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.
The Model
Chris Whitley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nichts war für dich
Nichts bleibt für dich
Keiner braucht dich
Ha ha ha ha
Jeder lacht
Jeder lacht ja
über dich
Keiner erträgt dich
und niemand braucht dich
Keiner braucht dich
doch jeder braucht mich
Ha ha ha ha
Jeder lacht
Jeder lacht ja
Jeder lacht
über dich
From these lyrics, Chris Whitley is singing about someone who was once perceived to be important or significant (the model) but has now lost their relevance and is no longer needed by anyone. The repetition of "Nichts ist für dich, Nichts war für dich, Nichts bleibt für dich" translates to "Nothing is for you, Nothing was for you, Nothing will remain for you" which emphasizes the point that this person has lost everything they once had. The laughter mentioned at the end of each verse suggests that this individual is being ridiculed by others for their downfall, further highlighting their current state of isolation and rejection.
The chorus reinforces this idea, with the repetition of "Jeder lacht über dich" meaning "Everyone is laughing at you". The last two lines of the second verse, "Keiner erträgt dich und niemand braucht dich" mean "Nobody can stand you and nobody needs you", which emphasizes the rejection this person is experiencing. The contrast between the individual's situation and the singer's, who is supposedly being needed by everyone, further highlights the individual's loss of power and status.
Line by Line Meaning
Nichts ist für dich
You have nothing in your life.
Nichts war für dich
You never had anything in your past.
Nichts bleibt für dich
You have nothing to look forward to in your future.
Keiner braucht dich
No one wants or values you.
Ha ha ha ha
Sarcastic laughter at your hopeless situation.
Jeder lacht
Everyone is laughing at you.
Jeder lacht ja
Everyone is definitely laughing at you.
über dich
Laughing specifically at your expense.
Keiner erträgt dich
No one can stand being around you.
und niemand braucht dich
And nobody wants or values you either.
doch jeder braucht mich
But everyone needs me instead.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EMIL SCHULT, RALF HUETTER, KARL BARTOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Sanborn
Ranks right up there with Sturgil Simpson's cover of The Promise - great job!
quiff mosaic
RIP
Chris.
RIP
Florian.
Yin & Yang.
Perfection.