He approached his music with a new found freshness and decided to put some songs down on record. His grandmother told him he had a distant cousin in London in the music business. Borrowing money from those that would lend it, he recorded his demo and sent it off to his cousin, renowned producer and film composer, David Arnold (Bjork, James Bond). Arnold liked what he heard and provided enough money for Damien to buy his own mobile studio.
Damien Rice formerly sang with Lisa Hannigan and released his debut solo album, O, in Ireland in early 2002. In July 2002 O was released in the UK and it received widespread critical acclaim. In June 2003 O was released in the USA and Europe, with Rice appearing on The Letterman Show and receiving more acclaim from publications such as Rolling Stone, Newsweek and The Boston Globe. Arnold joined him on stage in New York to perform a version of the Björk/Arnold track Play Dead.
He gained further popularity after some of his most famous songs were included in the media. An example of this is 9 Crimes used in the soundtrack of the summer blockbuster Shrek Three and The Blower's Daughter was featured in the movie Closer. Delicate was also featured in the hit T.V. show Lost.
Damien Rice is an intense live act - with emphasis laid on emotional intensity and experiments, rather than technical perfection. At a 2005 concert, for instance, he threw out big cheeses to the audience. This can sometimes be more demanding for the listener than the radio hit edit of the song Cannonball suggests. 'Cannonball' was re-mixed in 2004, for UK radio, to make it more radio-friendly. Rice later was reported to be very unhappy with it, saying to Tom Dunne on PetSounds (Today FM) that he did not "...really like it". He stated that he had allowed the remix to go through only if he signed a contract that would forbid anyone from ever remixing one of his songs ever again.
Damien spent 2004 and 2005 recording the follow-up to O. The album, 9, was released in Ireland on November 3, 2006, on November 6 in the rest of Europe, and in North America on November 14, 2006. Even though the new album maintained Rice's sense of "emotionality," some argued that it did so through volume and intensity rather than with the reflection and lyrical commentary that characterized his first release, O.
Rice has also developed a reputation as a live performer, selling out at venues across Europe and the United States. He is a performer who gives a lot of himself to the audience.
As of March 25th, 2007, this was posted on the Damien Rice official website: After much thought and discussion Damien has decided that his professional relationship with Lisa Hannigan has run its creative course. As a result Lisa will not be appearing at any of the upcoming live shows. Lisa is embarking on her own artistic endeavours and there are no plans for them to work together in the foreseeable future. The current band on tour at the moment are - Damien Rice, Joel Shearer, Shane Fitzsimons, Tom Osander, and Vyvienne Long.
Rumors that Damien Rice is currently dating Mélanie Laurent, a French actress, has not been verified. However, there have been reports that he is working with the actress to record her debut album.
Lonely Soldier
Damien Rice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lonely, but never alone
Good eyes, see nothing to shoot
Good feet, feel good giving up good boots
So ask your father how'd you fall
And ask your father how'd you fall
Like a leaf sitting on the ground
She died with her hands stretched out
She died with a hungry mouth
She died with her mind full of doubt
And thoughts of weakening
So may your river never dry
And may your mouth never lie
And may you be satisfied to never know why
Sometimes someone just wants to die
So where'd you get those cuts in your hand?
Thought I told you about playing in the sand
There's always someone careless with glass
There's always questions you don't want to ask
She died with her hands stretched out
She died with a hungry mouth
She died with her mind full of doubt
And thoughts of weakening
And so may your river never dry
And may your mouth never lie
And may you be satisfied to never know why
Sometimes someone just wants to die
So lonely soldier go home
Lonely, but never alone
Good eyes, see nothing to shoot
Good feet, feel good giving up good boots
The song "Lonely Soldier" by Damien Rice is a poignant yet simple ballad that tells the story of a soldier who is returning home from war feeling isolated and alone despite being back with his loved ones. The opening lines of the song, "Lonely soldier go home, Lonely, but never alone" suggest that the soldier may have experienced some kind of trauma during his service that has left him feeling detached from the people he has returned to. The soldier's wartime experiences are implied through lines such as "Good eyes, see nothing to shoot" and "Good feet, feel good giving up good boots" which reflect a sense of relief that he no longer has to be in a constant state of vigilance and readiness.
