Ohio
Damien Juradio Lyrics
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I have what's considered a good view
Two blocks from the subway, three from the fountain
Where I walk to break in the new shoes
She stands on the sidewalk just waving at taxis
Like horses in parades in passing
I ask where she's headed she tells me
"It's been a long time, a real long time
A real long time"
Out from my window how far is Ohio?
She laughed and pointed out east
She said, "I grew up there with my dear mother
And I haven't seen her since thirteen"
"You see, I was taken while she lay sleeping
By my father's hired man
We moved to city so far from my family
I haven't been back there since"
"It's been a long time, a real long time
A real long time"
Out from my window please hear me Ohio
Your daughter wants to come home
She longs to be with you, to hug you to kiss you
To never leave her alone
And I've gotten to know her to live with to love her
It's hard to see her leave
She belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio
I wish she belonged to me
See you sometime, see you sometime
See you sometime
In "Ohio," Damien Jurado tells the story of a woman who has been separated from her mother for a long time. The singer sees her from his window and strikes up a conversation with her. She tells him that she is headed to Ohio, where she grew up with her mother. She explains that when she was thirteen, she was taken from her mother by her father's hired man, and she hasn't seen her since. The woman wants to go back to Ohio to see her mother, but she belongs to the state and her mother. The singer is sad to see her leave but wishes her well.
The lyrics of "Ohio" depict a heartbreaking story of a girl who was taken away from her mother and hasn't seen her in years. The woman's plight is made even more poignant by the fact that she wants to go back home but can't. The lyrics are full of emotion and empathy, with the singer trying to understand the woman's situation and feeling sad that he can't do more.
Line by Line Meaning
Out from my window across from the city
The singer is looking out of his window at the city.
I have what's considered a good view
The singer has a good view of the city.
Two blocks from the subway, three from the fountain
The singer is a short distance from the subway and the fountain.
Where I walk to break in the new shoes
The artist walks in the area to break in his new shoes.
She stands on the sidewalk just waving at taxis
The artist sees a woman standing on the sidewalk waving at taxis.
Like horses in parades in passing
The taxis pass by like horses in a parade.
I ask where she's headed she tells me
The singer asks the woman where she is going.
"Ohio, I've not seen my mother in ages"
The woman says she is going to Ohio to see her mother whom she has not seen in a long time.
"It's been a long time, a real long time
A real long time"
The woman emphasizes that it has been a long time since she has seen her mother.
Out from my window how far is Ohio?
The artist wonders how far Ohio is from his window.
She laughed and pointed out east
The woman laughs and points towards the east where Ohio is located.
She said, "I grew up there with my dear mother
And I haven't seen her since thirteen"
The woman explains that she grew up in Ohio with her mother but hasn't seen her since she was thirteen years old.
"You see, I was taken while she lay sleeping
By my father's hired man
We moved to city so far from my family
I haven't been back there since"
The woman reveals that she was taken by her father's hired man while her mother was sleeping, and they moved to a distant city away from her family. She hasn't been back to Ohio since then.
"Out from my window please hear me Ohio
Your daughter wants to come home
She longs to be with you, to hug you to kiss you
To never leave her alone"
The singer is addressing Ohio, saying that the woman wants to come home and be with her mother. She longs to be with her mother and never be alone again.
And I've gotten to know her to live with to love her
It's hard to see her leave
The singer has gotten to know the woman and has grown to love her. He finds it hard to see her leave to go to Ohio.
She belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio
I wish she belonged to me
The woman belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio. The artist wishes she belonged to him.
See you sometime, see you sometime
See you sometime
The artist says goodbye to Ohio and the woman, hoping to see them sometime in the future.
Contributed by Savannah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sairaj Batale
Out from my window across from the city
I have what's considered a good view
Two blocks from the subway, three from the fountain
Where I walk to break in new shoes
She stands on the sidewalk just waving at taxis
Like horses in parades in passing
I ask where she's headed she tells me,
"Ohio, I've not seen my mother in ages
It's been a long time, a real long time."
Out from my window "How far is Ohio?"
