The press has likened Landes to "the grand old dames of country" and in the same breath The Black Keys and The White Stripes (Uncut). She’s also garnered comparisons to Cat Power and Pavement, an interesting mix that made even NPR’s David Dye wonder.
Raised in the fertile musical fields of Branson, Missouri and Louisville, Kentucky, Landes came to New York City in 1999 and did a cannonball into the music scene. While holding down several jobs to pay the rent, she abandoned university (NYU) and began to intern at some of the best studios in the city. "I had very little experience", she says. "I was just really, really curious. Dangerously curious in the studio… I picked heros like Tchad Blake and Brian Wilson and took a flying leap."
What started as a job getting coffee for engineers has blossomed into a truly enviable resume; among others she has worked with Phillip Glass, Ryan Adams, Hem, Joseph Arthur, The Earlies and Josh Ritter in the studio. Working late into the night, and often sleeping at the same studios she was interning in, Dawn began producing and recording her own songs after hours. "I wanted to get the sounds in my head onto tape exactly as I heard them. And that’s not an easy thing, there are a lot of sounds in there!"
After meeting the band Hem in the studio, Landes joined them on the road as an 8th band member (vocals and glockenspeil) and opening act. Her performing career started to gain speed. Her first full-length, «dawn’s music» was released in France in 2005, followed by extensive touring in Europe and two other European releases; «234» a 7-song EP released in the UK and finally «Fireproof», released worldwide in 2007. Since then her music has become the stuff of whispers and internet buzz, and her touring schedule has put her on the road with artists such as Feist, Jose Gonzales, Midlake, Suzanne Vega, Martha Wainright, The Swell Season…(the list goes on) At times solo, at times with a revolving cast of musical guests, her shows have the guileless and vibrant quality of a work of art in constant creation.
Landes penned the end-credit song for the movie «Savage Grace» starring Julianne Moore and plucked the WST Bluegrass band from a BBQ in Austin, TX to help her record her version of the Peter, Bjorn and John classic, «Young Folks.» Rumor has it, James Blunt liked it so much he covered dawns cover of the song! In 2007 Landes became the co-partner, designer and full-time dry-waller of Saltlands Studio in Brooklyn. «What if we get bored?» Dawn sings in the Fireproof gem, «Kids in a Play.»
As a solo artist, Landes has put out a number of albums:
* Dawn’s Music (self-released-US/Ocean Music-Europe) 2002
* two, three, four (Boy Scout recordings-UK) 2006
* Fireproof (Cooking Vinyl-US/Fargo Music-Europe) 2008
* Sweetheart Rodeo (Cooking Vinyl) 2010
Official Website: www.dawnlandes.com
Cry No More
Dawn Landes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our love's gone dry like grease on my fingers
Don't need a reason why, just pull out the stingers
I'm not gonna cry no more
Not gonna cry no more
I know what crying's for
I'm not gonna cry no more
Sing a lullaby, feel the wind blow
I don't even sigh when I pass our old windows
There's someone else inside
That's just how time goes
I don't need to cry no more
Not gonna cry no more
I know what tears are for
I don't need to cry no more
Feels like waking up
No more sleeping
My hearts still beating me up
I wanna go outside and feel the summer
Close my eyes and let the sun burn
Remember the good times more than the others
I'm not gonna cry no more
Not gonna cry no more
I know what crying's for
I'm not gonna cry no more
Not gonna cry no more
I know what tears are for
I don't need to cry no more
In Dawn Landes's song "Cry No More," she sings about moving on from a past love and the pain associated with it. The first verse talks about how the pain of the lost love lingers despite trying to move on. The line "Our love's gone dry like grease on my fingers" is a metaphor for how the love has lost its luster and becomes something that one wants to remove and forget. The chorus emphasizes the decision to not cry anymore and how the singer knows what crying and tears are for but has decided to not give in to them anymore.
The second verse focuses on how time heals and how the singer is not the same person anymore. Landes sings "There's someone else inside, That's just how time goes" signifying a change in identity after experiencing heartbreak. The lines "Sing a lullaby, feel the wind blow, I don't even sigh when I pass our old windows" show a sense of peace and acceptance of the situation. The image of feeling the wind blow and singing a lullaby creates a sense of calm and a release of emotions. The last verse talks about moving forward and focusing on the good memories rather than the bad ones. The line "Feels like waking up, No more sleeping" is a metaphor for the singer being reborn and able to move on.
Overall, the song is about finding strength to move on after heartbreak and realizing that crying and tears serve a purpose but it's time to let go and embrace life again.
Line by Line Meaning
No matter how hard I try the pain lingers
Despite my greatest efforts, the memories of our past still hurt me deeply.
Our love's gone dry like grease on my fingers
Our love has withered away just like grease dries out and loses its slickness on fingers.
Don't need a reason why, just pull out the stingers
I don't have to rationalize why I'm hurting, I just need to remove the painful memories like pulling out stingers from a wound.
I'm not gonna cry no more
I've decided to stop shedding tears and move on from the pain of lost love.
I know what crying's for
I understand that crying is an emotional outlet for grief but I've made a conscious choice to let go of it.
Sing a lullaby, feel the wind blow
As a way to calm my mind, I sing a soothing tune and feel the breeze on my skin.
I don't even sigh when I pass our old windows
I've learned to control my emotions and no longer feel pangs of sadness when I see reminders of our past together.
There's someone else inside, That's just how time goes
I've changed and grown as a person over time, and that person is no longer the same as the one who was in love with my ex-partner.
I don't need to cry no more
I don't require crying as a release from sadness any longer.
I know what tears are for
I understand that tears serve a purpose in emotional healing, but I no longer need them as much.
Feels like waking up, No more sleeping, My hearts still beating me up
It's like a new beginning, but my heart still aches and I'm still dealing with the aftermath of my heartache.
I wanna go outside and feel the summer
I desire to get out of the house and experience the warmth and life of the summertime.
Close my eyes and let the sun burn
I want to soak up the rays of the sun, let it warm me up, and allow myself to feel alive again.
Remember the good times more than the others
I choose to focus on the positive memories of our love and avoid dwelling on the negative experiences.
I don't need to cry no more
I don't need tears to cope with the pain anymore.
Not gonna cry no more
Again, I've come to a resolution and understand that crying is no longer necessary for me to deal with the pain of our past.
I know what tears are for
This is a repeat line, but it emphasizes the understanding and acceptance of emotional expressions such as crying.
Writer(s): Dawn Landes
Contributed by Brody W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.