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.
Weightless
Chris Whitley Lyrics
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With all them secrets that you know
As if to give nothing away
Of the signals you obey
You're weightless as a child
Falling from above
Are helpless to your size
Footsteps, empty room
As if a temple or a tomb
The bed gives where you lay
As if a power you betray
You're weightless as a child
Falling from above
Are helpless to your size
Lonelier than God
Lonelier than God
Falling from above
You're weightless as a child
Are helpless to your love
No one can hold you now
No one [Incomprehensible]
When you was a child
Falling from above
Are helpless to your size
Lonelier than God
Lonelier than God
Falling from above
Weightless as a child
Are helpless to your love
Are helpless to your lover
Are helpless to your lover
In "Weightless," Chris Whitley describes a sense of vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of the unknown. The lyrics suggest that the singer feels like they are free-falling through life, without any sense of control or direction. The ground beneath them constantly shifts, as they navigate the secrets and signals that shape their path. Despite this lack of certainty, the singer seems to take comfort in the fact that they are weightless, untethered from the earth's constraints like a child. However, this sense of freedom is also tinged with loneliness and isolation, as the singer grapples with their smallness in a world that feels cold and indifferent.
The imagery of "Weightless" is both melancholic and evocative. Whitley talks about the emptiness of a room and the powerlessness of a bed, as if they are symbolic markers of the singer's own feelings of isolation and vulnerability. The child-like imagery of weightlessness and falling highlights the fragility of the singer's situation, while also suggesting a sense of innocence and purity. Overall, "Weightless" presents a complex look at the human experience, exploring the tension between power and vulnerability, freedom and isolation, and the unknown and the familiar.
Line by Line Meaning
The ground gives as you go
The ground beneath your feet feels unstable and unsteady as you move forward.
With all them secrets that you know
You carry many secrets with you, which weigh heavily on your mind and soul.
As if to give nothing away
You don't want to reveal your true feelings or intentions to others.
Of the signals you obey
You follow certain unspoken rules or signals that guide your actions and decisions.
You're weightless as a child
You feel light and carefree, like a child without any worries or responsibilities.
Falling from above
You feel like you're descending from a higher place, both physically and emotionally.
Are helpless to your size
You feel small and insignificant compared to the problems and challenges you face.
Lonelier than God
You feel incredibly isolated and alone in your struggles and pain.
Footsteps, empty room
You're wandering through a space that feels empty and devoid of life, with only the sound of your own footsteps to fill the silence.
As if a temple or a tomb
You feel like you're trapped in a space that's both sacred and haunting, where every sound and movement feels amplified.
The bed gives where you lay
You sink into the softness of the bed, but it feels like a betrayal of the tension and struggle that you've been carrying within you.
As if a power you betray
You feel like you're letting go of a force that's been holding you up and keeping you strong, and it's almost painful to release that power.
No one can hold you now
You're too free and untethered to be constrained by anyone else's needs or desires.
No one [Incomprehensible]
It's not clear what this line means, as it's difficult to understand the singer's words.
Are helpless to your lover
You feel completely surrendered and at the mercy of your emotions and desires, which center around a specific person or relationship.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS WHITLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind