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
Tragedy
Damien Jurado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the lying and the cheating is hard
You got yourself a boyfriend and
Treats you like a lady and friend
No one sees the tragedy except for me
[Girl that] I've been leading
You had yourself a boyfriend and
Used him like the others you did
Trust me, you're in deep
It's no good
The song "Tragedy" by Damien Jurado is a poignant reflection of a man's guilt over his past actions towards a woman he has been leading on. The lyrics suggest that he has been dishonest with her and has cheated on her in the past. However, now the girl has found someone who likes her for who she is and treats her with respect. The man realizes that he has been the cause of her suffering and is now filled with remorse. He is the only one who recognizes the tragedy that occurred and he cannot reach out to the woman to apologize for his behavior.
The first verse of the song depicts the girl's new boyfriend treating her with kindness and respect. He calls her 'lady' and 'friend' which indicates that he values her as a person. In contrast, the man singing the song admits to having led the girl on with his lying and cheating. The word 'leading' suggests that he was manipulating her feelings and causing her pain. However, in the second verse, the man's guilt becomes more apparent as he realizes that the girl he has hurt has found someone better. Still, he cannot let go of his guilt and begs the girl to trust him.
In conclusion, the song is a powerful reflection on how people can cause so much harm to others and then feel immense guilt about it. The lyrics are simple yet effective in conveying the man's longing for redemption and the tragic consequences of his actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Girl that I've been leading
This is directed towards the girl that the singer has been manipulating and deceiving.
With the lying and the cheating is hard
It's a tough job to lead a girl while deceiving and cheating on her.
You got yourself a boyfriend and
The girl has found someone else to be in a relationship with.
Treats you like a lady and friend
Her new boyfriend is treating her with respect and care.
No one sees the tragedy except for me
The artist is the only one aware of the tragedy and the misery that the girl is going through.
Girl that I've been leading
Once again, the singer is mentioning the girl he's been manipulating.
With the drinking and the cheating [in good]
The singer reveals his involvement with alcohol and infidelity while leading the girl on.
You had yourself a boyfriend and
In the past tense, the artist mentions how the girl had a boyfriend.
Used him like the others you did
The artist accuses the girl of using her previous boyfriends the same way she treated him.
Trust me, you're in deep
The artist is warning the girl that she is in a deep hole and that she needs to take a step back.
It's no good
The singer concludes with the notion that the situation is terrible and will not end well.
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Damien Jurado
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind