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
Hands on the Table
Damien Jurado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I could not unlock from your stare
And though I have tried to untie from your anchor, I can't
I am no good at giving up
I am directing our movie I play in my mind
A moment suspended in time that I keep on rewind
Through pages where I wrote down your name
And carefully planned our escape
I would pass you a key and pay off the judges to free you
If that's what it takes, then why wait?
I am one cloud shy in your neon sky
Do not go from my road
I was crippled and blurry the day I walked into your frame
I'm so focused now on your name
And my pages were fading from the days of exchanging my tune
On trains that I took home to you
When the signal broke, I spoke to you on paper
From the parking lots to our bed
Where you are not now
Do not go from my road
Soon my moon will fall
The lyrics of Damien Jurado's song Hands on the Table express a deep-rooted attachment to someone that the singer cannot let go of. The first stanza speaks of the powerful connection between two people as they lay hands on the table. Even though the singer tries to break away from the other person's hold, he cannot do so. He admits his inability to give up on the relationship, regardless of the difficulties he encounters. The singer plays out the memory in his head, reliving every moment of the encounter, and he is fixated on the lingering stare that he cannot unlock.
In the second stanza, the theme of attachment continues as the singer expresses his desire to escape with the other person. He expresses his willingness to go through any obstacles that come his way, even if it means paying off the judges to prevent punishment. The ink that bleeds through the pages where the singer wrote the other person's name symbolizes his profound attachment to the other person, which he cannot seem to shake off.
Line by Line Meaning
I will always remember our hands on the table
I cherish the memory of when we held hands on that table
And I could not unlock from your stare
Your gaze was so captivating that I couldn't divert my attention
And though I have tried to untie from your anchor, I can't
Despite my best efforts, I cannot break free from your influence on me
I am no good at giving up
I am not someone who easily gives up, especially when it comes to you
I am directing our movie I play in my mind
I am creating a fantasy in my head where I direct our ideal love story
A moment suspended in time that I keep on rewind
I can't stop replaying that perfect moment in my mind
And the ink it is bleeding
The ink from my pen is running due to my emotions
Through pages where I wrote down your name
My notebook is filled with pages where I wrote your name
And carefully planned our escape
I thoughtfully planned out an escape for us to be together
I would pass you a key and pay off the judges to free you
I would do whatever it takes to free you, including passing you a key and bribing officials
If that's what it takes, then why wait?
Why delay our freedom if this is the solution we need?
I am one cloud shy in your neon sky
I feel like I don't quite fit in your world
Do not go from my road
Please don't leave me
I was crippled and blurry the day I walked into your frame
I was lost and confused until I met you
I'm so focused now on your name
You are the only thing on my mind now
And my pages were fading from the days of exchanging my tune
My notebook pages are fading as the memories of us slowly fade away
On trains that I took home to you
I took countless trains to come back to you
When the signal broke, I spoke to you on paper
When we couldn't talk, I wrote you letters instead
From the parking lots to our bed
I wrote to you everywhere, from parking lots to our shared bed
Where you are not now
But now you are gone from my side
Soon my moon will fall
Soon, everything will fall apart for me without you
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, ALBA BLUE MUSIC SERVICES LLC
Written by: DAMIEN JURADO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Texazwhite
Just when I think he’s reached his peak, This bloke just gets better and writes another one. If I wrote, and played one song as good as Damien’s in my life, I’ll die peacefully.
decembria Winter
This is the most beautiful song I've ever heard.. ♠♣♦♥
Joel Covarrubias
Excellent song!
toggy0299
Beautiful! Enough said.
sleepyeyedx
great song
Sound Castles
Dam
Wish I was there that night!
karen81986
Wow
XtaZe Nems
Tuerie 👌💪