher, experiencing the exhilaration of a life free from earthly constraints

Aerial
The word is repeated one last time, as a final encouragement to take to the skies and soar high above all earthly worries

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS WHITLEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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