Most recently, Dessa published a book under the Doomtree banner. Spiral Bound, her collection of essays and poetry, was dubbed a “dazzling literary debut” by the City Pages and “witty and desperately honest” by Alive Magazine.
A Badly Broken Code, her solo full-length record was released in January 2010 to an eagerly waiting number of listeners and music-writers alike. It earned 4 stars from Urb Magazine, a mention in Spin, and rave reviews from publications across the country.
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Dessa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoped to catch you still awake
And maybe I was wrong to call
Guess tonight broke my resolve
I've been having that dream again
It seems I always will
I don't know what the thing means
I know that love is never free
It bows your head and bends your knees
But there's no sword without an edge
And I sleep uneasily when you're not in my bed, 'cause
I didn't come to play it safe
I came to win or lose with you
I only live alone awake
'Cause every night, yeah
You pass through
Yeah, you pass through
Hello, it's only me
Yeah, love, it's only me
I didn't come to play it safe
I came to win or lose with you
And I win or lose with you
I only live alone awake
'Cause every night, yeah, you pass through
Yeah, you pass through
I didn't come to play it safe
I came to win or lose with you
And I win and lose with you
In “Good Grief”, Dessa is reaching out to a former lover, late at night, hoping to catch them awake. There is a sense of longing in her voice as she attempts to rekindle the relationship. Throughout the song, she relays a recurring dream she has been having, but she doesn’t understand its meaning. This dream leads her to the telephone, where she finds herself calling her former lover. Although she acknowledges that love is complicated and requires a lot of sacrifice, she cannot help but yearn for this person, even if it means losing them again.
She declares that she didn’t come to “play it safe”, but rather, she is willing to “win or lose” with her former lover. She doesn’t want to let fear stop her from pursuing what she desires. The phrase “win or lose” is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea that love is not always guaranteed, but it’s worth fighting for. The chorus of the song is both haunting and beautiful, with Dessa’s voice taking on a pleading quality as she declares, “I only live alone awake, 'cause every night, yeah, you pass through”.
Overall, “Good Grief” is a heart-wrenching exploration of love and loss, with the lyrics painting a picture of a woman who is willing to risk everything for a chance at love. It’s a reminder that even when things don’t go the way we want them to, it’s important to continue to pursue our deepest desires and not give up on what is truly important to us.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, it's only me, I know it's late
The singer knows it's late, but still hopes to catch the person they're calling awake.
Hoped to catch you still awake
The singer was hoping to catch the person they're calling still awake.
And maybe I was wrong to call
The singer is uncertain if it was a good idea to make the call.
Guess tonight broke my resolve
Something that happened tonight made the artist lose their determination or decision.
I've been having that dream again
The artist has been having a recurrent dream.
It seems I always will
The singer believes they will continue having that dream in the future.
I don't know what the thing means
The singer doesn't know the meaning behind the dream they're having.
Except it sends me to the telephone, and still
The dream makes the artist want to call someone every time they have it.
I know that love is never free
The artist understands that love always has a cost or a sacrifice.
It bows your head and bends your knees
Love is so powerful that it can make a person feels submissive, humble or vulnerable.
But there's no sword without an edge
There's always a negative or dangerous side to everything good in life.
And I sleep uneasily when you're not in my bed, 'cause
The artist has trouble sleeping when the person they love is not with them.
I didn't come to play it safe
The singer wants to take risks or be bold with the person they love.
I came to win or lose with you
The singer wants to go all out with the person they love, regardless of the outcome.
I only live alone awake
The singer only feels alive when they're awake and thinking about the person they love.
'Cause every night, yeah
The reason why the artist only feels alive when awake is because of what happens every night.
You pass through
The person the artist loves is always in their thoughts or dreams.
Yeah, you pass through
Reinforcement of the previous line.
Hello, it's only me
The singer is calling again.
Yeah, love, it's only me
The artist is addressing the person they love.
And I win and lose with you
The artist wants to experience both the good and the bad with the person they love, in order to grow together.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OrionOceanic
Dessa is the most under rated artist in America
@kelsey6968
AGREE
@treecooper8557
No question
@twankletoes8
This is the first Dessa song I ever heard. She's amazing!
@ElyssiumEarth
I adore this song ❤
@chellomann-nelson605
How can they not know about this magical voice? <3
@ayeronair
I think this one has a lot of good music 😊
@MrGbrumley
Good job! some of us get it.
@Landy82c
快樂的假象 留給我愛的人 我的父母........
殘酷的事實 我一個人知道就行 ，I can handle....
@Kayabc
Always find myself here in the early hours of the AM.