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
Intoxicated Hands
Damien Jurado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he pretended to be asleep
And underneath the blankets their legs weaved like a chain
And come tomorrow morning how will you explain
Was it that whiskey talking or is it your heart
That you made you say I love you to me
As you held me in your arms
What has come about
I loved you seven long years
And now that you've found me out
Just get out
I was just like the others I wanted to be more
Shame it took that whiskey baby
To bring me to your door
You'll have the explanations for that
What has come about
When I loved you seven long years my boy
And now that you've found me out
Just get out
The song Intoxicated Hands by Damien Jurado is a tragic story of a woman who takes advantage of a man's intoxicated state to engage in a sexual encounter. The lyrics convey a sense of guilt and remorse on the part of the woman, who is aware that what she did was wrong. The line "And he pretended to be asleep" suggests that the man was not conscious or aware of what was happening, which only compounds the woman's sense of guilt. The weaving legs under the blankets evoke a sense of intimacy, but also of entanglement, as though both parties are trapped in the situation.
The chorus of the song brings up the question of whether the woman's actions were driven by her heart or by the influence of alcohol. The line "I love you" is significant because it suggests that there is a deeper emotional connection between the two parties, but also highlights the consequences of giving in to temptation. The lyrics "And you'll have the explanation for that, what has come about" underline the fact that the woman is aware of the gravity of her actions, and is struggling to come to terms with the consequences.
The final verse of the song reveals that the woman has been in love with the man for seven long years, but that now that he has found out about what happened, she wants him to leave. The final line "Just get out" is especially poignant because it suggests that the woman has come to the painful realization that the relationship is over, and that there is no way to reconcile what has happened.
Line by Line Meaning
She took advantage of intoxicated hands
Someone used me when I was too drunk to resist
And he pretended to be asleep
He ignored what was happening, pretending not to notice
And underneath the blankets their legs weaved like a chain
They were tangled up, physically and emotionally connected
And come tomorrow morning how will you explain
They'll have to face the consequences of their actions
Was it that whiskey talking or is it your heart
Were our actions driven by alcohol or true feelings?
That made you say I love you to me
Those three words came out of nowhere
As you held me in your arms
We felt a moment of closeness and intimacy
And you'll have the explanation for that
We'll have to figure out why we said and did what we did
What has come about
We'll have to face the consequences of our actions
I loved you seven long years
I've been holding onto this love for a long time
And now that you've found me out
You've discovered my feelings for you
Just get out
I can't face you anymore
I was just like the others I wanted to be more
I was just another person who wanted to be with you
Shame it took that whiskey baby
I wish it didn't take alcohol to make me express my feelings
To bring me to your door
To finally bring us together
When I loved you seven long years my boy
I've been longing for you for a long time, my love
And now that you've found me out
You've discovered my hidden feelings
Just get out
I can't face the reality of our situation anymore
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Damien Jurado
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind