Denison Witmer (born November 4, 1976, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an Am… Read Full Bio ↴Denison Witmer (born November 4, 1976, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is an American indie singer-songwriter. His first release was a cassette in 1995 entitled "My Luck, My Love".

Witmer has released a number of albums (including Recovered), some EPs, and an LP with his side project, The River Bends, in which Witmer plays guitar and sings along with a backup band including members of Philly-based alt-country band One Star Hotel. His 2005 album, Are You A Dreamer?, was produced by mentor Don Peris of The Innocence Mission and featured Asthmatic Kitty artist Sufjan Stevens. It gained rave reviews by such opposite ends of the spectrum as Pitchfork Media and Entertainment Weekly.

Subsequent albums have included "Carry the Weight" (2008), "The Ones Who Wait" (2012), and "Denison Witmer" (2013).

His official website is located at http://www.denisonwitmer.com.

Rise And Fall
Denison Witmer Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yesterday I felt so sad
I came home early from work
Fell asleep with my clothes on,
Woke up when the sun was gone

There's an ocean in my heart
From the hurt for words we said
Trust, these days just feels like

some wave without a shore

Everywhere I go I rise and fall
Colors they all turn to one.
Days and weeks and months so fast
How can I hold on to that?

April with your eyes so bright
Come and stay with me tonight.
You hold promise in your hands
Hope I understand

Everything you say turns night to day
Light pours over every word
Days and weeks and months so fast
Suddenly come rushing back

Everywhere I go I rise and fall
Feelings they turn into one
Days and weeks and months so fast

How can I hold on to that?
How can I hold on to that?

Overall Meaning

Denison Witmer's song "Rise and Fall" is a poignant, introspective ballad that seems to be about a relationship that has ended badly. The opening verse paints a picture of a man who has just come back home from work, only to fall asleep in his clothes and wake up in the dark. It's a vivid description of someone who's feeling lost and disconnected from the world around them. The second verse seems to suggest that there was some kind of argument or falling out between the singer and someone else, and that this has left him with a huge "ocean" of emotional pain in his heart. Instead of finding solace or comfort in trust, he feels adrift and tossed around by waves that never seem to end.

The chorus of the song sees the singer reaching out and trying to capture something that he feels is slipping away too quickly. The days, weeks, and months are all blurring into one, and he can't seem to hold onto anything tangible. He's rising and falling, racing against time, and unable to make sense of his emotions. The third verse introduces April, whose eyes are "bright" and full of promise. The singer hopes that she can help him understand the confusion he's feeling and that her light will cut through the darkness that's engulfed him. When she speaks, it's like "light pours over every word," and the singer suddenly remembers everything he thought he'd lost. In the end, he's still struggling to hold onto everything, but he's at least got some hope that he might be able to.

Line by Line Meaning

Yesterday I felt so sad
I was overwhelmed with sadness yesterday

I came home early from work
I left work early because of my sadness

Fell asleep with my clothes on,
I was so exhaustion I didn't even get undressed

Woke up when the sun was gone
I slept through the day and woke up at night

There's an ocean in my heart
I am consumed by a vast amount of emotion

From the hurt for words we said
The pain is from the things we said to each other

Trust, these days just feels like
These days are lacking in trust

some wave without a shore
Like a wave, they are directionless and without meaning

Everywhere I go I rise and fall
I experience highs and lows no matter where I am

Colors they all turn to one.
The vibrancy of life fades as everything becomes one dull shade

Days and weeks and months so fast
Time is passing too quickly