She laughed and pointed out east
She said, "I grew up there with my dear mother
And I haven't seen her since thirteen.
You see, I was taken while she lay sleeping
By my father's hired man
We moved to city so far from my family
I haven't been back there since.
It's been a long time, a real long time."
Out from my window please hear me Ohio
Your daughter wants to come home
She longs to be with you to hug you to kiss you
To never leave her alone
And I've gotten know her to live with to love her
It's hard to see her leave
She belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio
I wish she belonged to me
See you sometime, see you sometime
Daniela Bucur
[Verse 1]
Out from my window across from the city
I have what's considered a good view
Two blocks from the subway, three from the fountain
Where I walk to break in new shoes
She stands on the sidewalk just waving at taxis
Like horses in parades in passing
I ask where she's headed, she tells me, "Ohio:
I've not seen my mother in ages"
[Chorus]
"It's been a long time, a real long time
A real long time"
[Verse 2]
Out from my window "How far is Ohio?"
She laughed and pointed out east
She said, "I grew up there with my dear mother
And I haven't seen her since thirteen
You see, I was taken while she lay sleeping
By my father's hired men
We moved to the city so far from our family
I haven't been back there since"
[Chorus]
"It's been a long time, a real long time
A real long time"
[Verse 3]
Out from my window please hear me, Ohio
Your daughter wants to come home
She longs to be with you, to hug you, to kiss you
To never leave her alone
And I've gotten to know her, to live with, to love her
It's hard to see her leave
She belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio
I wish she belonged to me
[Outro]
See you sometime, see you sometime
See you sometime
Sairaj Batale
Out from my window across from the city
I have what's considered a good view
Two blocks from the subway, three from the fountain
Where I walk to break in new shoes
She stands on the sidewalk just waving at taxis
Like horses in parades in passing
I ask where she's headed she tells me,
"Ohio, I've not seen my mother in ages
It's been a long time, a real long time."
Out from my window "How far is Ohio?"
She laughed and pointed out east
She said, "I grew up there with my dear mother
And I haven't seen her since thirteen.
You see, I was taken while she lay sleeping
By my father's hired man
We moved to city so far from my family
I haven't been back there since.
It's been a long time, a real long time."
Out from my window please hear me Ohio
Your daughter wants to come home
She longs to be with you to hug you to kiss you
To never leave her alone
And I've gotten know her to live with to love her
It's hard to see her leave
She belongs to her mother and the state of Ohio
I wish she belonged to me
See you sometime, see you sometime
Coronilla Glauca
thank you ♥
Caity
Something about this song absolutely breaks my heart. So beautifully written, it awakens a part of me that I didn't know was there. ❤️
Omaima Ouahi
The same thing it does to me ❤
Vinícius Leomil
The same happens to me
Dj Magmar
This is real music. It tells a story. Beautifully written and amazing all together. Great job on this song!!!! ❤
burntbananas
Beautiful song. Can't believe someone disliked it.
living_dimples
this song made me tremble. it tells the perfect story of two people longing. her for her mother and Ohio; him her. it also showed he didn't tell her his feelings because in my opinion he didn't want to be selfish and cloud her joy of going back to Ohio.
Ralph Dover
I heard a different version of this song sometime before my mother died. I sung this song faithfully everyday for months after her passing and still strive to sing it or listen to it everyday. I feel this song is one that describes her thoughts about certain subjects in regards to how she perceived her situation of events and there outcomes. In some cases, it is sad, very sad, (still not fully mourned her passing and fear there is a conspiracy of murder or negligence about her death and at times feel my current situation may prevent knowing her truth right away and if known, too late to do anything about it.) The songs theme has many strong parallels to my mothers own story, which I deeply realize and very aware of the possibility of it happening in my life and even my entire family.
Nicholas Rivera
The pain this song gives me is so immense. It reminds me of my ex, she was not a bad ex though. We had been together for over 4 years. She one day told me she had to move to Ohio. I'm in new York. She told me we would have to separate. You've never felt pain like that unless you've had your heart forcefully ripped from the person you love... I think of her everyday and almost come to tears