Jurado's solo career began during the mid-1990s, releasing lo-fi folk based recordings on his own cassette-only label, Casa Recordings, beginning in 1995.
Jurado often makes use of found-sound and field-recording techniques, and has experimented with different forms of tape recordings. In 2000 he released Postcards and Audio Letters, a collection of found audio letters and fragments that he had found from sources such as thrift store tape players and answering machines. Also released in 2000 was Ghost of David,, Jurado's bleakest and most personal sounding record to date. I Break Chairs, (2002) was produced by long time friend, David Bazan. It was his last album for Sub Pop, and was a much rockier, electric affair. After signing for the Indiana-based label Secretly Canadian, Damien Jurado reverted to his trademark folk ballad-based style, releasing six more albums: Where Shall You Take Me? (2003), On My Way To Absence (2005), And Now That I'm In Your Shadow (2006), Caught in the Trees (2008), Saint Bartlett (2010) and Maraqopa (2012).
Official blog: iamcaughtinthetrees.blogspot.com
Caskets
Damien Jurado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've got a suicide pact with your name
You can doubt any doubt any move that is made
'cause I'm putting the worries to page
In a flash you'll be quick to react
I'm a useful spade for the grave
Collect calls to the shadow in town
So what were the chances of saying
Knock our teeth to improve how you look
And you're using you tongue for a flag
You look tired in your funeral suit
There's caskets for all to be had
Real estate cemetery, move over
I'm useful as bones in the tomb
Gas drinks for the shadow in town
Because another record is due
You must remove the skin and burn it all for fuel
You must remove the skin and burn it all for fuel
The lyrics to Damien Jurado's song "Caskets" appear to explore themes of death, regret, and possibly even suicide. The opening lines of "Two tickets on a chevrolet train, I've got a suicide pact with your name" suggest an impending sense of doom, with the singer seemingly planning to take their own life alongside someone else. Throughout the rest of the song, the lyrics become increasingly bleak, with references to graves, real estate cemeteries, and burning skin for fuel.
The line "Knock our teeth to improve how you look, and you're using your tongue for a flag" suggests a sense of societal pressure to conform to certain beauty standards, even at the expense of one's own bodily autonomy. The final repetition of the line "You must remove the skin and burn it all for fuel" feels like a haunting decree, suggesting that in the end, all of our bodily remains will likely be reduced to nothing.
Overall, the lyrics to "Caskets" feel ominous and foreboding, grappling with heavy themes of mortality and the futility of human existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Two tickets on a chevrolet train
I have made a commitment to leave with you on this journey, without knowing where this train is heading.
I've got a suicide pact with your name
Our agreement is so strong that even in moments of doubt and despair, our connection will be unbreakable.
You can doubt any doubt any move that is made
You can question every step we take, but my intentions remain unshaken.
'cause I'm putting the worries to page
I am writing down my anxieties and fears to confront them and leave them behind.
In a flash you'll be quick to react
You are a quick-thinker, ready to respond to any challenge we may face.
I'm a useful spade for the grave
I am prepared to dig a hole for us to rest in, whenever that moment may come.
Collect calls to the shadow in town
I am attempting to communicate with the unknown or even with the dead, in order to find answers or connection.
So what were the chances of saying
What are the possibilities and outcomes of expressing my true feelings and thoughts?
You must remove the skin and burn it all for fuel
In order to survive and continue forward, we must shed our old ways and use our past experiences as inspiration and energy.
Knock our teeth to improve how you look
We are sacrificing elements of ourselves to fit in or impress others, at the cost of our own well-being.
And you're using you tongue for a flag
We are speaking louder than necessary or exaggerating the truth to assert our power or beliefs.
You look tired in your funeral suit
You appear worn out or defeated, as if you have already given up on life.
There's caskets for all to be had
Regardless of who we are or how we live, death is a certainty that we must all face.
Real estate cemetery, move over
The idea of owning land, even in death, is outdated and unnecessary.
I'm useful as bones in the tomb
Even when our physical bodies are gone, our legacy and impact can still be felt and remembered.
Gas drinks for the shadow in town
We are attempting to satisfy our vices and desires, even if it means seeking out things that are unhealthy or harmful.
Because another record is due
I am using art and creativity as a way to process and express my emotions and experiences, and there is always more to come.
You must remove the skin and burn it all for fuel
We must continue to evolve and adapt, shedding our old selves and using our past as inspiration and motivation.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Damien Jurado
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daren Redman
Wow such an amazing video and song. Really hits hard.
Raphael Dal Pos
Ouch! This leaves me speechless. Impressive anyway.