By breaking through heartache, Ramirez has gone on a search for understanding. The Austin, TX, resident and frequent traveler to clubs, theaters and listening rooms all over the country, has come to a phase in his creative life where the tears have dried and moving on looks like the best option.
That change in perspective hasn’t erased the weary searching that has characterized Ramirez’s sparse Americana songwriting for more than a decade. It just means the questions he’s asking on his new album Apologies have changed. “There’s less to do with heartache and a lot more to do with personal struggles, and hope. I see a lot of hope in these songs,” Ramirez, 29, says. "I've been working on these and many other songs for a couple years but I didn't know what I wanted this album to say until right before going into the studio. Once I finished 'An Introduction' I knew this was going to be a very personal album."
That song finds Ramirez standing in a Roman cathedral looking for God – singing atop a simple but driving shuffle – while the sparse acoustic guitar-and-voice number “Goodbye” shows him closing the book (and setting it ablaze) on a relationship that seems to have left him permanently unsettled.
Whether solo or with accompaniment, Ramirez and his characters make an impression, which is why Paste magazine called him, "The best damn songwriter you don't know yet" and folk stars The Civil Wars praised him as "Soulful, stirring, heartbreaking.”
With Apologies Ramirez has widened his view but is looking outward as intensely as ever. The answers might elude him – as they do all of us – but the questions he’s asking ring honest and true.
An Introduction
David Ramirez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prayed in Southern Baptist Chapels,
I've never heard a voice,
So I ain't payin' a penny more,
Oh, tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
They raised me on doughnuts and coffee,
It smelled like a hospital,
But no one was being cured,
Oh, tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
Tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
Oh, tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
How the hell am I supposed to knock on heaven,
When I can't even see the door,
Yeah, won't you tell me where to find the Lord,
So I traded in my pew for a barstool,
Trying to find redemption in the mind of the youth,
We'd sit tall with our cigarettes and disheveled uniforms,
Oh I never, no I never saw the Lord,
Tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
Oh, tell me where to find,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
How the hell am I supposed to knock on heaven,
When I can't even see the door,
Yeah, won't you tell me where to find,
'Cause my biggest fear in the world,
Is introducing myself in the grave,
'Cause after all of my years living free,
Well, I don't have much to say,
Oh, 'cause the longer I live,
Well, the more I know that I'm gonna die,
And the more questions I have,
Well, the less I wanna try,
Time was winnin' so many times,
I stopped keepin' score,
Hey won't you tell me,
Oh, please tell me where to find the Lord,
Oh, tell me where to find, ohh,
Tell me where to find the Lord,
How the hell am I supposed to knock on heaven,
When I can't even see the door,
Hey won't you tell me,
Oh, please tell me where to find the Lord,
The song "An Introduction" by David Ramirez is a thought-provoking reflection on the search for spiritual truth and meaning in life. The opening lines describe the singer's experience of standing in both grand Roman Cathedrals and humble Southern Baptist Chapels, yet still feeling disconnected from any divine presence. The repetition of the phrase "tell me where to find the Lord" throughout the song underscores the singer's yearning for a deeper understanding of their place in the world and the nature of the universe.
The second verse shifts to a more personal reflection on the singer's upbringing, describing a childhood spent in bland, fluorescent-lit environments that lacked any sense of vitality or transcendence. The contrasting image of sitting in a bar, smoking cigarettes and pondering the mysteries of existence, highlights the singer's disillusionment with traditional religious structures and their search for something more authentic and meaningful.
The final lines of the song reveal the singer's ultimate fear: that despite a lifetime of searching, they will die without ever truly understanding the purpose of their existence. The song is a poignant reminder of the human desire for connection and meaning in a world that often seems indifferent and mysterious.
Line by Line Meaning
I've stood in Roman Cathedrals,
I have been to impressive religious structures
Prayed in Southern Baptist Chapels,
I have participated in religious worship with different denominations
I've never heard a voice,
I have not experienced a spiritual calling or revelation
So I ain't payin' a penny more,
I am not going to contribute any more money to religion until I find what I am looking for
Oh, tell me where to find,
Please guide me to where I can find what I am looking for
Tell me where to find the Lord,
Guide me to where I can find a spiritual connection with a higher power
They raised me on doughnuts and coffee,
I was brought up in a casual environment without a strong spiritual foundation
Under fluorescent lights we watched outdated movies,
My religious experience was not meaningful or fulfilling
It smelled like a hospital,
The environment was sterile and devoid of warmth
But no one was being cured,
The religious practices were not effective in helping people find spiritual fulfillment
How the hell am I supposed to knock on heaven,
How can I contact a higher power
When I can't even see the door,
When I do not know where to begin
So I traded in my pew for a barstool,
I have turned away from religion and am seeking fulfillment in other places
Trying to find redemption in the mind of the youth,
I am searching for a way to make a positive impact on future generations
We'd sit tall with our cigarettes and disheveled uniforms,
I am spending time with people who have similar struggles and experiences
Oh I never, no I never saw the Lord,
I have yet to find a spiritual connection with a higher power
'Cause my biggest fear in the world,
My greatest fear
Is introducing myself in the grave,
Is leaving this world without having made a significant impact or finding spiritual fulfillment
'Cause after all of my years living free,
After all this time of living life on my own terms
Well, I don't have much to say,
I do not feel like I have made a significant impact or found fulfillment
Well, the more I know that I'm gonna die,
The more I realize the inevitability of death
And the more questions I have,
The more I wonder about the meaning of life and death
Well, the less I wanna try,
The less motivated I am to keep searching for answers
Time was winnin' so many times,
I have felt defeated in my search for purpose and fulfillment
I stopped keepin' score,
I have given up on measuring my progress
Hey won't you tell me,
Please help me
Oh, please tell me where to find the Lord,
Guide me to where I can find spiritual fulfillment and connection with a higher power
Writer(s): Rene Ramirez
Contributed by Sadie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Shawn Eggleston
Blown away with this one. Easily my new favorite from David. Can't wait for "Apologies"!
John Elrod
Great song, David! Passionate performance!
Brian Bedford
easily one of the most talented musicians today.
Charlie Gore
Another awesome tune David -Charlie Gore
David Dunn
this song breaks me...never heard such vulnerable song
CarolinaBeachcomber
Certain songs have a powerful spiritual current running through them. This song is one of them.
Matthew McShane
What a poet!
Brittany Baker
I cannot stop hitting repeat. Send help. Or don't. This is amazing.
David Needham
holy cow!! great flippin' song!
john
this has to be one of his best