The song takes a dark turn when the soldier thinks about a woman who has died, with "her mind full of doubt and thoughts of weakening." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the soldier's own mental state, having experienced the trauma and horrors of war. The repetition of the phrase "And so may your river never dry, And may your mouth never lie" seems to be a wish for peace and honesty in the face of difficult circumstances. The lyric "Sometimes someone just wants to die" is a gut-wrenching moment that highlights the mental and emotional toll that war can take on people.
Overall, "Lonely Soldier" is a poignant and timeless song that speaks to the human experience of war and its aftermath.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonely soldier go home
Leave this war and return back to your loved ones
Lonely, but never alone
Despite being surrounded by fellow soldiers, the emotional pain of war is isolating
Good eyes, see nothing to shoot
The soldier has lost the desire to fight despite having the skill to do so
Good feet, feel good giving up good boots
In giving up the necessities of war, the soldier regains a sense of humanity
So ask your father how'd you fall
Reflect on the series of events that led you to this point of being a soldier
Like a leaf sitting on the ground, Good for nothing 'cept kicking around
Like a fallen leaf, the soldier feels at times like a discarded object
She died with her hands stretched out, She died with a hungry mouth, She died with her mind full of doubt, And thoughts of weakening
The loss of life and the constant state of danger leaves the soldier wondering if death is the only way out
So may your river never dry, And may your mouth never lie, And may you be satisfied to never know why, Sometimes someone just wants to die
May the soldier find the will to continue living, even without answers to the world's most pressing questions
So where'd you get those cuts in your hand?, Thought I told you about playing in the sand, There's always someone careless with glass, There's always questions you don't want to ask
Casual injuries reveal the reality of war and the trauma that comes with it
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Damien George Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@yngor123
Lonely Soldier go home,
Lonely, but never alone..
Good eyes, see nothing to shoot
Good feet, feel good, givin' up good boots
Ask your father how'd you fall
Ask your father how'd you fall
Like a leaf, sitting on the ground
Good for nothing, except kicking around..
She died with her hand stretched out
She died with a hungry mouth
She died with her mind full of doubt
and thought of weakening..
And so may your river never dry
May your mouth never lie
May you be satisfied to never know why
Sometimes, someone just wants to die...
Where did you get those cuts on your hand?
I thought I told you bout playin in the sand
There's always someone careless with glass
There's always questions no one won't ask
She died with her hand stretched out
She died with a hungry mouth
She died with her mind full of doubt
and thought of weakening..
May your river never dry
May your mouth never lie
May you be satisfied to never know why
Sometimes, someone just wants to die...
So Lonely Soldier go home,
Lonely, but never alone..
Good eyes, see nothing to shoot
Good feet, feel good, givin' up good boots
@eblerte
Damien, I don't know if you ever read anything ppl write about you on internet, but just in case that happens and you read this comment; You have the ability to find my heart where ever its hidden, grab it and hold it tenderly until the song is over!
@johnjoe6291
You are welcome
@MascheranoLFC
"May you be satisfied to never know why Sometimes, someone just wants to die".. One of the strongest lyrics iv ever heard in a song
@DanDDirges
What a masterpiece! Very moving! Getting choked up here. Never give up peeps. Hope is only a prayer away.
@DanDDirges
Amen Rich, Takes a big heart to write a song about this. Thanks for letting me know about this song!
@anonymoiselle102
A lullaby for the almost-dead.
@lqalaququqassoa
Thanks Damien. You save my live.
@athalaranger1897
I love Damien's music. Truly beautiful. :')
@mattsouza7184
The best..
@myeskimofriends1
love the hair, love the song, such a great version!!