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
Icicle
Damien Jurado Lyrics
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You're playing with your face
Through your eyes I do despise you
There's not a person that I hate
But you.
When I could reach you from a distance
When I could sail upon the horizon
The memory's gone, they're foggy to me
You'll see
I will not argue with you
There's only blackness in your heart
In the buildings that you tore down with your mind
No on told me you had feelings
They kept it secret and away from me
What would I give to have them silent
Their mouths all taken from them
When I could reach you from a distance
When I could sail upon the horizon
I left behind all those who mattered
They're all not gone, just blurry memory
You'll see
I will not argue with you
There's only blackness in your heart
In the buildings that you tore down with your mind
The lyrics to Damien Jurado's song "Icicle" tell a story of regret, anger, and lost connections. The singer seems to be addressing someone who they once knew but can no longer recognize. The person they are addressing seems to have changed dramatically, and the singer despises them for it. The lines "You're playing with your face" and "In the buildings that you tore down with your mind" suggest that this person has become a very different and destructive version of themselves. The singer reflects on the time when they could have "reached" this person and connected with them, but they chose to stay distant and sail away. They now regret that decision, as the memory of the people they left behind is "foggy" and "blurry."
The singer is particularly angry with the person they are addressing for keeping secrets about their feelings. They say "No one told me you had feelings/ They kept it secret and away from me." It's possible that this is the reason the two of them have drifted apart - because this person was dealing with emotions that the singer didn't know about. The singer's anger turns violent in the lines "What would I give to have them silent/ Their mouths all taken from them." This sudden and shocking turn in the lyrics suggests that the singer is struggling with their own feelings of guilt and rage.
Overall, "Icicle" is a powerful and emotional song that explores themes of regret, loss, and miscommunication. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but there is a clear sense of frustration and sadness in the singer's voice. The song is a reminder that even when we feel distant from the people we love, we can never truly escape the impact they have on us.
Line by Line Meaning
I did not recognize you
I couldn't tell it was you, maybe because of how different you look or how your behavior has changed
You're playing with your face
You seem to be putting on a facade or acting in a way that is not genuine
Through your eyes I do despise you
When I look into your eyes, I feel disgust or hatred towards you
There's not a person that I hate
But you.
I don't hate anyone else, only you
When I could reach you from a distance
There was a time when I could easily communicate with you without any problems
When I could sail upon the horizon
There was a time when I felt free and unrestrained in my relationship with you
I left behind all those who mattered
I neglected and abandoned the people who were important and meaningful to me
The memory's gone, they're foggy to me
You'll see
I don't remember them clearly anymore, but you will understand why eventually
I will not argue with you
I won't engage in a disagreement or conflict with you
There's only blackness in your heart
You have a deep, dark negativity or malice within you
In the buildings that you tore down with your mind
You have a destructive and negative effect on the environment or people around you
No on told me you had feelings
Nobody informed me that you had emotions or inner thoughts
They kept it secret and away from me
They intentionally kept it hidden from me
What would I give to have them silent
I wish they wouldn't talk or reveal anything to me
Their mouths all taken from them
I want them all to be silenced or unable to speak
They're all not gone, just blurry memory
They haven't completely vanished from my life, but my recollection of them is fuzzy or unclear
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.